Clef Notes

On October 3, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Steve Reich celebrates his 90th birthday. A pioneer of the minimalist movement in the 1960s, his influence can be felt across genres, from contemporary classical music to electronic dance music and film scores. His creative voice is so singular, The New Yorker dubbed him “The most original music thinker of our time.” Read on to learn why and to hear a sampling of his most important works.

The University of Illinois School of Music will mount its second annual New Music Festival this fall. Running October 18–20, the festival welcomes composers Shulamit Ran and Arlene Sierra for a series of concerts at Smith Memorial Hall and the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. We spoke with Dr. Joshua Graham, the festival’s director and assistant professor and coordinator of the percussion program, to learn more about the festival and what he hopes students and the community will gain from it.

This past June, the Vienna Philharmonic gave its annual Summer Night Concert, a free, open-air performance in the landscape park and gardens of Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria. Under the baton of Swiss conductor Lorenzo Viotti, Welsh bass-baritone Bryn Terfel was featured in selections from opera and musical theater. Among this illustrious international company was a local name: Elaine Fine, a Charleston resident, composer, teacher, multi-instrumentalist, and longtime member of the Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra. The Vienna Philharmonic included Fine’s orchestral arrangement of Florence Price’s Adoration in the concert, which will be broadcast on PBS Great Performances this Friday, August 28 at 8 pm. Read on to learn more about how Fine’s arrangement has brought the once-obscure piece back into circulation.

NOTE: This article was originally published in March 2026. “I Hear America Singing” will be repeated at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts on September 10 and 11.

As part of its commemoration of America 250, the Peoria Riverfront Museum presents “I Hear America Singing,” an original performance curated by Julie and Nathan Gunn and their production company, Shot in the Dark Productions. The inaugural concerts will run on Friday, March 27, and Saturday, March 28, at the Peoria Riverfront Museum, with plans to tour to other locations, including the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts this fall. Read on for our interview with Julie Gunn about the project and its resonance in contemporary America.

One of the oldest surviving works of literature and a bedrock of Western culture, The Odyssey continues to move and enthrall audiences nearly 2,700 years after its supposed composition by the blind poet, Homer. Christopher Nolan’s recent film is just the latest take on a text that has inspired countless adaptations and works of art. Since The Odyssey seems to be the only thing anyone can talk about this summer, let’s look at musical adaptations of the Homeric epic, from operas and oratorios to intimate art songs. 

The Krannert Center for the Performing Arts can always be counted upon to bring exciting, world-class arts programming to the Champaign-Urbana community. The 2026–27 season is shaping up to be no different. With the season officially kicking off on September 3 in grand style with a punk marching-band parade across campus, we thought we’d highlight our picks for each month of the season so you can mark your calendars and secure your tickets in time. Of course, we encourage you to attend as many concerts and shows as you can, but if you can only choose one performance per month, we’ve got you covered.

“What have teachers got to do with music?” Leonard Bernstein asks in a New York Philharmonic Young Person’s Concert in 1963. “The answer is: everything,” he continues. “It is almost impossible to imagine a professional musician who doesn’t owe something to one teacher or another. The trouble is that we don’t always realize how important teachers are, in music or in anything else.” To right this wrong, we’ve highlighted four pieces dedicated to music teachers in anticipation of the upcoming school year. 

Champaign-Urbana Theatre Company presents Ragtime: The Musical July 30 through August 2 at the Virginia Theatre in Champaign. Based on E.L. Doctorow’s novel of the same name, the multiple Tony Award-winning musical was written by composer Stephen Flaherty and lyricist Lynn Ahrens, with a book by renowned playwright Terrence McNally. To learn more about the show, we spoke with pianist, conductor, and singer Simon Tiffin, who is music directing CUTC’s production.

On Saturday, August 22, Sinfonia da Camera returns to headline The ILLIAC. Now in its third year, The ILLIAC is a free outdoor event, featuring live musical performances, food trucks, and more in Hessel Park and across other venues in Downtown Champaign. Read on the learn more about this year's event and Sinfonia's program.

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 season is shaping up to be an exciting one. Read on for a full list of concerts. If you're only able to attend one concert this season, Clef Notes Editor Katie Buzard shares her top pick for each ensemble.