The following press release is written by Ashley Hade for the Peoria Symphony Orchestra.
PEORIA, IL – The Peoria Symphony Orchestra is proud to present Gregory Alan Isakov with the Peoria Symphony Orchestra, presented by the Gilmore Foundation and Sid and Flo Banwart. The concert will take place at the Prairie Home Alliance Theater at the Peoria Civic Center on August 18th, 2026, at 7:30 pm. Indie-Folk artist Gregory Alan Isakov will take the stage alongside the PSO, performing favorites from his albums.
About Gregory Alan Isakov
Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and now calling Colorado home, horticulturist/musician Gregory Alan Isakov has cast an impressive presence on the
indie-rock and folk worlds with his six full-length studio albums: That Sea, The Gambler; This Empty Northern Hemisphere; The Weatherman; Gregory Alan Isakov with the Colorado Symphony; Evening Machines (nominated for a Grammy award for Best Folk Album), and Appaloosa Bones. Isakov tours internationally with his band and has performed with several national symphony orchestras across the United States.
Isakov’s new record, Appaloosa Bones, was released via Dualtone/Suitcase Town Music. Of the album, MOJO states, “Prime Isakov: his velvet baritone glides over elegant and shimmering Wild West mirages.” The Associated Press proclaims, “He has that magical ability to convey both urgency and grandeur at the same time…Simple. Straightforward. Utterly evocative.” And No Depression declares, “This is Isakov’s genius. He turns a short poem into a magnificent piece of music that can captivate for hours.”
When he is not on the road, he runs Starling Farm (a small farm in Boulder County), which provides produce to CSA members, restaurants, and Community Food Share (a local food bank).
“I think a good song, to me, takes you somewhere, and when it's over, you're somewhere else. You're somewhere different”, Gregory Alan Isakov told Glide Magazine.
His music is beautifully hypnotic. Combined with an orchestra, a simple folk melody becomes an expansive, emotional epic of sound and expression. As one recent audience member said, “Bring your box of tissues! You may become teary-eyed from the beauty of it all!”
Isakov’s concerts feature a cinematic atmosphere created by low stage lighting and subtle fog. Audience members can expect a full stage with close to 60 musicians between the orchestra and the band. Gregory Alan Isakov and his band pull from a variety of his albums such as The Weatherman, This Empty Northern Hemisphere, Appaloosa Blues, and others.
Maestro Stelluto exclaims, “I’m very excited that the PSO is introducing Gregory Alan Isakov to Peoria. He’s selling out all over the country and taking the popular music scene by storm. His down-to-earth yet profoundly poetic music will enrapture you!”
Ticket Information
Tickets start at $46 for Adults. Students can attend for just $25. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit peoriasymphony.org/purchase-tickets.
