The Illinois Symphony Orchestra has narrowed the field for its new Music Director search to four. Executive Director Trevor Orthman says those people will conduct the Symphony in Bloomington and Springfield in the coming fall and winter. Orthman says it was a strong field with accomplished musicians from four continents and a variety of established musical groups.The four are Aram Demirjian, the Associate Director of the Kansas City Symphony, Vladimir Kulenovic, the Music Director of the Lake Forest Symphony, Ken Lamb, the Music Director of the Charleston South Carolina Symphony, and Andrew Sewell, the Music Director of the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra.
Sewell was also a finalist four years ago when the Illinois Symphony chose Alastair Willis. Lamb has also conducted the Illinois Symphony before.
Alastair Willis is moving on to other projects, after what Orthman calls a successful tenure improving the quality of the musicians hired by the orchestra as replacements for departing players.