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# Poco a Poco Brings Big Music to Our Small Town
- URL: https://www.thestreatorstandard.com/f/poco-a-poco-brings-big-music-to-our-small-town/
- Published: 2025-06-09T16:13:25.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-19T13:59:06.000Z
- Author: The Streator Standard
- Tags: Community

This week in Streator, the streets are a little more melodic, the sidewalks more rhythmic, and the air? Well, it’s full of scales, arpeggios, and the sound of teenage tenors warming up before breakfast. That’s because *Poco a Poco*—the nationally recognized music nonprofit founded by professional mezzo-soprano and Streator native **Kate Tombaugh**—is back for its **ninth annual Summer Music Fest**.

And yes, it’s happening **right here** in town.

### 🎶 What’s Going On

From June 7–14, *Poco a Poco* is hosting young vocalists and instrumentalists from across the region for a full week of intensive musical training. These are not your average band camp rehearsals—participants receive **one-on-one lessons**, attend **masterclasses**, and take part in **community concerts** all over Streator.

The week includes:

- A **Community Choir** (open to all!)
- A **Coffeehouse concert** at The Silver Fox
- Instrumental jam sessions
- A music morning for little kids
- And a **final showcase** on June 14 at Streator High School

Even better? **Most of it is free and open to the public.**

You can find the full schedule and updates on their [Facebook page](https://www.facebook.com/pocoapocoarts).

### 💡 Why It Matters

In a world where the arts are too often reserved for the well-connected or well-funded, Poco a Poco is flipping the script. They offer over 30 hours of professional training, mentorship, and community-building—for **a fraction of what it would cost elsewhere**, with generous tuition assistance to boot.

And they do it *here*. In Streator.

Not in Chicago. Not in Peoria. Not in some imaginary place that already “has everything.” But right here in a town better known for railroads and glass than recitals and high notes.

### 👏 The Streator Way (But With Better Pitch)

Poco a Poco is proof that real revitalization doesn’t always come with ribbon cuttings or oversized scissors. Sometimes, it sounds like a harmony echoing down Broadway. Sometimes, it’s a junior high student learning what their voice can do. And sometimes, it’s a professional soprano saying, “Yes, I’ll come back home to build something beautiful.”

Little by little—*poco a poco*—this festival is reshaping what’s possible in small-town America.

### 🎤 Don’t Miss the Finale

**Saturday, June 14** 
**Streator High School Auditorium** 
**Time: TBA on Facebook** ([facebook.com/pocoapocoarts](https://www.facebook.com/pocoapocoarts))

Let’s show up and remind ourselves:  
Talent lives here. Beauty lives here.  
And sometimes, it even sings.