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By Nolan Vallier, Elizabeth Hartman, Katie Nichols
Collection Overview
Title: Prairie Ensemble Records, 1996-2015
ID: 12/9/143
Primary Creator: Kevin Kelly (1961-)
Other Creators: Grant, Joe W. (1947-)
Extent: 10.4 cubic feet. More info below.
Arrangement:
Organized in three series: Series 1) Board of Directors Meeting Minutes and Governing Records, 1996-2015; Series 2) Financial Records, 1997-2015; Series 3) Administrative Records, 1996-2015; and Series 4) Concerts, Special Events, Publicity, and Digital Records, 1997-2014. All four series contain both paper and digital records and have been further divided to show this structure.
Series 1 is arranged into two sub-series: sub-series 1) Board of Directors Records and sub-series 2) Board of Directors Digital Records.
Series 2 is arranged into two sub-series: sub-series 1) Financial Records and sub-series 2) Financial Digital Records.
Series 3 is arranged into two sub-series: sub-series 1) Administrative Records and sub-series 2) Administrative Digital Records.
Series 4 is arranged into four sub-series: sub-series 1) Concerts Programs, sub-series 2) Special Events and Correspondence, sub-series 3) Publicity, and sub-series 4) Concert Programs, Special Events, and Publicity Digital Records.
Date Acquired: 06/13/2015. More info below under Accruals.
Subjects: American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP), Concerts, Fund Raising, Illinois Arts Council, Instrumental music, Local History, Orchestra, Radio Station - WILL, Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Orchestras, Taxes
Formats/Genres: Business Records, Concert Programs, Meeting Minutes
Languages: English
Scope and Contents of the Materials
Consists of business records, financial reports, group bylaws, payroll sheets and performer contracts, meeting minutes, advertisements and publicity reports, photographs, awards, concert programs, computer files, and correspondence documenting the governance, operations, events, and publicity of the Prairie Ensemble chamber orchestra of Champaign-Urbana.
Collection Historical Note
The Prairie Ensemble was founded by Kevin Kelly in 1996 in Champaign-Urbana. As a chamber orchestra, the Prairie Ensemble performed classical music throughout Central Illinois, attempting to make symphonic music more approachable to the community by performing in informal attire across several local indoor and outdoor venues. On occasion the ensemble performed major symphonies and masses by composers like Beethoven, Vaughan Williams, Mahler, Mozart, and Schubert, but they also played contemporary chamber pieces by composers like Virgil Thomson, Jacques Ibert, and Kurt Weill as well as contemporary classics by popular composers like Bernard Rogers, Leonard Bernstein, and George Gershwin. Players within the ensemble were drawn from the community and ranged from professional musicians to gifted amateurs, undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Illinois, and faculty of the University of Illinois. These players did not audition for their seats, but were paid. The ensemble also hosted many guest soloists including both local artists like pianist Ian Hobson, and vocalists Ollie Watts Davis and Jarold Siena as well as nationally-touring performers like pipa player Zhou Yi, violinist Stefan Milenkovich, and cellist Rohan de Silva.
As a non-profit arts organization, the Prairie Ensemble was overseen by a board of volunteers, who filled many roles within the organization. The organization successfully earned several Illinois Arts Council grants, which helped keep the organization opperating throughout the 2000s. After Kelly moved to Chicago in 2014 and due in part to finanical constraints, the Praire Ensemble was disbanded in 2015.
Biographical Note
Kevin Kelly grew up in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. In 1979 he was accepted at Northwestern University, where he earned bachelors degrees in English and music history and criticism. After working as an editor for the Chicago-based publishing house Mosby-Year Book, Kelly moved to Champaign-Urbana to pursue dual masters degrees in orchestral and choral conducting at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Kelly studied conducting with Kenneth Kiesler, Paul Vermel, and Victor Yampolsky. Prior to graduating in 1993, he became the conductor of the East Central Illinois Youth Orchestra and has served in this position for over thirty years. In 1996, Kelly became the host of WILL-FM's classical program "Live and Local." In that same year he founded the Prairie Ensemble, a local chamber orchestra, which operated from 1996 until 2015. Kelly also became the choir director at Emmanuel Memorial Episcopal Church in Champaign in 1996, serving the church for seventeen years.
