The Illinois Symphony’s 2024-25 season in Bloomington-Normal kicks off Saturday at Illinois State University’s Center for Performing Arts. And it's a program of firsts:

Maestro Taichi Fukumura takes the podium for the first time as Illinois Symphony's new music director. A crop of new musicians has joined the orchestra, too. It's also the Illinois Symphony debut for violinist Braimah Kanneh-Mason, who plays Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Violin Concerto. The program, titled Festive Fanfare, also features works by fellow British composer William Walton and Antonin Dvorak.