Illinois Public Media

Music

An image of outer space with an astronaut and the logo of

Prairie Performances: Music Beyond Worlds

 On this week's “Prairie Performances,” celebrate the excitement of the Artemis II mission as host Mel Miller brings the final frontier to the prairie frontier, exploring music inspired by the world beyond our own. This out-of-this-world program includes Richard Strauss’s "Also Sprach Zarathustra," excerpts from Joseph Haydn’s "Il Mundo della Luna," Gustav Holst’s "The Planets," and for more contemporary tastes, Hayden Mesnick’s "Drone Piece." 
IPM Newsroom
Earth Month Programming, including Our New World, Life On Earth - Attenborough's Greatest Adventure, and Nature - Becoming Elephant: The Orphans of Reteti
Atomic Age Cocktail Party
Atomic Age logo with an illustration of a headshot of Antonio Carlos Jobim. Text reads

The Music of Antonio Carlos Jobim (162)
Coming up on The Atomic Age Cocktail Party, the spotlight is on bossa nova great Antonio Carlos Jobim. We look at his vast catalog of standards and how artists of the…
Classic Mornings

Sixteens, Sextons, and Stetsons
It was just a guess.
Evening Concert

The Evening Concert on Illinois Classical
Music by Villa-Lobos, Franck, Lavista, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Salonen, Mozart, and others
News Local/State
radio reporter holding microphone

Behind The Mic: Illinois Public Media’s Agriculture/Environmental reporter Abigail Bottar views her work as public service
Abigail Bottar joined Illinois Public Media in early March 2026 as our Agriculture/Environmental reporter after six years at Ideastream Public Media in Ohio.
News Local/State
woman in a classroom

Behind The Mic: Illinois Student Newsroom editor Christine Herman leads the newest generation of public media reporters
Christine Herman initially joined IPM as a part-time producer. Now, she is the editor for the Illinois Student Newsroom, overseeing 15 to 20 U of I student reporters.
Weather Realness
A derecho rolling into Morris, Illinois, which caused widespread damage to trees, powerlines, and buildings on August 10, 2020.

Storm chasers on the reality behind the chase
During a tornado, most people take cover. Others drive straight towards it. We talk to storm chasers about what it’s like to be in the path of a storm.
Prairie Fire

Prairie Fire: Season 3 - Episode 6 - March 2026
We introduce you to the art of Brian Dettmer, get a special performance from hip-hop duo Mother Nature, and visit with quilter Millie Sorrells, who shows us creativity has no…
News Local/State
radio reporter holding microphone

Behind The Mic: Illinois Public Media’s Agriculture/Environmental reporter Abigail Bottar views her work as public service
Abigail Bottar joined Illinois Public Media in early March 2026 as our Agriculture/Environmental reporter after six years at Ideastream Public Media in Ohio.
State of Change

The state of the Illinois Prairie
State of Change 2025 looks at efforts to retain existing prairie in Illinois, as well as strategies to restore some areas to a more natural state.