In 2014, Kelly moved to Chicago where he became the director of the Allegro Community Chorus of Palatine, Illinois, a position he has held for over fifteen years. In addition to his part-time conducting roles in Chicago and Central Illinois, in 2020 Kelly expanded upon his experience as a radio host, becoming a voice actor. Kelly maintains a career as a professional musician as well, singing with several professional choral ensembles in Chicago, including the Chicago Symphony Chorus, the Grant Park Symphony Chorus, The City Musick, Basically Bach and His Majesties Clerkes (now Bella Voce).
Subject/Index Terms
Administrative Information
Repository:
The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
Accruals:
Eleven cubic feet of material from the Prairie Ensemble were acquired from Joe Walter Grant Jr. on June 13, 2015. Computer Files were processed in 2025.
Alternate Extent Statement:
932 Gigabytes
Acquisition Source:
Joe Walter Grant Jr.
Related Materials:
Prairie Ensemble Records 12/9/143
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: Board of Directors Meeting Minutes and Governing Records, 1996-2015],
[
Series 2: Financial Records, 1997-2015],
[Series 3: Administrative Records],
[
Series 4: Concerts, Special Events, and Publicity, 1997-2014],
[
All]
- Series 3: Administrative Records
- Consists of insurance documents, annual reports, business plan reviews, job descriptions, concert operational procedures, directories, calendars, marketing committee meeting minutes and agendas, solicitations, player contracts and rosters, organizational memberships and conference participation materials, and grant applications documenting the administration of the Prairie Ensemble. Arranged into 2 sub-series: sub-series 1) Administrative Records and sub-series 2) Administrative Digital Records.
- Sub-Series 1: Administrative Records and Correspondence, 1996-2015
- Consists of insurance documents, annual reports, business plan reviews, job descriptions, concert operational procedures, directories, calendars, marketing committee meeting minutes and agendas, solicitations, player contracts and rosters, organizational memberships and conference participation materials, and grant applications documenting the administration of the Prairie Ensemble. Materials are arranged by material type and then chronologically therein.
- Box 1
- Folder 20: Directors and Officers Liability Insurance Applications, 2008-2009
- Folder 21: Insurance Documents, 2011-2015
- Box 6
- Folder 1: Change of Registered Agent, 1998-2000
- Folder 2: Change of Registered Agent/Office, 2006
- Folder 3: State of Illinois/Secretary of State Annual Reports, 1998-2009
- Folder 4: Charitable Organization Status Annual Reports, 2006-2014
- Folder 5: 501(c)(3) Status Forms, 1996-1997
- Folder 6: Budget Reports, 2000-2001
- Folder 7: Annual Reports, 1999-2004
- Folder 8: Business Plan Review, 2011
- Folder 9: Sage Payment Solutions account information, 2007
- Folder 10: Domain name purchase, 2000
- Folder 11: Cultural Data Project fiscal profile reports, 2008-2013
- Folder 12: Registration with Community Volunteer Center, 2000
- Folder 13: Schnuck's Escripts Account, 2012
- Folder 14: Board and committees job descriptions, 1999
- Folder 15: Administrative Assistant hiring, 2003
- Folder 16: General Manager responsibilities and correspondence, 2008-2012
- Folder 17: Front of House and other operational procedures, 2000
- Folder 18: Mailing List, 1999
- Folder 19: Champaign County Top Employers Directory, 2002
- Folder 20: Music Teacher directories, 1999-2001
- Folder 21: Other orchestral calendars, 2012-2013
- Folder 22: Administrative correspondence, 1997-2002
- Folder 23: Postal Account correspondence, 2002-2003
- Folder 24: Volunteer Hours correspondence, 2002
- Folder 25: Financial policies, 2007
- Folder 26: Concert Season budget planning, 2012-2013
- Folder 27: Finance Committee notes, 1999-2000
