Singer Stella Cole to open Illinois College Fine Arts Series season

Illinois College Fine Arts Series once again will bring jazz, early music, vocal music and storytelling to the campus and community during the 2026-27 school year. The series' 47th season will include national and international artists, family-friendly programming and IC's Engelbach-Hart Music Festival, according to the school. Stella Cole will open the season with a performance at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 19 in Rammelkamp Chapel. Cole, who was born and raised in Springfield and now is based in New York City, is known for combining jazz, pop and 'expressive storytelling' to reinterpret the Great American SongbookA season-opening cookies-on-the-quad reception will precede the concert at 6 p.m. Sept. 19 in front of Rammelkamp Chapel. A popular addition to the series in recent years is its fall 'Tales at Twilight' event on the upper quad on campus. Part of the Family Night Series, 'Tales at Twilight' will feature Jacksonville-based storyteller, musician and IC graduate Mike Anderson and St. Louis-based storytellers Sherry and Bobby Norfolk at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 28. Each will be set up at a location on campus and audience members will rotate among them to hear spook tales by each. Adult admission for the evening is $5; students and children are admitted free. New York-based chamber music and multimedia ensemble CreArtBox will open the Engelbach-Hart Music Festival at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 6. The group blends classical and contemporary music with visual art, stage design and special storytelling to create immersive concerts. Illinois College Faculty Collage will continue the festival with a 7:30 p.m. Nov. 7 performance that showcases IC's music faculty. The Craig Russo Latin Jazz Project will wrap up the festival at 3 p.m. Nov. 8 with a concert featuring Afro-Cuban rhythms, improvisation and Latin jazz. The early music ensemble Istanpitta will return to campus at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 30 for a concert featuring Medieval and early Renaissance music performed on instruments modeled on their historical counterparts. Organist David Jonies, who is organist and director of music at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago and has performed throughout Europe, Asia and North America, will be in concert at :30 p.m. Feb. 19 in Rammelkamp Chapel. ~Nois Saxophone Quartet will premiere a new piece by IC professor emeritus and composer Timothy Kramer during a performance at 7:30 p.m. March 20. Other pieces written by the contemporary saxophone ensemble also will be featured. The series wraps up with a 4 p.m. April 4 performance by Lyyra, a women's vocal ensemble from The VOCES8 Foundation. Its music ranges from choral and folk to contemporary compositions. Adult tickets are $70 for the series season or $20 a performance with the exception of 'Tales at Twilight.' Students of all ages and children are admitted free to all Fine Arts Series performances, according to IC.