Get Your Kicks with Our Symphony Picks at our Fabulous “Finnish” concert
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact Beth Wakefield
217-522-2838 x4
[email protected]
Go on a thrilling musical adventure where nostalgia and emotion come together for a “Fabulous Finnish” to the season. The spirit of the open road comes alive in the world premiere of Reverie on the Mother Road by Illinois composer Michelle Isaac, written in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the iconic Route 66.
The journey continues with Rachmaninoff’s electrifying Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, featuring renowned pianist Janice Carissa, brimming with virtuosity and passion. The evening culminates in the triumphant power of Sibelius’s Second Symphony, bringing this exhilarating season led by Music Director Taichi Fukumura to an unforgettable close.
A Gilmore Young Artist and winner of Salon de Virtuosi, Janice Carissa has “the multicolored highlights of a mature pianist” (Philadelphia Inquirer) and “strong, sure hands” (Voice of America) that “convey a vivid story rather than a mere showpiece” (Chicago Classical Review). Her artistry has been showcased at an array of renowned stages, including the Sydney Opera House, Carnegie Hall, the United Nations, the Kennedy Center, Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, and the Saratoga Performing Arts Center.
Michelle Isaac is a Chicago-based composer and orchestrator known for her playful and poignant works for the concert hall, stage, and screen. A Chicago DCASE grant winner, Chicago Sinfonietta’s inaugural Freeman Composing Fellow, and the inaugural winner of the Miriam Mayer Perspective Composer Grant for new voices in film scoring, Isaac creates deeply nuanced, narrative-driven music that is delectably intricate and sweepingly cinematic, often employing elements of humor and historical research.
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.
Join us at 7:30 PM on Friday, May 1, 2026, at First United Methodist Church, in Springfield, Illinois or at 7:30 PM on Saturday, May 2, 2026, at ISU Center for the Performing Arts in Normal, Illinois. Please join us one hour prior to the concert for Concert Comments, a special pre-concert discussion that will take you, the listener, inside the 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/fabfinnish. Single ticket prices range from $10 for students (24 & under) to $65 for premium seating. Ticket prices do not include online ticketing fees.
Fabulous “Finnish” is sponsored by season sponsors The Landmark Automotive Group and Debra & Daniel Brownstone, M.D., concert sponsors Isringhausen Imports; Terry Huff; Jerry & Carole Ringer; guest artist & commission sponsors Ken & Laura Berk; Elaine Buxbaum Cousins; In Memory of Marlene Pierce Gregor, beloved teacher, artist, & friend; Barbara & Warren Stiska; In Honor & Memory of the Wollan Family; Louise F. & Laurin A. Wollan Endowed Fund; and Carolyn Yockey; and music sponsors Debbie & Jim Ringer.
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.
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