Symphony to Give Part of Streator Concert Sales to Tornado Recovery

STREATOR — The Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra will donate $2 from every individual ticket sold for its Nov. 7 concert at Streator Township High School to the Streator Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund.

The fund, managed by the Starved Rock Country Community Foundation, supports people affected by the June 11 tornado. The foundation says the storm damaged at least 79 homes, 44 of them severely or completely destroyed.

The orchestra said the donation recognizes “the spirit of community fortitude shown by the Streator area.”

The concert, “Resonance,” begins at 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7. The program includes Giuseppe Verdi’s overture to “La Forza del Destino,” “Evening Prayer” and “Dream Pantomime” from Engelbert Humperdinck’s “Hansel and Gretel,” Valerie Coleman’s “Seven O’Clock Shout” and Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5. Coleman’s piece depicts neighbors who cheered at 7 p.m. each day during the pandemic to honor frontline workers.

It is Benjamin Klemme’s first Streator concert as music director. Klemme, an associate professor of music at Wheaton College’s Conservatory of Music, was named the orchestra’s 19th music director in June. During the 2025-26 season, five guest conductors each led one concert as candidates to succeed Daniel Sommerville, who retired.

“The orchestra and board overwhelmingly voted in favor of Ben’s hire,” General Manager Aelsa Woods said in the orchestra’s announcement.

A Quad Cities native, Klemme was previously associate conductor of the Quad City Symphony Orchestra and music director of the Vermont Youth Orchestra Association.

Tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for college students with ID. Students through 12th grade are admitted free. Tickets are sold at ivso.org and at the door.

Streator Home Savings Bank sponsors the concert. Donations can also be made directly to the recovery fund through the foundation at 815-252-2906.