ELLNORA: Building Community on Six Strings
Twenty years is a long time for anything in the music business to stick around. Long-term success in entertainment requires talent, financial and community support, more than a small amount of luck, and a clear vision of what the project is and hopes to accomplish. With a lot of work, Krannert Center’s ELLNORA | The Guitar Festival is fortunate to have acquired all of those things over the years.
Having an understanding of the way ELLNORA could stand out from an entire ecosystem of festivals took some doing. “Most music festivals focus on a specific genre…jazz, folk, blues, or whatever,” explains David Spelman, one of the coordinators of ELLNORA. “By shifting the focus on a single instrument – the guitar, in this case – ELLNORA is genre-agnostic, taking a global view.” It’s a left-turn approach to a music festival, and one that has contributed handily to its longevity. This past weekend alone, ELLNORA attendees heard music from all corners of the guitar diaspora: rock, jazz, classical, Flamenco, reggae, R&B, soul, and a couple of performances that defied classification.
That’s by design. As part of the University of Illinois’ College of Fine and Applied Arts, Krannert Center’s mission is not merely to entertain, but to educate and transform. It was no accident that this philosophy was extended to this celebration of the guitar, as well. ELLNORA offers the curious musical explorer an invitation to undiscovered aural treasures, while still providing the opportunity to enjoy the familiar; this year, that meant headliners Rosanne Cash, Jeff Tweedy, and Gary Clark Jr. By creating a welcoming space and building community, the hope is that people will let their sonic guard down for the weekend. That approach has rewarded attendees for several years now.
"The blend of Sharon Isbin’s classical guitar with sarod master Amjad Ali Khan’s Indian ragas was something I had never experienced before,” Mar Wilke of Savoy said. “Cool instruments… it was an incredible performance, truly unforgettable.”
Teri McCarthy of Champaign, a longtime ELLNORA attendee, enjoys the exploration aspect as well. “I was particularly blown away by Marel Hidalgo and his band. His guitar licks were amazing, and he has a great stage presence, especially for a 17-year-old. His entire band was impressive.” Hidalgo made a lot of fans in east-central Illinois this weekend with his fusion of jazz and reggae.
Hidalgo became a fan of ELLNORA, too. “I’m so glad we accepted the invitation to perform here,” Marel said while preparing to return home to New Jersey on Sunday afternoon. “After finishing our show on Thursday evening, we had the pleasure of attending every single performance over the weekend, and we enjoyed every minute of them! It was an incredible mix of genres, cultures, and generations of musicians. As an artist, being in front of such a generous and warm audience for our first appearance in Illinois was a real honor. This festival is lucky to have Urbana-Champaign as a home.”
Music is the focus of a music festival, naturally, but a lot of development goes into creating a welcoming space: interior design, lighting, good food and drink, places to relax, and extra activities to make it family-friendly. Teri McCarthy noticed. “The vibe this year was electric. The physical space with all the colorful, billowing sheets draped from the ceiling created a warm, inviting atmosphere complete with mood lighting that changed color every few minutes. The place was already packed when I arrived soon after the beginning of the first performance.”
That effort to make the festival about more than the music was what caught the eye of donors Jill and James Quisenberry, who have sponsored ELLNORA since the early 2000s, when it was still known as the Wall To Wall Guitar Festival. “The community that forms [at ELLNORA] between the artists and the audiences is great to see,” said James. “We want to help keep that feeling coming back. ELLNORA always includes music and artists that we are familiar with while introducing us to a bunch of talented performers that are new to us.”
ELLNORA | The Guitar Festival won’t be going away anytime soon. It has become one of the most popular events at Krannert Center, and one that showcases exceptional talent and brings east-central Illinois together in a very meaningful way. Discussions of who to invite in 2027 will begin soon enough, as will conversations on how to keep building on the culture of hospitality and welcome that is the cornerstone of Krannert Center’s mission. For the 7700 ELLNORA attendees this weekend, the notes may have faded, but the experience will linger for quite a while.
(All photos by Chris McGuire Photography)