Belleville Philharmonic kicks off 160th season with special guest performer
A festive mood is in the air as musicians and volunteers get ready to celebrate the Belleville Philharmonic Orchestra’s 160th anniversary season.
“It’s pure joy to come and make music here,” said Joseph Choi, music director and conductor now in his third year.
“It’s for the love of music that this orchestra continues to thrive. We have dedicated musicians that show up week after week, making all this possible. And we are a volunteer organization.”
As one who believes in the transformative power of music, he attributes the organization’s vibrancy to three components.
“It’s a combination of the musicians’ hard work and the dedication and hard work of our board of directors, who keep us fiscally sound, and then we need an audience to show up. If we don’t have anyone to play to, then the energy isn’t there. When we have a full house, it’s a good feeling. We’ve been lucky enough to have good audiences that support us.”
To honor this 160th year milestone, Choi said they are hopeful for an audience this Saturday night. A special concert will kick off the milestone season on Oct. 11 at 7:30 p.m. at the Union United Methodist Church, 721 E. Main St., Belleville. Admission is free, general seating. World-class soprano Christine Brewer is the guest soloist.
Brewer, who has sung with the top symphony orchestras and opera companies in the world, said she is elated to be part of the program. The opera superstar lives in Lebanon and grew up in Grandview, a small town in southern Illinois.
“I think it’s pretty special that the Belleville Philharmonic is second only to the New York Philharmonic as the second oldest continuously operating orchestra in the U.S. It’s wonderful to see the community support it for 160 years. That says a lot,” Brewer said. “It really deserves to be celebrated, and we’re doing celebratory pieces in the program.”
The orchestra, founded in 1866 by a group of interested citizens in Belleville, has three ensembles — an orchestra, chorale and youth orchestra. Richard Thompson conducts the chorale and Christopher Gass the youth orchestra.
After the COVID-19 pandemic, the orchestra resumed performing but was down to between 40-45 players, Choi said. Today, the orchestra has between 60-65 musicians.
Choi said they rehearse once a week.
“I think the musicians really enjoy coming together and making music with other people,” he said. “We have people who taught music and retired, and now they want to do something, or they played in college and want to still do it or play in another orchestra. We have retired band directors. Some have music degrees, some don’t. Some haven’t played in a while. They want to come out and play.”
He is excited that the youth orchestra keeps developing talent, he said.
“We have 15 candidates for our Stars of Tomorrow program. We will have the final audition on Oct. 28. There is some incredible talent in the greater St. Louis area,” Choi said.
An Evening with Christine Brewer
Choi, Brewer and board president Ethan Edwards collaborated on a program that they feel the audience will enjoy.
“It’s going to be a little bit of everything. I think people will respond to it,” Brewer said.
The Overture to “Zampa” by Ferdinand Herold, which was part of the very first Philharmonic program on Jan. 26, 1867, will open the concert.
The program also will feature Smetana’s “The Moldau.”
Brewer will sing Richard Strauss’ “Four Last Songs.” Celebrated for her interpretations of Richard Wagner and Strauss, Brewer was named one of the 20 greatest sopranos of the 20th century by BBC Music Magazine in 2007.
This will be the 106th time she has sung “Four Last Songs,” since 1993.
She will also sing “Let the bright Seraphim,” which is an aria from Handel’s opera “Samson.”
Experts have focused on her warm timbre and vibrant personality. She has distinguished herself because of her range, golden tone, boundless power, control, and emotional honesty.
“I grew up with music. I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t singing,” she said.
A song she is eager to share is “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” In 2012, with John Williams conducting, and her friends Lynn Harrell, an acclaimed cellist who died in 2020, and arranger and pianist Randy Kerber, she sang it during a recording session at the Sony Scoring Stage for Heartbeats Foundation.
“They told me it was the same space where Judy Garland performed it originally 72 years earlier. Oh, no pressure!” Brewer said, chuckling.
“It’s a very interesting arrangement. It’s so beautiful,” she added.
Brewer said she “still has some stories to tell” and is as busy as ever.
She is a guest artist at Webster University, telling her students to “sing what you feel. Sing from the heart” during a lecture.
Her schedule includes a Holiday Brass Concert with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, a Christmas concert at the Wildey Theatre, and more. See her website: https://www.christinebrewer.com/about
Historical Milestones
For 21 years, Robert Charles Howard conducted the orchestra. After Gustave Neubert (1885-1910), he is the second-longest serving conductor. Known for his warmth and wit, he retired in 2016 after coming aboard in 1995. He is currently the conductor of the Oratorio Society of Estes Park, where he lives in Colorado.
According to Roger Schlueter, who wrote in a BND article in 2016: “But, say his orchestra members, just as important as his love for music was the love and respect he showed the musicians … Howard used his people skills to produce a larger, more cohesive group that is more talented than ever.”
Howard was succeeded by Robert Hart Baker. Because of health issues, he took a sabbatical in 2023 and died later that year. Choi was hired as an interim for one year, then hired as the conductor for the past two years.
Choi had worked with Baker previously, years ago, as an assistant conductor.
The board introduced their new maestro Choi this way:
“A celebrated conductor with a deep love of music and a lifetime of devotion to the arts, Maestro Choi brings a wealth of experience, passion, and joy to our beloved Philharmonic family.”
Originally from South Korea, Choi’s musical journey has taken him across the world—from performing as a tenor with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra to conducting internationally acclaimed ensembles like the Phoenix Symphony, Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic, and Beethoven Chamber Orchestra. Over the years, he has led orchestras with grace and dedication, inspiring countless musicians and audiences alike.
Choi resides in Centralia, Missouri, with his wife Angela and son Nathaniel, who shares his father’s love for music as a violinist and percussionist.
The Belleville Philharmonic Orchestra’s 2025-2026 season schedule: Nutcracker for the Belleville Ballet, Christmas Wonders at St. Peter’s Cathedral, Holiday Pops at the Lincoln Theatre, Stars of Tomorrow and more are featured in their upcoming schedule.
This story was originally published October 10, 2025 at 1:35 PM.