Clef Notes

There is no figure in classical music quite so extremely revered and reviled as Maria Callas. The number of tributes that have sprung up across the globe in honor of the legendary soprano’s centenary this December demonstrate the lasting hold of the voice, stage presence, and life of Callas. Read on to learn more about her remarkable life and career and to hear recordings of some of her most iconic performances.

Central Illinois has a longstanding reputation as a hub for choral excellence thanks to the influx of talent from the University of Illinois School of Music. Area churches are often the beneficiaries of this conducting talent as graduate students take up music director positions during their studies. We met with one such student to learn about an exciting musical project he is leading this holiday season. A native of Waxhaw, NC, conductor Nicholas Pierle directs the music ministry at Grace Lutheran Church and is currently a first-year DMA Choral Music student at the University of Illinois. Pierle is directing the ELCA Choirs in their inaugural “Advent Cantata” performance this December. Read our interview to hear how this community-wide event came to be and to learn more about the central work on the program, Benjamin Britten's Rejoice in the Lamb.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is shaping up to be the next great technological frontier, prompting excitement and trepidation about its applications in all fields, from academia to medicine to the military. Music is no exception. In this blog, we take a look at ways in which AI has been used in classical music so far and what this means for the future of music composition and performance. 

Urbana High School choir students had the chance of a lifetime—to sing backup vocals at a rock concert at the State Farm Center. We chatted with their director, Becky Park, to hear what it was like to perform with the iconic rock band Foreigner on October 22. We also learn about the choir's fundraising efforts for their upcoming trip to Disney World, where they will give a performance and have some well-deserved fun.

On November 16, the University of Illinois Symphony Orchestra will be performing French composer Louise Farrenc’s (1804–1875) Symphony No. 1 in C minor, opus 32. Before you attend the concert, read up on this trailblazing composer, teacher, and scholar whose once-forgotten works are justifiably being revived.

John Frayne Classical Music Graduate Student Fellow Julia Escobar fills us in on her upcoming graduate recital. Escobar will perform the works of Béla Bartók, Amanda Harberg, Lowell Liebermann, and Bob Thiele and George David Weiss with pianist Ieng Ieng Lam at Smith Memorial Hall on Saturday, November 11 at 10:30 a.m. Read on to learn more her repertoire selections and the personal significance behind them.

We are happy to report that long-standing Champaign-Urbana choral ensemble Amasong is back in full force! After a hiatus and diminished numbers during the height of the pandemic, Amasong, the area’s premier lesbian/feminist chorus, will be giving their fall concert on November 4 and 5 at McKinley Presbyterian Church. We spoke with director Heidi Weatherford about the group’s comeback and what audiences can expect at their fall concert.

Composers used music in various ways to process the horrors of the First World War, then thought to be “the war to end all wars.” Some poured their grief into heartfelt elegies for lost friends, faraway homes, and shattered innocence, while others vividly captured the violence and senselessness of war through discordant music. As we honor all those who have served this Veterans Day, originally known as Armistice Day, we take a listen to some poignant responses to the First World War from composers who served or stood witness, as well as works by composers killed in action.

We had the privilege of meeting with Brendan Slocumb, author of the best-selling novels The Violin Conspiracy and Symphony of Secrets, in advance of his talks at the Champaign Public Library on October 12. Hailed by the New York Times as “A maestro of musical mystery,” Slocumb, a violinist and music educator as well as novelist, has brought classical music to the masses through his thrilling novels centering on diverse voices.

We met up with soprano Elena Negruţă to discuss her recent success as the winner of the American Prize in Vocal Performance for Women in Opera. Originally from Moldova and having trained as a folk singer, Negruţă first came to study opera at the University of Illinois School of Music in 2012. Since then, she has built a steady performance schedule across central Illinois and beyond, covering a broad range of repertoire and styles. Read on to learn more about this dynamic artist and to hear select recordings.