Clef Notes

Mathematician and musical satirist Tom Lehrer passed away on July 26 at the age of 97. Although he spent most of his life out of the limelight, preferring to teach rather than perform, he is beloved for his darkly humorous lyrics, often on political or social topics, set to incongruously cheerful melodies. Read on for a brief biography and a selection of some of his best songs.

The Krannert Center for the Performing Arts has announced its 2025/26 season, and we’re happy to report there’s lots on offer for classical music lovers, from baroque to ultra-contemporary and everything in between! Now that tickets are on sale for the general public, we’re highlighting our top pick for each month of the concert season. Of course, we’ll continue to keep you posted on all the classical goings-on in the listening area in our monthly Classical Calendar (subscribe to Clef Notes for access), but we wanted to give our readers a heads up for events of particular note.

On Friday, September 5, Rev. Dr. Jay Regennitter will present an organ recital at Wesley United Methodist Church in Urbana as part of a series of concerts commemorating the 100th birthday of the church’s organ. Read on to learn more about Regennitter and the program he intends to play.

Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich (1906–1975) was one of the most consequential symphonic composers of the 20th century, producing a diverse body of work that at times put his life and career in jeopardy when he contravened the Soviet Party’s vague yet imperative stylistic demands. In honor of the fiftieth anniversary of his passing on August 9, we've highlighted five of our favorite Shostakovich works as a way to learn more about this complex figure.

On Saturday, August 23, The ILLIAC returns to Hessel Park in Champaign. Presented by the same promoters who bring you PYGMALION, The ILLIAC boasts a day of free outdoor musical performances. Headlining the event will be Sinfonia da Camera, the professional chamber orchestra in residence at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. The ILLIAC will also feature performances by The Marching Illini, Bandoneon Massacre, and The Soul Syndicate. We spoke with Elizabeth Churchya, executive director of Sinfonia da Camera, and Seth Fein, producer of The ILLIAC and PYGMALION, to learn more about this event.

Author and musician Brendan Slocumb has returned with his latest musical thriller. From the author of The Violin Conspiracy and Symphony of Secrets comes The Dark Maestro, an exciting page-turner about a young Black musical virtuoso who is forced into hiding when his family runs afoul of a ruthless criminal organization—and how he uses his love of music and comic books to fight back.

We sat down with Dr. Lisa Nelson, co-founder and executive director of the Illinois Chamber Music Festival held annually at Illinois Wesleyan University. Now in its 23rd year, the festival offers high school and college students the chance to immerse themselves in chamber music-making, with daily coachings, rehearsals, lessons, masterclasses, electives in music theory and history, and performances by world-class faculty. Read on to learn more about the festival, which runs July 13 to August 1.

July 2, 2025, marks 100 years since the death of French avant-garde composer Erik Satie. Largely dismissed as an eccentric in his lifetime, Satie is now regarded as a pioneer of modern music, paving the way for 20th-century harmonies and musical movements such as minimalism and ambient music. Most will know his piano piece Gymnopédie No. 1, but Satie is so much more. Read on to learn more about this one-of-a-kind artist and listen to a survey of his works.

We are pleased to introduce you to Melissa Bialecki Miller, our next John Frayne Classical Music Graduate Student Fellow here at WILL FM 90.9. Mel is a doctoral student at the University of Illinois studying ethnomusicology with a minor in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies. Read on to learn more about Mel and what she hopes to gain from the fellowship.

On Saturday, April 5, the Heartland Festival Orchestra will present a unique multimedia program called Immersive Sound & Light. Conductor and artistic director David Commanday and artists Doug and Eileen Leunig teamed up to create a one-of-a-kind interaction of sound, light, and space. Copland’s Appalachian Spring, Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll, Vivaldi’s Spring, and Arvo Pärt’s Fratres will be synchronized with imagery and lighting that the Leunigs have designed and curated. We chatted with the creatives behind this project to learn more about how this collaboration came to be and how visual art and music can enhance each other.