Urbana Pops Orchestra


UPO is funded through donations and grants from the Illinois Arts Council Agency and the City of Urbana Arts and Culture Program

Free Concert

Join UPO on Saturday, June 10, 2023, at 7 p.m. at Urbana High School.

Happily Ever After will feature music based on story book themes and works showcasing youth musicians, including a teen concerto winner, the cast of “Beauty and the Beast,” and C4A’s Bow-Dacious String Band. 


Showcasing Youth

At UPO's 2019 concert, the top three winners of the Chambana Concerto Competition were featured. Please enjoy this performance from pianist and first-place winner Jacob Hankin playing Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3.

Your gift helps UPO continue to mentor student musicians and offer free or low cost performances.

Past events

Pops on the Prairie

On June 11, 2022, we celebrated Illinois with music. Relive the concert on UPO's YouTube channel.


The concert opened with TROTUPO. Visit UPO on YouTube for more.


Recital at Urbana Free Library with Tamra Gingold, UPO violinist and education coordinator, and area student string players. Here's a recording.
2022 Urbana Park District Pit Orchestra for Newsies
Applehood & Motherpie hosted by Sigma Alpha Iota.
Spooky Strings at Urbana's Market at the Square