Illinois Symphony Chamber Orchestra Opens 2026 with “Crown Jewels: A Celebration of New Beginnings”

The Illinois Symphony Orchestra rings in the New Year with a dazzling musical celebration designed to inspire, uplift, and launch audiences into 2026 with energy and imagination. Led by Resident Conductor Jacobsen Woollen, the concert displays the vibrant works of Chen Yi, Stravinsky, and Mozart—each work exploring the thrill of leaving the old behind and stepping boldly into what’s next.
 
The evening opens with Chen Yi’s Shuo, meaning “to initiate,” a vivid musical journey through the beginnings of each month in the lunar calendar followed by Stravinsky’s Pulcinella, a witty, colorful score that reimagines the past through a modern lens. Written in the wake of World War I, the work embodies the spirit of reinvention, blending nostalgia with innovation.
 
At the heart of the concert is Mozart’s radiant Coronation Mass, featuring the Springfield Choral Society and four acclaimed soloists: soprano Elena Negruţă, mezzo-soprano Aubrey Hawkinson, tenor Justin Vickers, and bass Troy Castle.
 
Composed in 1779, the Coronation Mass marks a defining moment in Mozart’s life as he stepped away from court patronage to forge his own path as one of history’s first freelance composers. “There’s this exhilaration of jumping into the unknown and starting something anew,” says Woollen. “It’s the perfect message for a January concert.”
 
Woollen—an accomplished conductor, cellist, and tenor—serves as Resident Conductor of the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, Conductor of the Illinois Symphony Youth Orchestras, Music Director of the Springfield Choral Society, and Conductor of the UIS Orchestra.
 
Join the Illinois Symphony Orchestra for a concert that celebrates the spark of possibility in all of us at 7:30 PM on Friday, January 16, 2026, at First Presbyterian Church, in Springfield, Illinois or at 7:30 PM on Saturday, January 17, 2026, at Second Presbyterian Church in Bloomington, Illinois. Please join us after the concert for our Coda Conversations.
 
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/crownjewels. General admission is $30 and students (24 & under) are $10. Ticket prices do not include online ticketing fees.
 
Crown Jewels is sponsored by season sponsors The Landmark Automotive Group and Debra & Daniel Brownstone, M.D., and series sponsor Kathryn Ransom.
 
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.