Poco a Poco Brings Big Music to Our Small Town

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.

💡 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)

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