Experience PSO
Spring Virtuosi - May 2024
- Richard Hirschl
Richard Hirschl joined the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s cello section in 1989. Before moving to Chicago, Hirschl was an associate teacher at Juilliard. In addition to his New York debut with the Juilliard Orchestra, Hirschl has given concerto performances with the Peoria Symphony, Jupiter Symphony, St. Louis Philharmonic, Maracaibo Symphony (Venezuela), National Repertory Orchestra, St. Louis Chamber Orchestra and Philharmonia Virtuosi of New York. Richard will join the PSO for a third time on May 18, 2024 for the PSO's final concert of the 126th Season, Spring Virtuosi. View More »
Voyage - April 2024
- Erica Petrocelli
American soprano Erica Petrocelli, whom Broadway World exclaimed that, “Her voice can richly convey all the emotions, while masterfully integrating all those coloratura tricks and making them seem easy and natural. She is amazing-the most remarkable voice of the evening!” recently graduated from both young artist programs of Opernhaus Zürich and LA Opera. Erika will make her debut with the PSO alongside her husband Louis during the April 20, 2024 Voyage concert. View More » - Louis Lohraseb
Since his professional debut at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma in 2019, Louis Lohraseb has quickly established himself as an exciting new conductor on the international stage, with subsequent debuts at the Semperoper Dresden, Los Angeles Opera, and Komische Oper Berlin. Louis will make his debut with the PSO along side his wife Erika as he expertly performs the piano and guest conducts during the Voyage concert on April 20, 2024. View More »
New Horizons - March 2024
- Michelle DeYoung
This season, renowned American mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung’s many engagements include appearances with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra, Belgium National Orchestra, San Diego Symphony, and the Colorado Symphony. She also appeared in the Metropolitan Opera’s special performance of the Verdi Requiem to commemorate the 20th anniversary of 9/11. The last time Michelle joined the PSO was in November 2021 and she will join us again not only singing but also guest conducting the first half on March 16, 2024 for the New Horizons concert. View More »
Romance - February 2024
- David Taylor
David Taylor joined the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as assistant concertmaster in 1979. Born in Canton, Ohio, he first studied violin with his father at the age of four, and continued with Margaret Randall and Rafael Druian at the Cleveland Institute of Music. This will be David's second time preforming with the PSO. He will join us for the annual Romance concert on February 17, 2024. View More »
Hollywood Old & New - January 2024
- Dan Diorio
Dan is a radio veteran of over 40 years, 38 at WMBD. He has been Greg’s morning broadcast partner for 17 years. Greg and Dan have joined the PSO on multiple occasions before but we're excited to have them joining us again on January 28 for the Hollywood Old & New concert. View More » - Greg Batton
Greg Batton is the co-host of The Greg and Dan Show, mornings on 1470 and 100.3 WMBD Radio. As a big PSO supporter, Greg has been a part of PSO concerts in the past but will join us again on January 28, 2024 for the Hollywood Old & New concert. View More »
Home for the Holidays - December 2023
- Erika Vondale
Hailed during a recent industry workshop in New York City as very natural and authentic, ten-year-old soprano (and Peoria native) Erika Vondale earned acclaim from top casting directors for her range and wonderful vibrato, good humor, great energy, and skill. Born in Peoria, IL, Erika will make her debut with the PSO on December 17, 2023 during the Home for the Holidays concert. View More » - Judy Page
A lifetime Peoria resident, Judy “Page” Adkisson began singing at the age of 5 for family and friends, and in her church’s Children’s Choir. Judy’s career in music has spanned over 56 years. She currently performs at various venues in and around Peoria, such as the Contemporary Art Center, Two25 at the Mark Twain Hotel, Broken Tree Coffee Shop, Central Illinois Jazz Society events, Peoria Riverfront events, and private venues with longtime guitarist friends Preston Jackson and Steve Degenford. She mainly performs Jazz, the music she was first introduced to when she began vocalizing at home. View More » - Alfreda Burke
Alfreda Burke’s vocal artistry has been described as “voluptuous, creamy and luxuriant” (Chicago Tribune). Alfreda joined the PSO in December 2022 for the Too Hot to Handel - The Gospel Messiah concert and she will return to the stage again for the Home for the Holidays concert on December 17, 2023. View More » - Rodrick Dixon
Rodrick Dixon possesses a tenor voice of extraordinary range and versatility that has earned him the respect and attention of leading conductors, orchestras, and opera companies. Last season, Rodrick graced the stage with the PSO in December 2022 and he returns to the stage again for the Home for the Holidays concert on December 17, 2023. View More »
Joy At Grace - November 2023
- David Nakazono
David Nakazono is a sought after musician and teacher in Chicago and beyond. The opportunity to study with Mark Ridenour (Chicago Symphony), Neal Berntsen (Pittsburgh Symphony), and Esteban Batallán (Chicago Symphony) at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University convinced David to abandon life in beautiful Santa Barbara, California and trek across the country to the City by the Lake, Chicago. David is a member of the PSO and performs regularly with the symphony. He is a featured soloist at the Joy at Grace concert on November 4, 2023. View More » - Sarah Carrillo
