The Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra will open its 76th season with a pops concert titled “Go West, Young America!” on Sept. 27 at 7 p.m.

The concert will be held at the Dr. Mary Margaret Weeg Cultural Centre at Illinois Valley Community College. Guest conductor Stephen Squires will lead the orchestra in a program featuring western-themed classics, including Aaron Copland’s “Four Dance Episodes from Rodeo,” John Williams’ “The Cowboys,” and the Overture to “Oklahoma!“.

Squires recently retired from university teaching and was named professor emeritus of conducting at Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts. He previously taught at the Northern Illinois School of Music, where he earned the Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award.

This concert is part of the IVSO’s “Flight” season, a five-cycle series inspired by tasting flights in wine or coffee. Each concert features a different conductor and offers a unique musical experience.

To complement the season, the IVSO is offering a limited-edition Coffee Quintet Flight ticket for $30. Sponsored by Bean Box Espresso, the ticket includes admission to any single IVSO concert and five custom coffee and concert pairings, such as the “Go West, Young Americano!” Only 100 Coffee Quintet punch cards are available and can be purchased online or during concert intermissions. More details are at ivso.org/coffee.

Regular tickets cost $22 for adults, $10 for college students with ID, and are free for students through 12th grade. Season subscriptions, Coffee Quintet punch cards, and tickets for “Go West, Young America!” are available at ivso.org.

The concert is partially supported by the Illinois Arts Council and sponsored by Maze Lumber. Season sponsor Miller Group Charitable Trust also supports the IVSO. All venues comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Accommodation requests can be sent to accessibility@ivso.org.