

Classical: BTS
There's more to classical than meets the ear.
Returning for an all new season, it’s Classical:BTS—our popular docuseries devoted to revealing the lesser-seen and -heard stories around classical music in central Illinois. For this new season, the series is focusing on each performer's personal journey and elevating the beauty of their music with in-depth portraits of six very different performers and classical craftspeople.
New episodes will drop monthly right here. You will also be able to catch them in between your favorite programs on WILL-TV and streaming anytime on the PBS Video App. Join the discussion online on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram any time using the hashtag #WILLclassicalbts.
Classical:BTS is produced by Illinois Public Media. Production was made possible with funding from the Barbara E. Barnes Fund for Illinois Public Media.
Season 2


Dr. William McClain, conductor
Follow Dr. William McClain's journey conducting across the country and performing at renowned venues such as Carnegie Hall and Sheremetev Palace in Russia.Season 1

Stephen Taylor, professor and composer
University of Illinois professor Stephen Taylor can trace everything back to hearing Stravinsky for the first time.
Sam Walder, innovator and violinist
Sam Walder felt the difficulty and stress sometimes associated with learning the violin firsthand.
Joseph Baldwin, conductor
Conductor Joseph Baldwin has worked with orchestras, choirs, and many indivduals as a teacher on his path to conducting. He's also a yogi.