Description
Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra is an innovative and approachable classical music champion. We present full scale orchestral concerts from both "old" masters and "new" masters. We are at the forefront of rewriting musical history through the presentation of "new" masters including female composers, composers of color, and other composers who do not readily fit into more traditional stereotypes. IPO regularly performs inventive chamber music concerts and our top notch musicians are as committed to making our community more vibrant as they are to delivering stellar concerts.
Work Sample
Work Sample 1: IPO Reimagined Virtual Opening Night Concert
October 23, 2020
George Walker - Lyric for Strings
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Serenade for Strings in C Major, Op. 48
Work Sample 2: 2018 Opening Night Concert (provided to show full orchestra)
October 20, 2018
https://soundcloud.com/user-798643216/korngold-violin-con-mo-1-simone-porter-violinist/s-Ttrp3
Korngold - Violin Con. Mo. 1 Simone Porter Violinist
For our Virtual 2020-21 Season, IPO renewed our commitment to showcasing artists who might not have been granted the same level of fame as other artists in our repertoire. We paired American composer Walker's "Lyric for Strings" with Tchaikovsky's "Serenade for Strings" in order to showcase a great artist (Walker) who is not as widely recognized as Tchaikovsky in our current society. IPO has championed similar programing initiatives over the past three seasons, presenting Africa American, Latino, and female composers alongside traditional "favorites." Due to social distancing requirements, this program was "strings only," as such, we submitted a second work sample to provide a fuller picture of IPO's body of performance work. Our orchestra also performs a wide variety of solo and chamber concerts not represented in the work samples.
History
IPO's history dates back to 1954. Then known as the Park Forest Orchestra, it was formed at the community level with volunteer musicians. In 1978, the orchestra was re-formed into a professional chamber orchestra performing in Park Forest. In 1982, the orchestra was renamed to reflect its regional mission. Instrumental to IPO's growing success was the naming of Carmon DeLeone as Music Director in 1986. During DeLeone's 25 year tenure, the IPO expanded its Artists-in-the-Schools Education Program to include interactive Youth Concerts. In the 1990s, IPO performed in residence at the Center for the Performing Arts at Governors State University in University Park. In 2008, the orchestra began a new residency at the Lincoln-Way North Performing Arts Center in Frankfort, a regionally centralized location. After an international search process, IPO appointed David Danzmayr as Music Director, serving from 2012-2016 and expanding IPO's programming to include an American work on every program. In 2017, following a search that attracted over 170 applicants from around the world, IPO's Board of Directors' announced the hiring of Stilian Kirov as Music Director beginning with the 40th Anniversary Season. Kirov has expanded IPO's repertoire and developed Classical Evolve, the company's first Composer-in-Residence Competition.
Artistic Vision
IPO is committed to expanding the classical music canon through innovative programing which champions the compositions of American composers and aims to elevate the recognition of artists who have traditionally been underrepresented in the orchestral world.
Name
Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra
Type
Company/Ensemble
Address
377 Artists Walk
Park Forest, IL 60466
Artistic Director
Stilian Kirov
[email protected]
Contact Person
Christina Salerno, Executive Director
[email protected]
708.481.7774
Web Site
Artistic Discipline(s)
Music
- Classical
- Orchestral
Geographic Availability
Central Illinois
Chicago/Chicagoland
Northern Illinois
Southern Illinois
Western Illinois
Fee Ranges
$300 - $25,000
Additional Services
Demonstrations
Lectures
Master classes
Residencies
Teacher Development
Workshops
Core Audience(s)
Adult
Children
Seniors
Youth