In Thursday’s (3/21) News-Gazette (Champaign, Illinois), Paul Wood reports, “The Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra has named Stephen Alltop its music director and conductor after a two-year search. The fourth CUSO music director in the orchestra’s 53-year history, Alltop has been the music director and conductor of the Apollo Chorus of Chicago, founded in 1872, as well as the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra and the Green Lake Choral Institute. … ‘Champaign-Urbana has a rich cultural life with a great university at its heart. I have known of the Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra for many years, since I studied at the Aspen Music Festival with (former CUSO director) Paul Vermel,’ he said. … ‘Having now spent a week in the area, I am very impressed with the people I met and their strong dedication to the Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra and the community.’ … Alltop was the associate conductor of the Peninsula Music Festival from 2000 to 2008. He has served as a member of Northwestern University’s conducting and keyboard faculties since 1994, where he conducts the Alice Millar Chapel Choir and the Baroque Music Ensemble. … Alltop’s predecessor, Steven Larsen, led the CUSO for almost 20 seasons before stepping down in 2012.”
Posted March 21, 2013
