Year-In-Review
124th Season Year-In-Review
The Peoria Symphony Orchestra was busy during the 124th Season! Going into this season, we didn’t know what to expect. With the COVID-19 pandemic still looming, we questioned if our patrons would return to the concert hall with us and you all said yes! So, thank you. Without your unwavering support, we wouldn’t have been able to exceed our goals for the 2021-22 season.
Not only did we welcome our patrons back into the concert hall, but we also said goodbye to our long-time executive director, Susan Hoffman, and hello to our new one, Anthony Marotta! Besides welcoming Anthony to central Illinois, our staff was busy preparing for the 125th Season Gala on Saturday, June 25, 2022, to ring in the start of our anniversary season.
Concerts
With eight concerts at three different venues, it was a busy season. Thank you to all of our patrons who joined us in the concert hall this season. In the 124th Season, we had 465 subscribers and sold over 2,000 single tickets.
Toward the end of our 124th Season, we updated our April 2022 concert from Russian Wonders to Unity with Ukraine. With this concert change, we not only encouraged our patrons to donate to four verified non-profits that are actively aiding Ukrainians, but the PSO also received national recognition from the Wall Street Journal and VOX’s Today, Explained. Both media outlets interviewed Maestro Stelluto to talk about our decision to update the concert and the exciting family ties Tchaikovsky holds to Ukraine.
Outreach & Education
Outside the concert hall, the PSO and the Peoria Symphony Guild were hard at work spreading the message of the Symphony to the central Illinois community. We had a great year of outreach thanks to ongoing partnerships with Central Illinois Ballet, East Bluff Community Center, Easterseals, local schools, Peoria Riverfront Museum, retirement homes, WMBD/WYZZ, and WTVP/PBS.
In November 2021, the PSO and Easterseals took center stage at the Scottish Rite Theatre for the 31st Annual Tribute featuring a concert by The Beach Boys and the PSO conducted by Maestro Stelluto. Our Symphony Triumphant concert that aired on WMBD was seen by 4,993 viewers. The broadcast was underwritten by the Community Foundation of Central Illinois.
Stephanie Ann Boyd was named the PSO’s 124th Season Composer-in-Residence. Ms. Boyd is the PSO’s first woman Composer-in-Residence and helped lead the PSO to the history books once again. Thanks to the help of the Betty Friedan Centennial Memoire Commission Consortium, the PSO commissioned Ms. Boyd to compose Everywoman: A Friedan Centennial Memoire, in honor of Peoria local Betty Friedan. The piece was an Illinois Premiere and World Premiere.
To bring the Betty Friedan Centennial Memoire Commission into the community outside the concert hall, we partnered with JK Williams Distilling to create the “Betty” Whiskey.
The Betty Friedan Centennial Memoire Commission Consortium:
Gilmore Foundation
Peoria Symphony Foundation
Deborah Rutter
Sid and Flo Banwart
Peoria Symphony Orchestra
George Edward Stelluto
Sharon and John Amdall
Bridget Burke and Patrick Whitten
Illinois State University
Peoria Symphony Guild
Lynette and Joel Steger
Where the River Flows Production
Priscilla A. Wilkins
Cathy and Stan Butler
Our Guild had a record year with their 68th Annual Student Concert which hosted a record number of attendees, 3,494 to be exact, back in April 2022 at the Peoria Civic Center.
The Guild also continued their annual tradition of hosting Musical Mondays which allows our patrons to get an inside look at the upcoming concert for the month and meet guests artist.
Development
The generosity of individuals, couples, and businesses provides the support that made our 124th Season possible. Their gifts, regardless of size, demonstrate many individual investments. Collectively, they provide the single largest source of funding for your PSO. In our 124th Season, we had a total of 324 donors and $21,484 in matching gift contributions.
The following businesses deserve a standing ovation for their support of the PSO.
2021-2022 Corporate & Foundation Donors:
Bank of America/Merrill Lynch – Employee Match
Broadway Lounge
Buehler Home
Caterpillar Foundation – Employee Match
Commerce Bank
Community Foundation of Central Illinois
Genesys Infusion Center
Gilmore Foundation
Hecht-Stout Insurance
Illinois Arts Council Agency
Illinois Mutual Life Insurance Company
JK Williams Distilling, LLC
Peoria Civic Center
Peoria Symphony Foundation
Peoria Symphony Guild
PHX Affiliates Business Brokers
Savant Wealth Management
State Farm – Employee Match
The Meredith Foundation
Where the River Flows Productions
Annually, the PSO hosts the Whiskey at the Warehouse fundraiser at the Warehouse on State. In January 2022, we raised $18,509, thanks to our patron’s support. Save the date for January 20, 2023, for our 125th Season’s Whiskey at the Warehouse!
Thank you to all our patrons for supporting us during our 124th Season. We can’t wait to show you what we have in store for our phenomenal 125th Season.
