THE CORE CONCEPT:  Every season, our flagship concert series undergoes a complete conceptual evolution. Bound by a single thematic word, each year features two distinct, high-production musical showcases designed to push the boundaries of youth performance. We unite elite musicians from across the state of Illinois to perform across genres, centuries, and styles—redefining the traditional concert experience through spatial staging, immersive atmosphere, and professional production standard.

OUR ORIGIN STORY: THE SPARK BEHIND THE SERIES  In the fall of 2025, what is now a premier youth concert series began as a simple, solo vision: An Alex Amato Christmas, a personal piano recital intended to bring holiday joy to the community. However, as the repertoire was selected, a light switch flipped. Realizing that the sweeping textures of pieces like Dan Forrest’s See Amid the Winter’s Snow demanded a full string quartet and driving percussion to capture true "holiday magic," the project's scope rapidly exploded. What started as a solo concept transformed into a grand, collaborative artistic endeavor, blossoming into a sold-out winter performance that became the area's only standalone holiday concert entirely conceived, directed, and performed by high-school-aged musicians.

The extraordinary artistic energy unleashed that evening proved that local youth were not just students mastering instruments, but elite competitors, composers, and improvisers looking for a platform devoted entirely to their creative voices. Following that initial success, the initiative naturally evolved from a single night of music into a continuous, fluid seasonal series, closing its inaugural year with the full-house yacht-rock showcase, Amid the Harbor Lights, in April 2026. Now operating as the flagship program of Amatones, the series continues to provide a high-production, multi-genre stage where the next generation of exceptional Illinois musicians come together to collaborate, lead, and redefine the live concert experience.

Impact by the Numbers: 2025-2026 "AMID"

THE MUSICIANS

16 Elite Young Performers

12 Represented Schools

9 Illinois Communities

THE AUDIENCE

120+ Tickets Sold Online

Full-House Audiences

$1,000+ Revenue & Donations

THE PRODUCTION

13 Dedicated Youth Volunteers

10 Different Live Instruments

3 Centuries of Repertoire Covered