The tradition of bringing soloists and vocalists celebrated around the world while showcasing the extraordinary talent of local artists continues as the Elgin Symphony Orchestra enters its 74th season. Tickets are now on sale for the ESO’s entire 2023-24 season line-up, which includes concerts featuring traditional and contemporary composers, and boasts guest artists who have wowed audiences in concert halls and opera houses around the world.
“You will hear music from legendary composers like Beethoven, Mozart and Rachmaninoff, but also hidden gems from voices of the past that did not get the recognition they deserved, like Rodolfo Halffter,” said Chad Goodman, who was named the ESO’s music director in May. “It is essential that we also hear music from composers of today, people who are expressing their experiences of the world we currently live in through music. American composer Jessie Montgomery and Bulgarian-British composer Dobrinka Tabakova are two leading voices whose music will be featured in our upcoming season.”
Goodman will commence his first ESO season with concerts on Saturday, Oct. 7, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 8, at 2:30 p.m., featuring Grammy Award winning soprano Christine Brewer on Strauss’ “Four Last Songs” and including Mozart’s “The Magic Flute Overture” and Rachmaninoff’s “Symphonic Dances.” A pre-concert chat, with Goodman discussing the music and the composers, will take place one hour prior to concert time. The opening concert is one of six concerts in the ESO’s classics line-up, which is also available as a subscription series.
Tickets for the upcoming season can be purchased at www.ElginSymphony.org, or through the ESO Box Office, open Tuesday – Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 20 DuPage Court in Elgin or by phone at (847) 888-4000. Free parking is always available for ESO concerts.
Lidiya Yankovskaya returns as guest conductor in January
Lidiya Yankovskaya, music director of the Chicago Opera Theater, makes a return appearance to the ESO as guest conductor on Jan. 13 and 14, 2024. Yankovskaya will be joined by flutist Brandon Patrick George in a program that includes Bacewicz’s Overture; Ibert’s Flute Concerto; Schubert’s Symphony No. 8, “Unfinished”; and Hindemith’s “Symphonic Metamorphosis”.
The classics concerts, along with the ESO’s much anticipated annual Holiday Spectacular performances that showcase the local talent of the Elgin Master Chorale and Integrity School of Dance and “The Magic of Hollywood” concerts in February 2024, take place at the Hemmens Cultural Center in Elgin.
The “Friday Favorites, Music You Know” series returns this year, with concerts in the fall and the spring at the Blizzard Theatre at Elgin Community College. The “Friday Favorites” concerts, implemented by the ESO last year, makes orchestra music approachable to newcomers with its shorter, recognizable pieces, while providing longtime symphony fans a chance to hear some of their favorite compositions in a more intimate setting. Tickets for “Friday Favorites” performances are available exclusively through the Blizzard Theatre Box Office, www.eccartscenter.org, (847) 622-0300.
Opening Weekend Reception
The ESO will host an opening weekend reception following the Saturday, Oct. 7, concert, at The Heritage Ballroom, 100 Symphony Way. Guests will enjoy heavy appetizers, desserts, an open bar, and the opportunity to meet Goodman. Tickets for the reception are available online at www.ElginSymphony.org or by phone at (847) 888-4000 for $50 in advance. The price at the door will be $60.
For a complete list of the ESO’s 74th season performances, including the ESO’s free community concerts and educational programs, visit www.ElginSymphony.org.
