According to Yona Stamatis, violinist with the Illinois Symphony Orchestra and an instructor and director of the University of Illinois Springfield Music Program, “Perhaps now, in the context of the current health crisis, one cannot overstate the power of music to bring comfort, joy, camaraderie and a sense of hope for the future. During this unprecedented time, the arts play a uniquely important role as both an outlet for emotional and creative expression and also as an opportunity to interact – if virtually – with others.”
“While the UIS Music Program offers a rich calendar of events every year,” said Stamatis, “in an effort to protect the health and safety of all in our community, we have changed to a virtual format for this year’s events. While the performance experience may not be precisely the same, we appreciate our ability to reach audiences on a far broader geographical spectrum. The more the merrier!”
This article appeared in The State Journal-Register on December 2, 2020.
