Every fall, thousands of Illinois fans flood through the gates of Memorial Stadium to cheer on the Illinois football team. But this Friday, a different tradition will be celebrated.

While the University of Illinois Symphony Orchestra doesn’t share the same publicity as the major varsity sports, the theatre program or the Marching Illini, it has always been a part of campus culture.

“We’ve been here since the beginning, since the founding of the University,” said Donald Schleicher, conductor of the orchestra and professor in the School of Music.

The orchestra’s first concert of the semester is 7:30 p.m. on Friday at Foellinger Great Hall at Krannert. General admission tickets are $10 or $4 for students.

“I would hope that the University students at large would see this orchestra as belonging to them just like (any other) team,” Schleicher said.

Schleicher said the orchestra is comparable to a football team — the conductor like the head coach and the concertmaster like the quarterback, with both working vigorously to lead and unite the team.

“It’s a lot of pressure,” said Erika Zelada, concertmaster of the orchestra. Zelada received her master’s degree in music from the University in the spring of 2015 and is currently working toward an artist diploma in violin performance. She said there have been times as concertmaster when she was “very afraid,” but she has advised other musicians to “go for the music, enjoy and do your best.”

They will be opening the performance with Beethoven’s “Overture to ‘Egmont,’” followed by Bruch’s “Scottish Fantasy,” and for the finale, Schleicher will be leading another classic: Shostakovich’s “Symphony No. 12.”

“It’s standard repertoire for the symphony orchestra, although in the Shostakovich realm, it’s not as standard,” Schleicher said. “The 12th is not as commonly played (as his others), but I think it is equally fantastic.”

Schleicher and Zelada doubted a favorite would arise if they were to poll the audience after the concert.

“The Shostakovich is probably the most dramatic piece, but then the ‘Scottish Fantasy’ is so musical and melodic,” Zelada said. “It shows so much virtuosity in the violin playing that it attracts you.”

Schleicher predicted it will be an incredible performance.

“We just hope people from the school will come because we love what we do, and we want to share that with them,” Zelada said.

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