Sinfonia da Camera

04/18/2026

“This concert promises to earn its place as a finale.” Thanks to Smile Politely for this write up of our concert program tonight, April 18 7:30pm at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts!

Ian Hobson leads Sinfonia da Camera into summer with a season finale built entirely from American composers—and the range is genuinely impressive. Copland’s Appalachian Spring Suite opens things up…

04/17/2026

Sneak peek at our preparations for tomorrow’s season finale ✨ Enjoy some behind-the-scenes moments from last night’s American Spring rehearsal.

📸: Darrell Hoemann Photography

04/17/2026

Enjoy excerpts of a brand new concerto featuring virtuoso saxophonist Kenneth Tse as he gears up to perform Lowell Liebermann’s Concerto for Alto Saxophone, written for and dedicated to him. 🎷

Tse welcomes you to join us this Saturday for American Spring, the season finale at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.

04/14/2026

Don't miss our season finale this Saturday, April 18!

https://krannertcenter.com/events/sinfonia-da-camera-american-spring

Celebrating the richness of American music—from pastoral landscapes to vibrant city streets— at the season finale of Sinfonia da Camera's 42nd season!

Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring Suite opens the program with a vivid portrait of rural life, culminating in the beloved Shaker tune "Simple Gifts," a lasting symbol of American hope and simplicity. Acclaimed American composer Lowell Liebermann visits Urbana for the performance of his new Concerto for Alto Saxophone, featuring virtuoso Kenneth Tse. The work explores the saxophone's lyrical warmth and dazzling technique, framed by Liebermann's colorful orchestration. Don Gillis' Symphony No. 5½, subtitled "A Symphony for Fun," brings humor and charm to the concert. Its four movements, including the whimsically titled "Scherzophrenia," blend classical form with playful, jazz-inflected language. The evening concludes with George Gershwin's classic An American in Paris, an exuberant and joyful finale to a season of musical discovery.

🌷 Sinfonia Da Camera: American Spring. Directed & conducted by Ian Hobson.
⏰ Saturday, April 18th, 2026 at 7:30pm
📍 Foellinger Great Hall in Krannert Center for the Performing Arts
🎟️ Click here for tickets or more information: https://krannertcenter.com/events/sinfonia-da-camera-american-spring

Sinfonia da Camera
College of Fine & Applied Arts at Illinois

04/10/2026

Next Saturday, April 18! 🌸🎷

🌸Looking for an easy, memorable night out in Champaign-Urbana? Experience the beauty of live orchestra with Sinfonia da Camera’s season finale on April 18th.

🎼 American Spring: Featuring Copland's Appalachian Spring Suite, Gershwin's An American in Paris, and more!
📍 Foellinger Great Hall, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts
📅 April 18

⚡Plus, this weekend, use code SPRING29 for their flash sale for💲2️⃣9️⃣ tickets (good through Monday, April 13!)

💐 Learn more here: krannertcenter.com/events/sinfonia-da-camera-american-spring

Thank you to Sinfonia da Camera for partnering with us! ✨

04/06/2026

American Spring — Season Finale on April 18 🎷 🌸

From peaceful landscapes to dazzling city streets, experience the full spectrum of American music in one unforgettable evening.

PROGRAM
🏔️ Appalachian Spring Suite, Aaron Copland
🎷 Concerto for Alto Saxophone, Op. 145, Lowell Liebermann (feat. Kenneth Tse, saxophone)
🎻 Adagio for Strings, Samuel Barber
🎼 Symphony No. 5½, Don Gillis
🌆 An American in Paris, George Gershwin

📍 Foellinger Great Hall at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts
🎟️: krannertcenter.com/events/sinfonia-da-camera-american-spring

Krannert Center for the Performing Arts
College of Fine & Applied Arts at Illinois
The University of Illinois School of Music

03/30/2026

🎷 Introducing the featured soloist for our season finale on Saturday, April 18, Kenneth Tse!

Kenneth Tse has long been recognized as one of the world’s preeminent figures in the field of classical saxophone, captivating audiences worldwide with his deft technical prowess and enchanting sound. He burst onto the musical scene in 1996 as the winner of the New York Artists International Award and The Alex Award from the National Alliance for Excellence. The New York Times hailed him as “a young virtuoso.”

Since then Tse has amassed a multitude of accolades and has performed as a soloist on five continents. He has graced the stage with renowned orchestras and concert bands such as the Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra, Hong Kong Sinfonietta, and Thailand Philharmonic.

A prolific recording artist, Tse has curated an extensive discography of twenty-three CDs. Critics hail his “captivating” sound, “supremely elegant tone…sheer virtuosity,” and “incredible technical and interpretive skills…. A master magician.”

His commitment to new music is evident with over forty works dedicated to him by esteemed composers worldwide. Recently, he commissioned a concerto for saxophone and orchestra by Lowell Liebermann for premiere in spring of 2025, which Sinfonia da Camera will perform on April 18, 2026. He was honored by being named a Distinguished Chair Professor of Saxophone at the University of Iowa in 2024. For more information and media clips, visit Kenneth-tse.com.

🎟️ krannertcenter.com/events/sinfonia-da-camera-american-spring

03/23/2026

From open fields to city streets, experience the sound of a nation in bloom.

Join Sinfonia da Camera for the season finale celebrating the spirit and diversity of American music: pastoral, powerful, and full of life. Experience a program of sweeping landscapes, virtuosic brilliance, and jazz-infused energy.

PROGRAM
⛰️Appalachian Spring Suite, Aaron Copland
🎷 Concerto for Alto Saxophone, Op. 145, Lowell Liebermann
featuring Kenneth Tse
✨ Symphony No. 5½, Don Gillis
🎻Adagio for Strings, Samuel Barber
🌆 An American in Paris, George Gershwin

📍 Foellinger Great Hall @ Krannert Center for the Performing Arts
📅 April 18, 2026
🎟️ krannertcenter.com/events/sinfonia-da-camera-american-spring

02/18/2026

Next Saturday, February 28!

Join Sinfonia da Camera for an all-Rachmaninoff evening! 🎻

Opening the program is the beloved Vocalise, Op. 34 No. 14-an achingly beautiful, wordless song that showcases Rachmaninoff's gift for expressive melody. Then, the evening features two emotionally charged masterworks, both famously known as "Rach 3": the Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor and the Symphony No. 3 in A Minor. In a remarkable display of artistry, Maestro Ian Hobson performs as both soloist and conductor in the formidable concerto-renowned for its lyrical beauty, intricate textures, and breathtaking virtuosity. Together, these works offer a powerful portrait of the composer's sweeping emotional range and enduring genius.

Prepare to be swept away by blends of Russian romanticism and modern rhythmic drive on Saturday, February 28th at 7:30pm in Foellinger Great Hall!

Click here for more information and to reserve your seats: https://krannertcenter.com/events/sinfonia-da-camera-rach-3

Sinfonia da Camera
College of Fine & Applied Arts at Illinois

02/11/2026

February 28 @ Krannert Center for the Performing Arts
🎟️ krannertcenter.com/events/sinfonia-da-camera-rach-3

Sinfonia da Camera is returning with an all-Rachimaninoff evening, their first concert of 2026. Maestro Ian Hobson will perform as both soloist and conductor in the concerto, renowned for its lyrical beauty, intricate textures, and ...