The Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, under Music Director Stilian Kirov, debuted its first commercial recording this fall with Children’s Stories, featuring debut recordings of Michael Abels’ Frederick’s Fables and Augusta Read Thomas’ Gwendolyn Brooks Settings.

The works draw from children’s author Leo Lionni’s stories and poetry by former U.S. Poet Laureate Gwendolyn Brooks. Narrator Michael Sumuel collaborates with the orchestra on Frederick’s Fables, while youth choirs Anima – Glen Ellyn Children’s Chorus and ChiArts Chamber Choir lend their voices to Gwendolyn Brooks Settings. Children’s Stories was released Friday, Nov. 15, at cedillerecords.org.

“Both works speak to the child within us,” Kirov said. “The music tells stories that transport listeners back to childhood, even though each piece takes a different journey.”

Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Michael Abels’ Frederick’s Fables adapts four of Leo Lionni’s beloved stories into a musical format. “The music is written like the score to an unseen animated film, meaning the narration and music are closely interwoven,” Kirov said. The fables—Frederick, The Greentail Mouse, Theodore and the Talking Mushroom, and Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse—feature Lionni’s recurring theme of mice as central characters. “As fables, they each communicate a moral lesson,” Kirov added.

Kirov, a graduate of Juilliard’s orchestral conducting program under James DePreist, studied at the Aspen Academy of Conducting and was a Conducting Fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center. He holds a master’s degree in conducting from Paris’ Ecole Normale de Musique. Since 2017, he has led the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, a professional ensemble that connects Chicago’s Southland community through the universal language of music.

“When I first applied for the music director position, I was inspired by the orchestra’s artistic quality,” Kirov said. “Our musicians are phenomenal, and I was also impressed with our Executive Director Christina Salerno and the deep care of the board. Together, we’ve made the orchestra a stellar example of what a regional professional ensemble can achieve.”

The Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, a professional 69-member ensemble, has been named “Professional Orchestra of the Year” by the Illinois Council of Orchestras three times: 2020, 2010, and 1991. Mainstage concerts are held at Ozinga Chapel, a 1,100-seat venue at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights.

A full list of concerts is available at IPOmusic.org, where tickets start at $25. The IPO Box Office can be reached at 708-481-7774.

“Apart from being the only professional orchestra in the area, I believe we’re unique in our programming with a strong emphasis on American music, which is uncommon for an orchestra of our size,” Kirov said. “A major focus of our mission is on diversity, community outreach, and education.”

With Children’s Stories, the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra brings timeless tales and poetry to life, blending music with storytelling that resonates with audiences of all ages. This debut recording not only celebrates beloved children’s literature but also showcases the orchestra’s dedication to creating meaningful, accessible art. “These pieces invite us all to rediscover that sense of imagination and play,” Kirov said. “We’re thrilled to share this journey with the world.”