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Join us for a luminous evening of American sounds, as three landmark works trace a journey from reflection to exuberance to expansive hope. George Walker’s Lyric for Strings opens the program with its unmistakable emotional clarity—an intimate, deeply human meditation that grows from quiet sorrow into a glowing, resonant warmth. Its directness and sincerity set the stage for a night centered on music that speaks to the heart.
Ernest Bloch’s Concerto Grosso No. 1 follows with a burst of energy and craftsmanship. Written for string orchestra and piano obbligato, it blends Baroque-inspired structure with 20th‑century boldness. The result is a vibrant, rhythmically charged conversation between soloist and ensemble—by turns playful, powerful, and brilliantly inventive. It’s a work that celebrates the joy of collective music‑making.
The evening culminates in Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring, a sweeping portrait of American possibility. Its open harmonies, dancing rhythms, and iconic variations on “Simple Gifts” evoke wide landscapes, new beginnings, and the quiet strength of community. Few pieces capture the spirit of hope with such clarity and generosity.
Experience your Illinois Symphony Chamber Orchestra led by acclaimed Music Director Taichi Fukumura perform these three-moving works of music at 7:30 PM on Friday, April 10, 2026, at First Presbyterian Church, in Springfield, Illinois or at 7:30 PM on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at Second Presbyterian Church in Bloomington, Illinois. Please join us after the concert for our Coda Conversations.
Taichi Fukumura, Music Director of the Illinois Symphony Orchestra and newly appointed Assistant Conductor of The Cleveland Orchestra, is one of the most electrifying young talents on the podium today. A Second Prize Winner of The Mahler Competition 2023 and a four-time recipient of the prestigious Solti Foundation U.S. Career Assistance Award (2021–2024), Fukumura is rapidly emerging as a bold new voice in American orchestral music.
Order your tickets today! Tickets may be purchased in Springfield through the UIS Ticket Office at (217) 206-6160 or in Bloomington-Normal through the ISU Center for the Performing Arts at (309) 438-2535. You can also order tickets online at ilsymphony.org/simplegifts. General admission is $30 and students (24 & under) are $10. Ticket prices do not include online ticketing fees.
Simple Gifts is sponsored by season sponsors The Landmark Automotive Group and Debra & Daniel Brownstone, M.D., series sponsor Kathryn Ransom, concert sponsors A Circle of Springfield Physicians, and Music Sponsors Donald & Robin Tallman.
The Illinois Symphony Orchestra (ISO), under the inspiring leadership of Music Director Taichi Fukumura, is the premier professional orchestra of central Illinois—bringing world-class music to life for more than 35,000 patrons across Bloomington-Normal, Springfield, and surrounding communities. With thrilling symphony, Pops, and chamber performances, engaging Concerts for Kids, and intimate and immersive chamber experiences like the Sips & Sounds, Around the Town and Beyond the Stage performances, the ISO is redefining what a regional orchestra can be.
The ISO’s reach goes far beyond the concert hall. Through transformative education programs like Itsy Arts and Music Matters, the orchestra sparks creativity in pre-K and elementary classrooms, while guest artist residencies and ensemble visits connect with middle schools, high schools, universities, and senior centers—building lifelong relationships with music.
In 2020, the ISO expanded its mission by acquiring the Sangamon Valley Youth Symphony, now the Illinois Symphony Youth Orchestras (ISYO), serving over 300 young musicians through five progressive ensembles. With strong partnerships through its’ PEACE (Partnership in Education and Community Engagement) with UIS-Music and Illinois State University, the ISO is cultivating the next generation of artists, educators, and arts advocates. ISO’s annual operating budget is $1.6 million.
Additional information about the Illinois Symphony Orchestra is available at www.ilsymphony.org.
This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council.
