On Saturday, February 22, the Illinois Symphony Orchestra presented its first program of its 2014 season at Sangamon Auditorium under the direction of Alastair Willis. The program was called “Shimmering Shakespeare” because the second act consisted of movements from the ballet Romeo and Juliet. The first half of the show was a percussion concerto with featured guest artist, Joseph Gramley. The performance used all traditional orchestral instruments, but there was more emphasis on percussion. The Illinois Symphony Orchestra used a variety of classical music and collaborations with outside groups and organizations to create an entertaining and unique program. The first piece was the prelude to Claude Debussy's Afternoon of a Faun. This piece contrasted with the other pieces in the program because it is very soft and has no defined shape or rhythm. The flute was the featured instrument that created a light and beautiful work of art. One of the things that really stood out to me about this piece was how all the instruments worked together to complement the flute....