Intriguing links and well-loved choral and orchestral masterpieces await you in the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra’s highly-anticipated 57th season of music-making: “Connections.” Concert programs will offer music sure to please a wide range of musical tastes, and special events throughout the season will infuse the concert experience with a celebratory flavor. The ESO’s home at Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church offers a spectacular contemporary space in which to enjoy a not-to-be-missed concert experience with family and friends.
You will want to be at each concert to appreciate the connections this season offers. Composers whose work relates to one another and other artists; collaboration with the community as flute students from all over the western suburbs participate in a concert showcasing Elmhurst’s own flute virtuoso, Mary Stolper; music that honors the 500th anniversary of the Reformation; a much-anticipated performance by the former winner of the ESO’s Stanger Audition, Joshua Brown—all of these and much more are in store for you.
The season opener on October 14, 2017 at 7:00 pm, “Mozart and Beethoven Gems,” offers music that will make your heart sing. Mozart’s Overture to La finta giardiniera and his sublime Clarinet Concerto in A Major, featuring Elizandro Garcia-Montoya, pair with Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony for an evening of memorable music. November brings “Flute Fantasy with Mary Stolper,” with the renowned flutist playing Corigliano’s imaginative and dramatic portrayal of the Pied Piper and one very exciting day in the town of Hamelin. Also on the program are music of Ralph Vaughan Williams and Mendelssohn’s Reformation Symphony. In January, “Vivacious Vivaldi: The Four Seasons,” will amaze you with the astounding gifts of violin phenom Joshua Brown playing Vivaldi’s popular work. As the Stradivarius Society’s newest recipient, Brown performs on a Pietro Giovanni Guarneri violin made in 1679. Also on the program are brilliant orchestral concertos by Vivaldi and Handel displaying the formidable talents of several ESO string principals.
Apollo Chorus of Chicago takes center stage in March when it and the ESO join forces in “Verdi’s Requiem,” presenting one of the most dramatic and inspiring sacred pieces ever written. As always, the collaboration of the ESO and Apollo Chorus will once again result in pure musical magic. The season ends in May with “European Romance: Saint-Saëns and Weber,” a grand night of exquisite music and stellar performances. Chicago Symphony Orchestra violinist Baird Dodge and Stanger Young Artist winner Aditi Prakash will thrill you in music by Saint- Saëns and Walton. Hindemith’s brilliant Symphonic Metamorphosis, based on the Turandot Overture that begins the program, will bring the season to a rousing conclusion!
Concert dates are as follows:
Mozart & Beethoven Gems Saturday, October 14, 2017, 7:00 pm
Flute Fantasy with Mary Stolper Sunday, November 12, 2017, 3:00 pm
Vivacious Vivaldi: The Four Seasons Sunday, January 28, 2018, 3:00 pm
Verdi’s Requiem Sunday, March 11, 2018, 3:00 pm
European Romance: Saint Saëns and Weber Saturday, May 5, 2018, 7:00 pm
You can subscribe now for the 57th season of the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra as it performs under the baton of the Music Director and Conductor Stephen Alltop in the state-of-the-art space at Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church. In this season of highly-anticipated musical experiences the Symphony will offer five different concerts; patrons can choose packages of three to five concerts for any dates. Early bird subscriptions ranging in cost from $90 to $130, with savings of as much as 28% compared to single ticket prices, are available through May 31. Those who become ESO members by subscribing will receive a substantial discount from single ticket prices as well as discounts on additional single ticket purchases, free exchange of ticket dates for most concerts, and invitations to subscriber-only events. To become a member or request a season brochure, call 630-941-0202 or visit www.elmhurstsymphony.org.