[1] In 1959, two school music teachers, Martha Wendt and Gilbert Papp, along with well-known local television weatherman Wyndham Roberts, started the process that eventually led to the formation of (as it was initially called) the Champaign-Urbana Civic Symphony Orchestra.
[2] On the academic side of his meteorology career, Roberts was a scientist at the Illinois State Water Survey,[3] and both Wendt, a violinist, and Papp, a clarinetist, were teachers in the Unit 4 (Champaign) school district.
[4][5] During the spring of 1960, more people were brought into the process, the organization was incorporated with nonprofit status, and it was announced that the board of directors consisted of John Dimond, president; Stanley W. Rahn, secretary; Verrollton C. Shaul, publicity; Donald D. Richmond, attorney; and H. I. Gelvin, Ruth Youngerman, Martha Wendt, Doris Dodds, and Audrey Stewart, members.
[2][4] By midsummer, Bernard Goodman had accepted the post of conductor; a plan for subscription levels was adopted; a good portion of the first-year $8,500 budget was received or pledged, mostly as relatively large donations; and the beginnings of a Symphony Orchestra Guild had been undertaken, led by Ruth Youngerman.
[11] In the early fall, the makeup of the orchestra was settled[12] and the orchestra's first season consisted of two concerts: one on October 20, 1960, with pianist Theodore Lettvin as guest artist, playing Beethoven's "Emperor" Piano Concerto;[13][14] and an all-Tchaikovsky concert on April 20, 1961, featuring violinist Mischa Mischakoff as soloist in the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto.
In early 1994, Paul Vermel announced his retirement both as music director of the Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra and as professor at the University of Illinois.
Throughout its history, the CUSO has established a number of musical landmarks, including the performances of commissioned works and the showcasing of internationally acclaimed guest artists.
The CUSO continues its long-standing tradition of collaboration with the University of Illinois Oratorio Society in the presentation of major choral works.