UIS music students to stream performances this weekend

Music has a magic all its own, and audiences can benefit from its charms this weekend with live streamed events.

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.

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UIS, UIUC create mobile recording studio

As part of a faculty collaboration between the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), the universities created the Hip-Hop Xpress, a school bus that serves as a mobile recording studio.

Hip-hop artists in the capital city are invited to visit the bus to write original music using instrumental tracks that were created by Champaign producers.

Officials said when the Hip-Hop Xpress is finished, they plan to have it travel across the state to different communities and classrooms to teach about African-American history and cultural innovations spurred on by hip-hop.

The outside of the bus displays its name and the names of various artists. The inside of the bus is empty, except for its use of transporting non-permanent recording equipment.

The bus was partially funded by a University of Illinois System Presidential Initiative to Celebrate the Impact of the Arts and the Humanities grant worth $150,000.

UIS Instructor of Sociology and African American Studies Tiffani Saunders, along with UIUC faculty members Adam Kruse, Malaika McKee, and William Patterson, played a significant role in the creation of the Hip-Hop Xpress.

This story aired on WICS Newschannel 20 on September 24, 2020.

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Chorus concert held at UIS to celebrate the holiday season

Wednesday was the "Viva America" Concert at the University of Illinois Springfield.

The UIS Chorus and the Lincoln Land Community College Choir both performed at the concert.

"I think it provides for a campus atmosphere that is welcoming, inviting and fun. It's the holiday season, so why not celebrate with music?" Yona Stamatis, director of the UIS Music Program, said. 

This story appeared on WICS Newschannel 20 on December 4, 2019.

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Sharon Graf, UIS ethnomusicology professor

Why you should know her: Sharon Graf, an associate professor of ethnomusicology at the University of Illinois Springfield, a musician, and a sailor, took a 15-month sea voyage to study the music, culture, and language of the Pacific Islands in 2010. She and her husband sailed there from Alton, Illinois on their 42-foot yacht, the Larabeck.

What is ethnomusicology? “The study of people making music. It encompasses a global perspective, so we look at people making music around the world.” She studied anthropology and music in college.

Why did you go to the Pacific Islands? “I had a very special opportunity because my husband, Michael Graf, wanted to go on a sailing trip. It wouldn’t have been possible without his interest and expertise. I wanted to visit and learn more about the world and other cultures.”

What did you learn about music in these cultures? “People in the Polynesian triangle were pioneers of sailing and populated all these islands, and their languages and musical customs are related. I find that really fascinating. It was interesting to go from island to island, to see the linguistics part of it, the ways their greetings were different but very related. The same with musical customs.

This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on July 29, 2019.

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