- Folder 28: Marketing Committee minutes and agendas, 2001-2002
- Folder 29: Marketing Committee minutes, 2005-2006
- Folder 30: Marketing Committee - minutes and agendas, 2006-2007
- Folder 31: Ticket underwriting proposal, 2000-2001
- Folder 32: Research Park Reception Information, 2002
- Folder 33: techShow company profile book, 2002
- Folder 34: WCIA-TV correspondence, 2000-2003
- Folder 35: Development Committee notes, 2012
- Folder 36: Committee Chair correspondence, 1999-2001
- Folder 37: Music Directory Website sign-up forms, undated
- Folder 38: Rantoul solicitations, 2002-2003
- Folder 39: Private solicitations and donor information, 1996-2002
- Folder 40: Corporate solicitations and correspondence (1 of 4), 2000-2013
- Folder 41: Corporate solicitations and correspondence (2 of 4), 2000-2013
- Folder 42: Corporate solicitations and correspondence (3 of 4), 2000-2013
- Folder 43: Corporate solicitations and correspondence (4 of 4), 2000-2013
- Folder 44: Donor thank-yous, 2006, 2014
- Folder 45: Awards and certificates, 1998-2001
- Folder 46: Prairie Ensemble roster, 2004-2005
- Box 7
- Folder 1: Prairie Ensemble player contracts, 2002-2003
- Folder 2: Prairie Ensemble player contracts, 2003-2004
- Folder 3: Prairie Ensemble player contracts, 2005-2006
- Folder 4: Prairie Ensemble player contracts, 2006-2007
- Folder 5: Prairie Ensemble player contract correspondence, 2002-2003
- Folder 6: Champaign County Chamber of Commerce membership, 2001-2008
- Folder 7: Cultural Consortium of Champaign County, 2000-2001
- Folder 8: 40 North Champaign County Arts Organization, 2002
- Folder 9: Illinois Arts Alliance, 2002
- Folder 10: ASCAP reports, 1998-2008
- Folder 11: Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, 2000-2001
- Folder 12: Illinois Council of Orchestras contributions, 2000-2003
- Folder 13: Donation/contribution correspondence, 2001-2012
- Folder 14: Illinois Council of Orchestras winter conference, February 25, 2000
- Folder 15: Illinois Council of Orchestras conference registration, 2002
- Folder 16: Illinois Council of Orchestras award appreciations, 1998-2006
- Folder 17: City of Urbana funding application, 2003
- Folder 18: Community Foundation of Champaign County grant applications, 1998-2003
- Folder 19: Illinois Power Bright Ideas grant proposal, 2001
- Folder 20: Illinois Arts Council (IAC) grants applications, 1998-2000
- Folder 21: IAC grants applications, 2001-2002
- Folder 22: IAC grants applications, 2002-2003
- Folder 23: IAC grants applications, 2003-2004
- Folder 24: IAC grants applications, 2004
- Folder 25: IAC grants applications, 2005-2007
- Folder 26: IAC grants applications, 2007-2009
- Folder 27: IAC grants applications, 2009-2010
- Box 8
- Folder 1: Illinois Arts Council grants applications, 2011-2012
- Folder 2: Illinois Arts Council grants applications, 2014
- Folder 3: Junior League grant applications, 2000-2008
- Folder 4: Kraft grant application, 2002
- Folder 5: Marajen Stevick Foundation grant application, 2010
- Folder 6: US Cellular grant application, 2003-2004
- Folder 7: Target grant application, 2005-2009
- Folder 8: Grant application guidelines and research (1 of 2), 2003-2008
- Folder 9: Grant application guidelines and research (2 of 2), 2003-2008
- Box 11
- Folder 1: WILL Certificate of Appreciation, undated
- Sub-Series 2: Administrative Digital Records, 2005-2014
- Consists of both Floppy Disks and Digital Records. The records contained include donation records, grant applications, Development Committee minutes, donor records, Marketing Committee minutes, personnel lists, and solicitations. Also contains the records of business manager Roxanne Bossenbroek, who was involved in several committees including the fundraising committee. Materials are arranged alphabetically and chronologically therein. Contact Archivist for access.
- Box 12
- Item 2: J-Wong, ca. 2000
- Floppy Disk. Contains: Prairie Ensemble Volunteer List (.xls file type).
