Knox-Galesburg Symphony

Knox-Galesburg Symphony Presenting live classical music since 1951! In 2001, as part of its 50 th Anniversary celebration, the KGS performed The Nutcracker with the Saint Louis Ballet.

In 1951, the Knox-Galesburg Symphony presented its first subscription season of three concerts at Beecher Chapel in Galesburg. As the Symphony audience grew, concerts moved to Central Congregational Church, then to Harbach Theatre, and finally found a home at the Orpheum Theatre. Over time, the Symphony added two subscription concerts and non-subscription events such as the annual Pops concert, an

d every spring since 1984, the Symphony has presented a free concert on the lawn of Old Main on the historic Knox College campus. Committed to arts outreach, the Symphony provides youth and adult education programs such as Music Morningsat the Galesburg Public Library, Music Memoriesfor students at the Orpheum, the annual Young Pianists Competition,in-school tours, and music appreciation classes. The Knox-Galesburg Symphony’s mission is “to foster, promote and increase the musical knowledge and appreciation of the public by organizing and presenting performances of music in programs chosen chiefly from the literature of symphonic music.” The Symphony supports contemporary music not only through performance, but by commission: they have commissioned several works by Illinois artists, including a symphonic tribute to August M. Bondi of the Galesburg Bondi family, composed by Symphony artistic director Bruce Polay based on text by the late Galesburg native Martin Litvin. The Symphony draws outstanding instrumentalists from a 100-mile-radius, and features regionally, nationally, and internationally acclaimed guest artists. Though Galesburg is a small town, the Symphony presents a quality of music more common in a much larger city, with performances broadcasting often on public radio stations, helping the Symphony reach a wider geographical area. In 1997, the Symphony toured Spain, with sold-out performances in Lleida, Reus, Girona, and at the world-famous Palau de la Musica in Barcelona. The following year, composer Eric Speier selected the KGS over eight other orchestras from across the United States and Europe to perform his film score for a Columbia Tri-Star Home Video.

03/06/2026

The annual SMU Arts Vibrancy Index ranks nearly 20 Midwest areas at the forefront of support, opportunities, and funding in the arts.

Guest conductor Dr. Rossana Cauti getting the full Galesburg experience!
02/15/2026

Guest conductor Dr. Rossana Cauti getting the full Galesburg experience!

02/15/2026
02/13/2026

Guest conductor Rossana Cauti joined Galesburg's Morning News to preview Knox-Galesburg Symphony's "A Symphonic Valentine"—Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet Overture and Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 2—at The Orpheum Theatre tomorrow at 7 p.m. Hear her insights on romantic themes, conducting style, and the venue's magic. 🎶

🎧 Listen now: https://t.ly/JwJHX

Support our friends at The Orpheum Theatre and this show with some great music!
01/22/2026

Support our friends at The Orpheum Theatre and this show with some great music!

Today only: Get $10 ticket to Right in The Eye on February 1st at 5:00pm!
Use Code: MELIES to redeem this discount.

This one-of-a-kind show combines 30+ unique musical instruments, with the ground-breaking films of Georges Méliès for a show that you won't forget!

Get tickets now at GalesburgOrpheum.org!

Come join us on Saturday, February 14, at 7:00 p.m. at The Orpheum Theatre, for a very special evening! On the program w...
01/13/2026

Come join us on Saturday, February 14, at 7:00 p.m. at The Orpheum Theatre, for a very special evening! On the program will be "Romeo and Juliet" (Tchaikovsky) and Symphony no. 2 in E minor (Rachmaninoff). Our guest conductor will be Rossana Cauti.

Follow the link below or call The Orpheum Theatre at (309) 342-2299 for tickets.

https://ci.ovationtix.com/35922/production/1248209?performanceId=11679719

Our conductor for A Symphonic Valentine!Italian-Brazilian violist and conductor Dr. Rossana Cauti is an active soloist a...
01/02/2026

Our conductor for A Symphonic Valentine!

Italian-Brazilian violist and conductor Dr. Rossana Cauti is an active soloist and chamber musician who performs across Europe, Latin America and the United States. She is the Assistant Professor of Practice (viola) and Director of String Orchestras at Southern Illinois University. Dr. Cauti is the Assistant Principal Viola of the Pensacola Symphony and the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra.

Dr. Cauti has a Doctorate in Music from Florida State University, Masters in Music from Southern Illinois University, Conservatorio Statale d’Musica “Luisa d’Annunzio” di Pescara and Lugano Conservatory in Switzerland, a Bachelors in Business and Economics from LUISS Guido Carli University in Rome and Artist Diplomas from Accademia Internazionale di Musica di Roma and Accademia del Garda in Italy.

We hope to see you on Saturday, February 14, 7:00 p.m. at the The Orpheum Theatre!

Address

95 N Seminary Street
Galesburg, IL
61401

Telephone

+13093813810

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We Are YOURchestra

YOU ARE WELCOME HERE

To our audience of friends, neighbors, and visitors: YOU ARE WELCOME HERE. As an institution dedicated to serving our community through music, there’s a lot we care about. But here are a few things we don’t care about:

We don’t care what you look like or what you wear. We don’t care who you love or where you’re from. We don’t care what religion you practice (or don’t practice) and we don’t care how much money you have (or don’t have). We’re making music for YOU.

We need music and art to draw us closer to one another, as together we celebrate the strength, diversity, and beauty of our community.