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2026-27 Orchestral Season Round-Up

2026-27 Orchestral Season Round-Up

 Central Illinois is fortunate to be home to a number of stellar professional orchestras, from Danville to Springfield, Champaign-Urbana to Bloomington-Normal. Click for a full list of concerts. If you're only able to attend one concert this season, you'll find “Clef Notes” Editor Katie Buzard’s top pick for each ensemble, marked by a star.
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Clef Notes

2026-27 Orchestral Season Round-Up
Central Illinois is fortunate to be home to a number of stellar professional orchestras, from Danville to Springfield, Champaign-Urbana to Bloomington-Normal. The 2026–27…
Dialogue
three teenagers in graphic

‘We’re not speaking up loud enough’: Three teens share candid thoughts about youth gun violence in central Illinois
In the first half of this year, gun violence has taken the lives of four teens in Champaign. Several more have been injured. And many of the suspects are also teenagers. 
The 21st Show
a black-and-white photo of the author shows a white woman in a white blouse; the book cover features an indigo background dotted by golden stars and clouds, radiating from a green baseball diamond; in the background is a photo of the famous red sign at Wrigley Field; and in the bottom corner a small goat peeks its head up and looks directly into the camera, as if to say,

The true story of the Billy Goat Curse, and other tales of baseball magic
From the Billy Goat to the Black Sox, the idea that the Cubs and White Sox were cursed is a key part of Illinois baseball lore. Author Addy Baird explores those stories and…
The 21st Show
a flag of illinois cut in half is superimposed over a stylized white and blue map of Cook County, Illinois

Illinois without Cook County?
This fall, Illinois voters in at least seven more counties will be asked whether they support splitting the state in two. One of the groups leading the push, New Illinois —…
The 21st Show
a black buggy pulled by a dark brown horse on moves from left to right on a paved road

Three decades chasing the Amish, Mennonites and the last Shakers
Kevin Williams was a college sophomore in Ohio when he started driving around Michigan and Indiana, knocking on the doors of Amish women with a pitch: write a weekly newspaper…
Prairie Fire

Prairie Fire: Season 3 - Episode 7 - May 2026
For this month's Prairie Fire, students from the University of Illinois’ College of Media spent a semester producing five short documentaries highlighting food, skating,…
Mid-American Gardener

Propagation, Hail Recovery & Summer Garden Tips
In this episode of Mid-American Gardener, Tinisha is joined by horticulturists Karen Ruckle and Ella Maxwell for hands-on advice on how to keep your garden thriving all…
State of Change

Small gestures to make a big difference in preserving our planet
We visit a zero-waste general store, a garden bringing a community together in a Chicago food desert, a program protecting pollinators, and advice to increase sustainability…