- Item 4: Membership suscript Levels, 2000-2001
- Floppy Disk. Label reads: Membership Subscript Levels; 2000-01 Promo Piece; Media Mailing labels 1, 2, 3+4; PE Database Info; Area Music Teachers; PE Performances; Print Media Labels 1, 2, 3, 4; Annual spread sheet; Corporate Perks #1; Indiv Donor categories/ticket order form. Contains: Spreadsheets, promotional flyers, list of corporate donation perks, donor categories, mailing labels, list of performances, and ticket order forms. File types (.doc, .xls, .wks file types).
- Item 8: PE Personnel Info, 2002
- Floppy Disk. Contains: performer application and list of players from 2002. (.doc and .xls file types).
- Item 9: PE Survey, February 17, 2001
- Floppy Disk. Label reads: PE Survey 2/17/01; Labels 1, 2, 3 (mailing labels to black churches); Corporate Perks #1; Indiv. Donor Categories; Ticket Order Form/thank you note. Contains: Survey and Thank You Note. (.doc files).
- Item 10: Prairie Ensemble 2, 2000-2001
- Floppy Disk. Label reads: Prairie Ensemble 2; Park; contact info; template.dot. Contains: Subfolder: 00_01 Season. Files include April 2001 concert schedule, agreement, labels, February 2001 pay, fundraising information, labels, schedules, July 2000 letters and chamber music information, October 2000 schedules and personnel lists, violin assignments, and correspondence about parks. (.csv, .doc, .dot, .txt, .tab, and .xls file types)
- Item 12: Prairie Ensemble Roster, July 16, 2002
- Floppy Disk. Contains: Personnel list from 2002. (.doc file).
- Digital Object 3: Administrative Digital Records, 2005-2014
- Digital Folder 1: ASCAP Correspondence, 2013-2014
- Digital Folder 2: Audience Survey, 2008
- Digital Folder 3: Carle Clinic Grant, 2009-2011
- Digital Folder 4: Central Illinois Orchestra Schedules, 2012-2013
- Digital Folder 5: Community Foundation Grant, 2010
- Digital Folder 6: Corporate Sponsors, 2005-2007
- Digital Folder 7: Corporate Sponsors, 2007-2008
- Digital Folder 8: Corporate Sponsors, 2008-2009
- Digital Folder 9: Corporate Sponsors, 2009-2010
- Digital Folder 10: Corporate Sponsors, 2010-2011
- Digital Folder 11: Corporate Sponsors, 2011-2012
- Digital Folder 12: Corporate Sponsors, 2012-2013
- Digital Folder 13: Cultural Data Project, 2009-2012
- Digital Folder 14: Development Committee Meetings, 2008-2009
- Digital Folder 15: Development Committee Meetings, 2009-2010
- Digital Folder 16: Development Committee Meetings, 2010-2011
- Digital Folder 17: Development Committee Meetings, 2011-2012
- Digital Folder 18: Development Committee Meetings, 2012-2013
- Digital Folder 19: Donations, 2006-2007
- Digital Folder 20: Donations, 2007-2008
- Digital Folder 21: Donations, 2008-2009
- Digital Folder 22: Donations, 2009-2010
- Digital Folder 23: Donations, 2010-2011
- Digital Folder 24: Donations, 2011-2012
- Digital Folder 25: Donations, 2012-2013
- Digital Folder 26: Donations Survey, 2008-2012
- Digital Folder 27: Donor Correspondence, 2005-2008
- Digital Folder 28: Donor Correspondence, 2008-2009
- Digital Folder 29: Donor Correspondence, 2009-2010
- Digital Folder 30: Donor Correspondence, 2011-2012
- Digital Folder 31: Donor Correspondence, 2012-2013
- Digital Folder 32: Donor Master List, ca. 2010
- Digital Folder 33: Grant Applications, 2010-2011
- Digital Folder 34: Grant Calendars, 2010
- Digital Folder 35: IAC Grant, 2006-2007
- Digital Folder 36: IAC Grant, 2007-2008
- Digital Folder 37: IAC Grant, 2008-2009
- Digital Folder 38: IAC Grant, 2009-2010
- Digital Folder 39: IAC Grant, 2010-2011
