It is my honor and I feel privileged to welcome you to the 49th season of the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra. The growth of the IPO in these 49 seasons has been astonishing. Beginning in 1954 with volunteer musicians as the Park Forest Orchestra, the IPO is now a professional orchestra with profound, inspiring, and personal connections to the people and communities of the Chicago Southland.
The IPO connections now include strong ties to patrons from expanded performing venues in University Park, Frankfort, Olympia Fields, and Palos Heights. Our distinguished Maestro Stilian Kirov leads the orchestra as the Illinois Council of Orchestras designated 2026 Music Director of the Year. Lawrence A. Johnson in the Chicago Classic Review describes Maestro Kirov as “one of those rare conductors who draws consistently successful results across a wide range of repertory.” Through growing educational outreach, the IPO “Rising Stars” program connects with talented South Suburban youth by featuring these youth in annual performances.
This 49th season is truly exceptional! One of those former “Rising Stars,” violist Matthew Lipman, is now an established performing artist and our guest artist for the October 2026 Opening Night performance. The November concert features music entitled Starburst, written by Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s 2021–2024 Mead Composer in Residence, Jesse Montgomery. The December performance of Handel’s popular Messiah welcomes back to our stage the artistry of the Chicago Community Chorus.
Our February program features the music of Japanese composer Joe Hisaishi and his iconic film scores for Studio Ghibli, a producer of lush storytelling experiences. In March, the stage will be filled with community high school choral students from Homewood-Flossmoor, Stagg, Carl Sandburg, Andrew, Lincolnway East, and Spotlight Performance Academy schools who join with the IPO to perform the driving rhythms from earthy and rebellious poetry texts in Carl Orff’s 20th-century masterwork, Carmina Burana.
I invite you to experience this magnificent, magical season with me through our venues at Governors State University and Lincolnway North High School. And thank you for your support of Southland’s thrilling professional musicians in the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra!
Dr. Michael Rogers, Board President
Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra