Northern Illinois Community Calendar

Mendelssohn Presents! the Kalara String Quartet on Friday, Oct. 16.

Praised for their vibrant chemistry and energy, the Kalara String Quartet is impassioned by diverse programming, often sharing works ranging from Beethoven to Philip Glass, as well as traditional tunes and folk music. Since their first performances together in 2018, the KSQ has prioritized sharing works by female composers such as Caroline Shaw, Florence Price, Jessie Montgomery, and Joan Tower. Currently, they are the featured quartet for the Candlelight Concert Series in Milwaukee, performing sold-out classical programs alongside classic rock and modern popular music. The Kalara String Quartet is delighted to present this program that highlights their flexibility in style, offering a little something for every music lover.

Get spooky with the Wild Blue Ukulele Orchestra! Thrill to an after-hours Halloween concert that will delight all ages. Wild Blue Ukulele Orchestra performs orchestrated arrangements on a full range of ukuleles - from the soprano to the UBass. Don't miss this hauntingly fun evening of music.

No registration is required. This concert is free and open to all. Doors will open at 6:00 p.m. and music will begin at 6:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served! This event is part of the after-hours concert series in partnership with the Friends of the Library and 94.9 WDKB.

For additional information, please contact Samantha at samanthah@dkpl.org or at (815) 756-9568 ext. 1701.

Beloved Minnesota-based guitarist and singer will perform a benefit concert at 7pm on Saturday, October 24, 2026.

Advanced Tickets $35
Students (with ID) $25
Children 12 and Under Free
At the Door $40

Questions? Contact E Curl-Woodruff at elisa.woodruff@gmail.com

ABOUT PETER

Minnesota's Peter Mayer has been singing and songwriting full-time for 30 years, performing in venues across the United States and beyond. He writes songs for a small planet--songs about interconnectedness and the human journey--songs about life on earth and the mysterious and wondrous fact of our existence. He also writes songs about dress hats, pumpkins and pajamas, and other important stuff. His music has been performed by artists like Kathy Mattea, David Wilcox, Claudia Schmidt, Anne Hills, Priscilla Herdman, Darryl Purpose, Billy Jonas, and Ronny Cox, to name a few. His work has been included in song books, church hymnals, and folk radio playlists across the country. He is the recipient of fellowships from both the McKnight and the Bush foundations. Peter has eleven albums to his credit, and has sold over 100,000 of them. He lives in Stillwater, Minnesota with his wife and two daughters.

WHAT THE CRITICS SAY

“Mayer's songs are crafted like Shaker furniture, with no place for superfluous embellishments or throwaway lines...(his) world is bright and hopeful and the transcendent nature of his lyrics...explore the mysteries of life...Mayer's fluid, clean, and tremendously intriguing guitar playing is topped with warm, rich vocals. This is music for the soul.” --Ken Sheldon, Acoustic Guitar Magazine

For more info about Peter Mayer and his cannon of music, please go to: https://www.petermayer.net/ See less

Experience the unforgettable music behind some of Hollywood’s most beloved films. From thrilling action and sweeping romance to moments of wonder and discovery, the music of John Williams has shaped the moviegoing experience for generations. Relive the excitement of your iconic favorites in an evening the whole family can enjoy.

Encounter beauty! From Thomas Tallis to Johannes Brahms to Eric Whitacre and Elaine Hagenberg, explore inspirational works for chorus, violin, and piano. Music Director John C. Hughes conducts.

Encounter beauty! From Thomas Tallis to Johannes Brahms to Eric Whitacre and Elaine Hagenberg, explore inspirational works for chorus, violin, and piano. Music Director John C. Hughes conducts.

The Rockford Wind Ensemble (RWE) will open its 2026/27 season on Sunday, Oct. 25, launching a four-concert lineup led by accomplished guest conductors. All concerts will take place on Sundays at 3 p.m. at the RPL Nordlof Center.

Tickets are on sale now at RockfordWindEnsemble.org. Admission is $15 for adults and $10 for seniors (ages 65+) and free for students (ages 4–18) for the Oct. 25 concert.

While each guest conductor will bring a unique artistic perspective to the podium, The Lord of the Rings (Symphony No. 1) will connect the four programs. A different movement from the work will be performed at each concert.

For the Oct. 25 season opener, guest conductor Vinnie Inendino will lead a program spanning bold fanfares, contemporary works, Broadway favorites and standard repertoire. Inendino serves as band director and music department chair at Schaumburg High School. He is a graduate of Northwestern University, the University of Illinois and the University of Michigan, and performs as an alto saxophonist with the Wheaton Municipal Band, where he is also general manager.

The Elgin Symphony Orchestra presents a special community concert, Dia de los Muertos, on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. at the Hemmens Cultural Center in Elgin, Ill.

ESO Music Director Chad Goodman conducts the program featuring Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2, Manuel Ponce’s “Estrellita,” Jose Moncayo’s Huapango, and more.

Seating is general admission
Adult tickets $25
Student tickets $5
Call and ask about our Free Youth Tickets for children ages 17 and under.

Jazz in Progress joins us for an after-hours concert that will feature different styles of big band and modern jazz music in the library’s main lobby!

Jazz in Progress (JIP) organized in 2012 to encourage local musicians to play jazz in support of its mission of musical, charitable, and educational purposes to advance the appreciation, performance, and history of jazz music and its related genres. Its membership includes a variety of talented musicians from the DeKalb County area. The ensemble also honors the practice of inviting local high school and college jazz musicians to sit in with the band, giving young musicians an opportunity to gain more experience in playing jazz music.

JIP is an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that puts funds raised back into local community music programs. Past recipients of JIP donations include the DeKalb, Genoa-Kingston, Hinckley-Big Rock, Indian Creek and Sycamore music booster organizations, as well as St. Mary’s-DeKalb and the DeKalb County Community Foundation.

JIP has performed at benefit and fund raising events and venues around the area including the St. Mary’s Lancer Legacy Ball, Sycamore Natural History Museum’s Rockin’ for the Reptiles, Stage Coach Theatre, Sycamore Farmers Market, Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital, Artigras, The House Café, and Oak Crest Senior Proms. The band also has performed with the Celebration Chorale and at many other community and charity events.

This concert is free and open to all. No registration is required. Doors will open at 6:00 p.m. and music will begin at 6:30 p.m. This event is part of the after-hours concert series in partnership with the Friends of the Library and 94.9 WDKB.

For additional information, please contact Chelsea at chelsear@dkpl.org or at (815) 756-9568 ext. 1700.

This ‘edu-tainment’ program features tales of people who have faced a fight against inhumanity, discrimination, slavery, abuse, and racism. You’ll hear songs and stories about people like Stephen Foster, Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, Sam Cooke, and Billie Holiday, along with tales about groups of people who faced discrimination as well.

Barry Cloyd is an award-winning singer and songwriter. This program is free and open to all. No registration is required.

This event is part of the America 250 initiative; celebrating our nation throughout the year.

This concert is sponsored by Gretchen and Charles Moore.

For additional information, please contact Samantha at samanthah@dkpl.org or at (815) 756-9568 ext. 1701.