- Digital Folder 40: IAC Grant, 2011-2012
- Digital Folder 41: IAC Grant, 2012-2013
- Digital Folder 42: IAC Grant, 2013-2014
- Digital Folder 43: Illinois Council of Orchestras Awards, 2012
- Digital Folder 44: Junior League Grant, 2008
- Digital Folder 45: Mailing Lists, 2008-2013
- Digital Folder 46: Marketing Annual Report, 2008-2009
- Digital Folder 47: Marketing Committee Meetings, 2006-2008
- Digital Folder 48: Marketing Committee Meetings, 2008-2009
- Digital Folder 49: Marketing Committee Meetings, 2009-2010
- Digital Folder 50: Marketing Committee Meetings, 2010-2011
- Digital Folder 51: Marketing Committee Meetings, 2011-2012
- Digital Folder 52: Music Rentals and Purchases, 2005-2006
- Digital Folder 53: Music Rentals and Purchases, 2007-2008
- Digital Folder 54: Music Rentals and Purchases, 2008-2009
- Digital Folder 55: Music Rentals and Purchases, 2009-2010
- Digital Folder 56: Music Rentals and Purchases, 2010-2011
- Digital Folder 57: Music Rentals and Purchases, 2011-2012
- Digital Folder 58: Music Rentals and Purchases, 2012-2013
- Digital Folder 59: Orchestra Personnel Lists, 2007-2014
- Digital Folder 60: Patron Mail, 2011
- Digital Folder 61: Roxanne Bossenbroek Business Manager Files
- Digital Folder 61A: Advertisements, 2007-2008
- Digital Folder 61B: Auditions, 2005
- Digital Folder 61C: Bach Ensemble, 2004-2008
- Digital Folder 61D: Business Manager Role, 2007-2009
- Digital Folder 61E: Calendars, 2006-2007
- Digital Folder 61F: Chamber of Commerce, 2008
- Digital Folder 61G: Donor Information, 2006-2007
- Digital Folder 61H: Fax Cover Sheets, 2008-2012
- Digital Folder 61I : Fundraisers and Events, 2005-2008
- Digital Folder 61I-1: Banquet, 2007-2008
- Digital Folder 61I-2: Church Sponsors, 2006
- Digital Folder 61I-3: Gaelic Gala, 2008
- Digital Folder 61I-4: Garden Party, ca. 2008
- Digital Folder 61I-5: Holiday Party, 2006
- Digital Folder 61I-6: In Search of Mozart, 2007
- Digital Folder 61I-7: Irish Festival, 2006
- Digital Folder 61I-8: Mike and Molly's, 2005
- Digital Folder 61I-9: Potential Concerts, 2005-2007
- Digital Folder 10: Well Orchestrated Evening, 2007
- Digital Folder 61J : IAC Grant, 2008-2009
- Digital Folder 61K: ICO Awards, 2005-2006
- Digital Folder 61L: Mailing Lists, Email Lists, and Phone Numbers, 2006-2007
- Digital Folder 61M: Marketing, 2007
- Digital Folder 61N : Orchestral Personnel, 2007-2008
- Digital Folder 61O: PE Document Templates, 2007-2008
- Digital Folder 61P: PE Surveys, Reviews, and Revenues, 2005-2007
- Digital Folder 61Q: Posters, 2006-2007
- Digital Folder 61R : Sponsorship Information, 2005-2007
- Digital Folder 61S: Ticketing Information, 2005-2008
- Digital Folder 61T : Volunteers, 2006-2009
- Digital Folder 62: Solicitations, 2004-2005
- Digital Folder 63: Solicitations, 2005-2006
- Digital Folder 64: Solicitations, 2006-2007
- Digital Folder 65: Solicitations, 2007-2008
- Digital Folder 66: Solicitations, 2008-2009
- Digital Folder 67: Solicitations, 2009-2010
- Digital Folder 68: Solicitations, 2010-2011
- Digital Folder 69: Solicitations, 2011-2012
- Digital Folder 70: Solicitations, 2012-2013
- Digital Folder 71: Stevick Senior Grant, 2010
- Digital Folder 72: Target Corportation Grant, 2006
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: Board of Directors Meeting Minutes and Governing Records, 1996-2015],
[
Series 2: Financial Records, 1997-2015],
[Series 3: Administrative Records],
[
Series 4: Concerts, Special Events, and Publicity, 1997-2014],
[
All]
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