Some orchestras go quiet in the summer. Yours packed up its instruments and went out on the town.
From late June through early September, small ensembles from your Illinois Symphony Orchestra played on patios, plazas, and garden lawns across Springfield and Bloomington-Normal. Most of it was free, all of it was close enough to see the musicians smile, and the crowds kept coming, averaging about 150 listeners at each Sips & Sounds stop. Here’s a look back.
June: Strings Set the Tone
Sips & Sounds opened with the ISO String Quartet, starting June 24 on the plaza at Bloom Wine Bar & Florals in Springfield and continuing June 25 at Keg Grove Brewing Company in Bloomington. On June 26, the quartet headed to the Ewing Manor Courtyard for the Illinois Shakespeare Festival’s 2026 opening night. The evening began under rain clouds, but the skies cleared just in time for a celebration of live performance in one of the area’s loveliest outdoor settings. Throughout the week, the quartet paired classical works with lighter favorites from West Side Story and Bridgerton.
July: Brass Takes the Field
On the Fourth of July, Music Director Taichi Fukumura led the ISO Brass Ensemble at the Springfield Lucky Horseshoes game, with patriotic music before the first pitch and again during the 2nd, 5th, and 7th innings. Few things say Independence Day quite like brass and baseball.
Later that month, the ISO Brass Quintet served up “Brass, Bites & Beverages” at Route 66 MotorHeads Bar & Grill in Springfield on July 29 and at Ancho & Agave in Bloomington-Normal on July 30. Beautiful weather, good food, and a lively, varied program drew close to 200 listeners, making it one of the most memorable weeks of the summer.
“The ability to combine a free live music performance by the excellent musicians of the brass quintet with local food and drink options made for a relaxed and enjoyable evening,” said Jerry Joseph, who with his wife, Board Member Dr. Ann Abbott Joseph, has been a longtime season ticket holder and donor. “The great turnout and enthusiastic audience reflected the positive atmosphere. A great way to encourage participation from the local community, further enhancing the ISO’s image and community engagement.”
August: Woodwinds Bring It Home
The ISO Woodwind Quintet closed out the Sips & Sounds series: Kimberly McCoul Risinger, flute; Dan Schwartz, oboe; Dana Hotle, clarinet; Rachel Hockenberry, horn; and Ben Roidl-Ward, bassoon. They played Route 66 MotorHeads on August 26 and Keg Grove Brewing on August 27. On August 28, they headed to Lincoln Memorial Garden for an Around the Town concert that drew the summer’s biggest crowd, more than 400 people. A suggested $5 donation that evening supported the Garden.
The musicians had as much fun as their audiences.
“I knew the woodwind quintet and I would have fun at the Sips and Sounds concerts, but I don’t think we knew just how much fun!” said Schwartz. “The venues were incredible, and there is nothing like getting off the concert hall stage and making music with an audience up close. The turnout for each show was amazing, and you could absolutely feel how much support for live music was in the room. It was an absolute blast!”
For Roidl-Ward, an ISO member since 2019, this summer was his first Sips & Sounds. “It was such a special experience for me to get to play chamber music with my orchestra colleagues, and to share it with both new and familiar audiences throughout Springfield and Bloomington-Normal,” he said. “There is something truly special about our community coming together to share great music in the spaces where we eat, drink, gather, worship, and explore. Sips and Sounds brought me so much joy, and I can’t wait for the next one!”
The music traveled beyond the patio, too. The Brass and Woodwind Quintets also brought their summer programs to residents of EverTrue Concordia Village in Springfield as part of the ISO’s Around the Town series, with another visit coming up in October.
September: One Last Summer Encore
Summer had one more gift to give. On September 5, Resident Conductor Jacobsen Woollen presented If You Love For Love: The Passionate Life of Gustav Mahler at Moses Montefiore Temple in Bloomington. More than 150 people attended, the largest audience yet for an Around the Town concert at the Temple. Woollen guided the audience through Mahler’s life as Roy Meyer, violin; Lisa Nelson, viola; Henry Lin, cello; and Joe Welch, piano, performed the Piano Quartet. Guest soprano Aubrey Hawkinson joined them for selections from the Rückert-Lieder.
“This was an exceptionally moving musical experience as the music and life of Mahler were woven together,” said Board Member Elaine Cousins. “Resident Conductor Jacobsen Woollen is a fantastic storyteller who created a beautiful evening of music and narration. Kudos too to the ISO Guild who provided a wonderful post-concert reception with wine, punch, little cakes, cookies, and fruit.”
Members of Moses Montefiore Temple joined the Guild in hosting the reception.
Thank You to Our Supporters
Sips & Sounds is made possible by generous donors including Jim & Theresa Moore, Roland & Linda Folse, the Springfield Area Arts Council, John & Marilyn Freese, Laurie Burke, and the Illinois Arts Council, an Agency of the State of Illinois. EverTrue Concordia Village underwrites the Around the Town performances for its residents, and the September 5 Around the Town concert at Moses Montefiore Temple was supported by the Sol Shulman Jewish Life and Educational Endowment.