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UPO is funded through generous donations from individuals and grants from the Illinois Arts Council Agency. the City of Urbana Arts and Culture Program and the Community Foundation of East Central Illinois.
Watch a selection from our 2025 Concert, Sat. June 14
Watch a selection from our 2025 Concert, Sat. June 14
Special Guest at June Concert
Special Guest at June Concert
Also at the June 14 concert, a mariachi band made a guest appearance. The group combined members from the Mariachi Tigres de Urbana, which consists of students from Urbana Middle School and Urbana High School, with musicians from a local adult group, both led by Tamra Gingold, Edgar Guitierez and Leo Castro.
Gingold is Urbana High School Orchestra/All-City Strings Director and Urbana Pops educational coordinator and principal violinist.
Showcasing Youth
Showcasing Youth
James Yan, a rising junior at University Laboratory High School in Urbana, was the 2025 winner of the Chambana International Music Competition Concerto Division. He performed Camille Saint Saëns' Concerto No. 2 in G minor on piano along with the orchestra.
Watch the performance on UPO's YouTube channel.
Free Pop-Up Concerts!
Free Pop-Up Concerts!
Urbana Arts & Culture and Urbana Pops Orchestra bring you 3 Pop-Up Concerts this spring!
Pop-Up Strings
Sunday, February 22 at 11 a.m.
Lazy Daisy Diner Café inside the south entrance to Lincoln Square Mall
A string quartet led by Amanda Ramey will play for you some fun pop music, a contemporary tango and music with a "Bridgerton vibe."
Amanda Ramey, UPO concertmaster
Gwendolen Rudy, UPO section violin
Isaac Henry, UPO principal viola
Jenny Johnson, UPO librarian and section cello
You can take in this fun pop-up concert while enjoying brunch at Lazy Daisy Diner & Cafe or from the entrance inside Lincoln Square Mall.
Pop-Up Brass
Saturday, March 7 at 12:30 p.m.
Lincoln Square Mall
Read Across America- Champaign Urbana Celebration
Peter Tijerina, UPO principal trombone leads a brass quintet playing a selection of pieces with a young audience in mind, but fun for all ages!
Sal Percoco, UPO section trumpet
Amy Myers, trumpet
Lea Humphreys, horn
Peter Tijerina, UPO principal trombone
Nick Wurl, UPO section bass trombone
Pop-Up Players
Saturday, April 25 at 4:15 p.m.
The Urbana Free Library, lower-level auditorium
Enjoy this mini-concert featuring long-time Urbana music educators who are also professional musicians
Karen DeBauche, Urbana Pops principal clarinetist
Deb Sutter, piano
Ellen Elrick, flute
The trio will share a variety of entertaining music for about 45 minutes--the perfect length mini-concert for audience members of all ages. They'll also be joined by a small ensemble of talented student musicians.
Concierto GRATUITO, sábado 14 de junio
Concierto GRATUITO, sábado 14 de junio
El concierto de verano de la Orquesta Urbana Pops, Circus Kaleidoscope, se llevará a cabo en el auditorio de la Preparatoria Urbana a las 7 p. m. el sábado 14 de junio. El concierto es gratuito, dura menos de 90 minutos y presentará clásicos divertidos y conocidos.
Past events
Past events
UPO's Rags to Rhapsody concert featured music feature music from the musical Ragtime, a preview of the cast of Oliver!, and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with pianist Kavinder Patel.
Here's a recording. Enjoy!
UPO's Happily Ever After concert featured music with a storybook theme that included the Hansel und Gretel Overture by Englebert Humperdinck.
Here's a recording. Enjoy!
2023 Urbana Park District Pit Orchestra for Beauty and the Beast
The Bow-Dacious Strings Ensemble from C4A on stage with Urbana Pops in 2023
Spooky Strings at Urbana's Market at the Square
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