Crown Jewels
Ring 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.”
Jacobsen Woollen, Resident Conductor | Springfield Choral Society
Featuring Elena Negruţă, Soprano; Aubrey Hawkinson, Mezzo-Soprano; Justin Vickers, Tenor; and Troy Castle, Bass
Program: Chen Yi Shuo – Stravinsky Pulcinella Suite - Mozart Coronation Mass
Join us after the concert for Coda Conversations, a special post-concert discussion with Resident Conductor Jacobsen Woollen.
Listen LIVE! Engage Your Mind.
General Admission: $30
Students (Age 24 & Under): $10
Jacobsen Woollen is a conductor, cellist, and tenor residing in Springfield, Illinois, where he serves as Resident Conductor of the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, Conductor of the Illinois Symphony Youth Orchestra, Music Director of the Springfield Choral Society, and Conductor of the UIS Orchestra.
Jacobsen is also active in the opera world, having served as Assistant Conductor at Atlanta Opera, Detroit Opera, and Opera Theatre of St. Louis, where he led several workshops for new works, including Terence Blanchard’s Fire Shut Up In My Bones.
An Indiana native, Jacobsen returned to the Midwest after spending six years in Vienna, Austria, where he completed a Post-Graduate Diploma in orchestral conducting under the tutelage of Prof. Mark Stringer at the Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst, conducted professional ensembles including the Polska Filharmonia Baltycka and Ensemble Ultreia, served as assistant conductor of the Vienna Opera Festival, and led the Schlosschor Hadersfeld.
Jacobsen also maintains an active career as a tenor: as a member of the Grammy-winning Arnold Schoenberg Choir, Jacobsen participated in opera productions at Theater an der Wien, as well as concerts in Europe’s most renowned venues, including Vienna’s Musikverein and Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie.
Prior to his European sojourn, Jacobsen completed a Master’s Degree in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Michigan under the guidance of Kenneth Kiesler. During this time, he was active in the Ann Arbor musical community as well, serving as founder and director of Paradigm Shift Chamber Orchestra, music director of the Ann Arbor Camerata, and assistant conductor of the Michigan Life Sciences Orchestra.
As a cellist, Jacobsen was a student of Susan Moses in the Indiana University String Academy and later completed a Bachelor’s Degree with Richard Aaron at the University of Michigan. He has appeared as a soloist with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Bloomington Symphony Orchestra, Musical Arts Youth Orchestra, and Voces Novae Chamber Choir. As a chamber musician, he has had the pleasure of collaborating with Joshua Bell, Jaime Laredo, Soovin Kim, and many others. From 2013-16, Jacobsen was cellist and artistic curator with the new-music sextet Latitude 49, and he continues to serve on their Board of Directors.