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thePeorian.com
The Present
Stelluto, who has conducted
orchestras nationwide, acknowl-
edged the connections he has
built through the years has
enabled him to bring top artists
to Peoria. “When I am out doing
a lot of conducting I get to hear
and meet artists and I start put-
ting together a list to cull from,”
he said.
He said he has long been a fan
of Fleck and knows Kern and
Yang well. “It’s a joy for me to
collaborate with these artists and
bring them to Peoria,” he said.
It has also helped ticket sales,
said Susan Hoffman, executive
director of the Peoria Symphony.
The package the PSO puts to-
gether for its concerts — includ-
ing pre-concert lectures, music
in the theatre lobby before and
after concerts and the chance to
meet with the artists — helps
the organization connect with its
audiences.
“
A symphony orchestra makes
a vibrant community. It helps the
local economy, it helps attracts
business and talented people to
the community if a lot of culture
is important them. That’s why we
bring music to as many people as
we can and to different segments
of the community,” she said.
Hoffman came to Peoria from
the Cleveland Symphony Or-
chestra, which she said is one of
the top symphonies in the world,
and believes the PSO’s longevity
has much to do with its board’s
ability to adapt to its needs to the
years. “At their core orchestras
are similar regardless of the size
of the city. But what is important
is to be able to change the ways
they are marketed, develop a nice
mix of styles, bring music not
only to the season ticket holders
of today but those of the future,
as well. One of the goals we have
is to inspire young people to
want to play music.
