Around the World in 80 Years Gala
- Date September 8th, 2024 Time 5:00pm Venue ISU Bone Student Center | Brown Ballroom
What a journey it has been! What an adventure it will be!
Join us for a fantastic evening as we travel around the world! Celebrate with dinner, auctions and the acclaimed talent of the ISO!
We will be honoring world travelers and longtime supporters Joan & Charlie Vanden Eynden. Please join us in thanking them for their years of service to the ISO and the entire Bloomington-Normal community.
Sunday, September 8, 2024 @ 5:00 PM
ISU Bone Student Center in the Brown Ballroom | Normal, IL
Special performances featuring Music from Around the World by your Illinois Symphony Orchestra led by Associate Conductor Jacobsen Woollen.
Menu:
- Appetizers: Spring Rolls, Cranberry & Brie Cheese on Crostini, and Baked Mushrooms with Spinach & Brie Cheese
- Salad: Spinach leaves with mixed berries, candided pecans, goat cheese with balsamic vinaigrette
- Entree (Choose One):
- Beef: Braised Beef Brisket with Sweet BBQ sauce served with Mac & Cheese and Green Beans
- Seafood: Oven roasted seasoned filet of cod with crab crust served with Lemon Cilantro Basmati Rice and Brussel Sprouts
- Vegetarian/Gluten-Free: Tomato ragout of fresh vegetables and chickpeas served over creamy coconut polenta
- Desserts: Assorted cheesecakes
What to wear? Gala attire
Sponsorship inquiries may be made by contacting Director of Development Darrin Burnett at (217) 522-2838 Ext. 3 or dburnett@ilsymphony.org.
Support Provided By:
Bloomington-Normal Venue ISU Bone Student Center | Brown Ballroom
200 N University St, Normal, IL 61761
The Brown Ballroom is located in the Bone Student Center on the Illinois State University Campus. The Brown Ballroom is one of the largest rooms in the Bone Student Center and has recently undergone extensive remodeling. The Brown Ballroom includes a large stage, theatrical lighing, and a large screen.
For your convenience, an hourly fee parking lot is located just behind the Bone Student Center, on Locust Street. Street parking is also available within walking distance around the facility. Please click here for a map to locate the parking lot behind the Bone Student Center.
Featured:
Jacobsen Woollen Conductor - ISO Associate Conductor and ISYO Conductor
Jacobsen Woollen is a conductor, cellist, and tenor residing in Springfield, Illinois, where he serves as Associate Conductor of the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, Conductor of the Illinois Symphony Youth Orchestra, Director of the Springfield Choral Society, and Director of the UIS Orchestra.
An Indiana native, Jacobsen returns to the Midwest after spending six years in Vienna, Austria, where he completed a Post-Graduate Diploma in orchestral conducting under the tutelage of Prof. Mark Stringer at the Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst, conducted professional ensembles including the Polska Filharmonia Baltycka and Ensemble Ultreia, served as assistant conductor of the Vienna Opera Festival, and led the Schlosschor Hadersfeld. During his Vienna years, Jacobsen was frequently called back to the Midwest to work at Opera Theatre of St. Louis, where he served as assistant conductor and led several workshops for new works, including Terence Blanchard’s Fire Shut Up In My Bones.
Jacobsen also maintains an active career as a tenor: he recently produced and performed a musical-theatrical concert evening, Lovelace Weave, which explores the father-daughter pair of Lord Byron and Ada Lovelace. As a member of the Grammy-winning Arnold Schoenberg Chor, Jacobsen has participated in opera productions at Theater an der Wien, as well as concerts in Europe’s most renowned venues, including Vienna’s Musikverein and Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie.
Prior to his European sojourn, Jacobsen completed a Master’s Degree in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Michigan under the guidance of Kenneth Kiesler. During this time, he was active in the Ann Arbor musical community as well, serving as founder and director of Paradigm Shift Chamber Orchestra, music director of the Ann Arbor Camerata, and assistant conductor of the Michigan Life Sciences Orchestra.
As a cellist, Jacobsen was a student of Susan Moses in the Indiana University String Academy and later completed a Bachelor’s Degree with Richard Aaron at the University of Michigan. He has appeared as a soloist with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Bloomington Symphony Orchestra, Musical Arts Youth Orchestra, and Voces Novae Chamber Choir. As a chamber musician, he has had the pleasure of collaborating with Joshua Bell, Jaime Laredo, Soovin Kim, and many others. From 2013-16, Jacobsen was cellist and artistic curator with the new-music sextet Latitude 49, and he continues to serve on their Board of Directors.