Sarah Carrillo, a native of Massachusetts, spent much of her early life studying with members of the Boston Symphony, both in Boston and at Tanglewood. Upon completion of her bachelors degree from Boston University where she studied with the legendary Roger Voisin, she came to Chicago to attend Northwestern University, from which she received her masters degree. Sarah is the Principal trumpet for the PSO & will be one of the featured soloists during the November 2023 concert, Joy at Grace. View More » - Andrew Port
New York native Andrew Port is a Second Year Fellow with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago for the 2023-2024 season. In the past year, he has performed regularly as Second Oboe with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and appeared as Guest Principal Oboe with the Peoria Symphony. Prior to moving to Chicago, Andrew appeared as a regular substitute with the San Francisco Symphony, both as Principal Oboe and Second Oboe during their 2021-2022 season, and has also performed alongside the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood on Parade. Throughout his career, Andrew has collaborated alongside artists such as Emanuel Ax, Yo-Yo Ma, Midori Gotō, John Williams, and more. View More » - Adriana La Rosa Ransom
Adriana La Rosa Ransom is the Peoria Symphony Orchestra's principal cellist and a professor and Director of the School of Music at Illinois State University where she taught cello for fourteen years. Adriana is a featured soloist with the PSO during the November 2023 Joy at Grace concert. View More »
Viennese Gala - October 2023
- Robert Chen
Robert Chen has been concertmaster of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 1999. In addition to his duties as concertmaster, Chen enjoys a solo career that includes performances with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, New Japan Philharmonic, NDR Orchestra of Hanover, Asia Philharmonic Orchestra and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in collaborations with such conductors as Myung-Whun Chung, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Manfred Honeck, Pavel Kogan and Andreas Delfs. View More »
126th Season
- Family Fun Pack
Get ready to jingle all the way with the perfect holiday gift for your loved ones - the Family Fun Pack! Rock the night away with two concerts for the entire crew and one for a romantic date night. View More » - 126th Season Preview
Subscription Renewals and New Subscriptions are officially on sale for the Peoria Symphony Orchestra's 2023-2024 season! It's a new season - like you've never heard us before! View More »
Happy 100th Birthday Judy - April 2023
- Debbie Wileman
Debbie Wileman is a 38-year-old suburban mum living in North Essex, England with her husband and four-year-old daughter. She has also become a social media singing sensation during the global pandemic, capturing worldwide attention as a modern-day Judy Garland phenomenon. View More »
Sounds of Spring - March 2023
- Christine Lamprea
Christine Lamprea, Cellist and 2018 Sphinx Medal of Excellence Winner is an artist known for her emotionally committed and intense performances. Upon her Carnegie Hall debut as a soloist in 2013, she has since returned to Carnegie, as well as performed with orchestras such Costa Rica National Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Houston Symphony, and more. Christine will be making her debut with the PSO during the Sounds of Spring concert. View More » - Oto Carrillo
A native of Guatemala, a member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 2000, and faculty at DePaul University, Oto Carrillo is a master of the horn. Oto will be debuting with the PSO during the Sounds of Spring concert and performing alongside his wife, Sarah Carrillo, the PSO's principal trumpet. View More »
Romance - February 2023
- Janice Martin
With a degree from The Juilliard School of Music and her three-year enlistment as the premiere violin soloist for presidential performances in the White House, the Capitol, and the State Department, to now traveling the country as an aerial acrobatic violinist, there is no performer quite like Janice Martin View More »
All That Jazz - January 2023
- Victor Wooten
As a five-time Grammy winner and a world-renowned bassist, Victor Wooten has been performing since he was two years old and changing the music world. View More » - Brianna Thomas
Hailed by The Wall Street Journal as "perhaps the best young straight-ahead jazz singer of a new generation," Peoria local Brianna Thomas is poised to join the ranks of legendary jazz artists. View More »
Too Hot To Handel - The Gospel Messiah - December 2022
- Sharon Reed | The Heritage Ensemble
The Heritage Ensemble presents three major concerts per year: The Dr. Martin Luther King Choral Celebration, Juneteenth: An American Celebration, and An Evening of Jazz! Whether it is through our singing or the message in our music, the Heritage Ensemble strives to tear down walls and bridges between all people. The Heritage Ensemble takes great pride in being leaders in enriching the cultural fabric of the region. View More » - Alfreda Burke
Alfreda Burke’s vocal artistry has been described as “voluptuous, creamy, and luxuriant” (Chicago Tribune). She has appeared in concerts throughout North America and Europe. Ms. Burke made her Carnegie and Orchestra Hall debut in Strauss’ Elektra with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra led by Daniel Barenboim. View More » - Brianna Thomas
Hailed by The Wall Street Journal as "perhaps the best young straight-ahead jazz singer of a new generation," Peoria local Brianna Thomas is poised to join the ranks of legendary jazz artists. View More » - Rodrick Dixon
