A Message from Matthew Sheppard
As we begin the 2026–2027 season, we are delighted to share a welcome message from our new Music Director and Conductor, Matthew Sheppard. We invite you to join us for an exciting season of musical storytelling, unforgettable performances, and a renewed celebration of the arts in our community.
Welcome to the Millikin Decatur Symphony Orchestra!
I am thrilled to begin my time as Music Director of your Millikin Decatur Symphony Orchestra as we embark on a journey through musical storytelling this season.
Our Labor Day Pops program, Night at the Movies, sets the stage for the season ahead, followed by four incredible Masterworks concerts and two beloved musical theater productions in collaboration with Millikin’s outstanding student artists.
A Community That Values the Arts
As I’ve begun getting to know the Decatur community this year, one thing has become abundantly clear: this is an arts and music town.
The enthusiasm and support for the arts—and for your symphony orchestra—have come through loud and clear. I can’t wait to partner with all of you in bringing live symphonic performances to Millikin, Decatur, and Macon County.
From the triumphant final moments of Igor Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite, Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, and Ottorino Respighi’s Pines of Rome to the sheer joy of George Gershwin’s An American in Paris, Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8, and Corky Siegel’s Symphonic Blues No. 6—featuring the legendary harmonica virtuoso himself!—nothing compares to experiencing these works live, surrounded by fellow music lovers, hearing—and feeling—the music resonate throughout the hall.
“Nothing matches the experience of being in the room, in community with hundreds of supporters, hearing—and feeling—the sounds course through you.”
The Power of Live Performance
As an artist and educator, I believe storytelling is at the heart of what we do. It is how we change hearts and minds and create transformative experiences, both on stage and in the classroom.
We serve as both tour guides and thoughtful partners for our audiences, helping listeners experience music more deeply and more personally.
Orchestral music is constantly recreated, and that is one of its greatest strengths. Every time Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony is performed, dozens of musicians join Beethoven in bringing the music to life. Each phrase is shaped anew through tone, color, expression, and interpretation, revealing something fresh within a timeless masterpiece.
In our increasingly algorithm-driven world of repetition and sameness, live symphonic music offers something truly remarkable: a performance that exists only once, shared only by the musicians on stage and the audience gathered in the concert hall.
That is the magic of live music.
Looking Ahead
Together, we have both the opportunity and the responsibility to bring this experience to as many people in our community as possible. By engaging with live symphonic music, each listener discovers personal meaning and creates memories that last a lifetime.
As we begin this exciting journey together, I look forward to seeing you at concerts, meeting you around town, hearing about your own experiences in the arts, and working alongside you to support the vibrant community that is the Millikin Decatur Symphony Orchestra.
Thank you for welcoming me. I cannot wait to share this season with you.
— Matthew Sheppard
Music Director & Conductor
Millikin Decatur Symphony Orchestra
