Episode Details

Maurice Cohn picked up his first cello at age 4 in Galesburg. Now Music Director of the West Virginia Symphony, he returns Saturday, Sept. 19, at 7 p.m. to conduct the Knox-Galesburg Symphony's 75th season opener at the Orpheum Theatre. He joined Galesburg's Morning News on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, to talk about the concert, and about what a conductor actually does. "Someone has to be able to put all the pieces in the right place," he said, "and that's the conductor." [caption id="attachment_707583" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Maurice Cohn visited the WGIL studio Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, ahead of the Knox-Galesburg Symphony's 75th season opener. (JAY REDFERN/WGIL)[/caption] They talked about: Starting cello at 4 through the Suzuki method, and why Galesburg's music scene wasn't "territorial" Playing in the KGS cello section as a high schooler, under Maestro Bruce Polay How he pivoted from cellist to conductor at Oberlin What's actually on Saturday's program — Mozart, a Mexico City-inspired piece with a massive timpani part, and Scheherazade Why he thinks a hometown orchestra beats a livestream, every time   Related story: 'Nobody's born loving Beethoven': Galesburg's own conductor comes home for the KGS's 75th 🎧 Subscribe to Galesburg's Morning News: Apple podcasts.apple.com | Spotify open.spotify.com