Rodrick Dixon possesses a tenor voice of extraordinary range and versatility that has earned him the respect and attention of leading conductors, orchestras, and opera companies. Notable operatic engagements include Los Angeles Opera in the title role of Zemlinky’s Der Zwerg conducted by James Conlon and as Walther von der Vogelweide in Tannhauser. View More »
Joy At the Cathedral - November 2022
- Pei-yeh Tsai
Pianist Pei-yeh Tsai is originally from Taiwan. She is currently the principal pianist for the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, New Bedford Symphony, and Peoria Symphony Orchestra. She has a doctoral degree from Boston University. Dr. Tsai studied at the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University with Boris Slutsky; subsequently, she received a master’s degree in Piano Performance from the Juilliard School under the tutelage of Jerome Lowenthal. View More » - Sarah Carrillo
Sarah Carrillo, a native of Massachusetts, spent much of her early life studying with members of the Boston Symphony, both in Boston and at Tanglewood. Upon completion of her bachelor's degree from Boston University where she studied with the legendary Roger Voisin, she came to Chicago to attend Northwestern University, from which she received her master's degree. View More » - Yukie Ota
Yukie Ota is a professional flutist in the United States. After completing her Master’s Degree at the DePaul University School of Music in Chicago under Mathieu Dufour (current principal flutist of the Berlin Phil), she won 2nd prize in the Carl NielsenInternational Flute Competition in 2014. Her prize-winning performance there became a viral news story on NPR when a butterfly landed on her during the competition, yet she continued to play without letting the butterfly impact her performance. View More » - Simon Michal
Violinist Simon Michal was appointed to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in February 2016 by the Symphony’s Music Director Riccardo Muti as the youngest violinist ever. View More »
Mahler's Fifth – October 2022
- Digging Deeper into Mahler's Fifth
The Peoria Symphony Orchestra and Maestro George Stelluto will take on Mahler's Fifth Symphony for its second concert in the phenomenal line-up that is the 125th Season a few days after the 118 anniversary of when Mahler first premiered the concert. Scored for an enlarged orchestra and lasting well over an hour, the symphony has several large, triumphant moments, but it also has moments of quiet intimacy, as in the serene Adagietto. Featuring Maestro George Stelluto, an 80-piece orchestra, and the iconic imagery of the bells-up, this concert will enchant you! View More »
Beethoven's Ninth - September 2022
- Ryan Speedo Green
Grammy Award winning bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green has quickly established himself as an artist of international demand at the world’s leading opera houses. Concert engagements include appearing as featured soloist with San Diego Symphony for the opening of their new outdoor venue, The Shell, an All Star Concert with Isabel Leonard at Austin Opera. Mr. Green was also the first Artist in Residence for the Texas Opera Alliance, where he held masterclasses and community events for Houston Grand Opera, Dallas Opera, Austin Opera, Forth Worth Opera, and Opera San Antonio. View More » - Rodrick Dixon
Rodrick Dixon possesses a tenor voice of extraordinary range and versatility that has earned him the respect and attention of leading conductors, orchestras, and opera companies. Notable operatic engagements include Los Angeles Opera in the title role of Zemlinky’s Der Zwerg conducted by James Conlon and as Walther von der Vogelweide in Tannhauser. View More » - Naomi Louisa O'Connell
Hailed by The New York Times as “radiant,” Naomi Louisa O'Connell made her professional debut in 2012 starring on the West End in Terrence McNally’s play Master Class. Her work encompasses both theatrical and operatic repertoire, ranging from straight plays to operas, recitals and cabarets to sound sculptures and virtual reality performance art. View More » - Michelle Areyzaga
As a coveted performer with a diverse repertoire, American soprano Michelle Areyzaga is held in high regard by orchestras and opera companies throughout the United States and abroad. She has performed operatic roles with New York City Opera in Telemann’s Orpheus as well as in their VOX series, and has appeared in leading roles with Chicago Opera Theater, Lyric Opera of Chicago’s In the Neighborhoods programs, Opera Birmingham, Ravinia Festival, and Orquesta Sinfónica del Estado de México. View More » - Jorge Federico Osorio, Medalla Bellas Artes
Recipient of the prestigious Medalla Bellas Artes, the highest honor granted by Mexico’s National Institute of Fine Arts, Jorge Federico Osorio has been lauded throughout the world for his superb musicianship, powerful technique, vibrant imagination, and deep passion. He has performed with many of the world’s leading ensembles, including the symphony orchestras of Atlanta, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Detroit, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Seattle, and the National Symphony Orchestra of Mexico; the Israel, Warsaw, and Royal Philharmonics; RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra (Dublin), Sinfonica Nazionale della Rai (Torino), São Paulo Symphony Orchestra (OSESP), Moscow State Orchestra, Orchestre Nationale de France, Philharmonia Orchestra, and the Concertgebouw Orchestra. View More » - Stephen Alltop | Apollo Chorus of Chicago
Stephen Alltop serves as Music Director of the Apollo Chorus of Chicago, the Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra, and the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra. A specialist in oratorio and historical performance practice, he has been a member of the conducting and keyboard faculties at the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University since 1994. View More »
