147:
In 1996, the Elgin
Symphony Orchestra moved its administrative and box offices from Elgin Community College, the Orchestra’s home for nearly 50 years, to downtown Elgin. In 1997, the Elgin Symphony Orchestra began broadcasting its Classic Series concerts on WFMT 98.7-FM, Chicago’s Fine Arts Station;
115:
The Elgin
Symphony Orchestra is committed to giving back to the community through its Adopt-a-School program that provides supplemental music education and in-school performances to local schools; Musicians Care program that brings live music performances to local hospitals, hospices, and retirement
136:
was appointed the
Orchestra's Associate Conductor in 1974 and Co-Music Director with Hillis in 1983. Hanson became Music Director in 1985, and the Orchestra achieved an artistic and service growth described by the Chicago Tribune as “impressive.” In 1985 the Orchestra became a fully professional
140:
In 2011 Hanson stepped down as Music
Director. Following a two-year search, the Orchestra on June 12, 2013, announced the appointment of Andrew Grams as its next Music Director. Grams, who was named Conductor of the Year by the Illinois Council of Orchestras in 2015, served the Elgin Symphony
137:
ensemble. In 1988, 1999, 2005 and 2016, the Elgin
Symphony Orchestra was named Orchestra of the Year by the Illinois Council of Orchestras. The Orchestra is the first four-time winner of the award recognizing programming excellence, artistic quality and leadership.
104:. Its Music Director is Chad Goodman, former conducting fellow of the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, Florida. The Orchestra's season includes some 40 performances annually (Classics, Pops, Educational Programming, and Holiday performances) at the 1,200-seat
116:
homes; informational
Listener’s Club events and other free programs at public libraries; In Harmony Program in places of worship; Ainsworth Concerts for Youth; and free community concerts throughout the region.
148:
performances are available on WFMT’s cable network in 38 states, and throughout the world on the
Internet. Over the years the Elgin Symphony Orchestra has engaged world-renowned musicians including
587:
543:
353:
592:
322:
On May 20, 2023, the ESO, in collaboration with JCC Chicago and the Gail Borden Public
Library, presented a concert featuring instruments from the
239:
597:
517:
141:
Orchestra until 2021. Following a two-year, international search, Chad
Goodman was named the ESO's fifth Music Director in May 2023.
428:
144:
Isabella Lippi has been the
Orchestra's concertmaster since 2004. Lippi was inducted into the Fox Valley Arts Hall of Fame in 2024.
385:
308:
408:
475:
270:
105:
42:
514:"Adams' On the Transmigration of Souls Featured in Sept. 11 10th Anniversary Presentation by Elgin (IL) Choral Union"
262:
208:, and rising musicians and vocalists such as Randall Goosby, Ryan Speedo Green, Albert Cano Smit, and Thomas Mesa.
513:
316:
602:
133:
62:
433:
261:
The Planets Gala Concert with Leonard Nimoy was one of the symphony's high-profile events. It featured the
125:
304:
300:
357:
295:
In 2011, the Elgin Master Chorale held a performance in collaboration with the ESO, which it named
457:
494:
220:
212:
181:
288:
including the Piano Concerto with soloist Benjamin Pasternack and a suite from Copland's opera
193:
132:
as Music Director, the Orchestra’s artistic growth advanced significantly. Conductor/composer
243:
227:
197:
165:
157:
413:
323:
312:
289:
251:
185:
129:
109:
101:
57:
255:
216:
161:
581:
285:
281:
274:
247:
234:
arena in 2006 which became an annual event for three years bringing in hosts such as
169:
149:
380:
231:
205:
201:
189:
235:
177:
173:
280:
In 2008, the Orchestra released its first commercially recorded album on the
24:
572:
124:
The Elgin Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1950 by Douglas Steensland at
153:
521:
128:. In 1971, with the appointment of Grammy Award-winning conductor
546:(Press release). League of American Orchestras. 6 September 2011
266:
567:
335:
83:
354:"ComEd Brightens Season with Sponsorship of Holiday Festivals"
334:
Information on ESO concerts and events is available at:
100:
is a regional orchestra founded and headquartered in
78:
48:
38:
30:
18:
269:visuals of the cosmos projected over the stage of
112:and various locations in the greater Elgin area.
381:"ESO Holiday Showcase wraps season with harmony"
409:"2 orchestral ensembles announce new seasons"
8:
476:"Chicago-area memorial events for Sept. 11"
429:"Arts and Entertainment Briefs for Nov. 27"
379:Millburger, Barbara J. (December 6, 2007).
15:
573:Biography of Music Director Robert Hanson
512:Ravenscraft, Krista (6 September 2011).
345:
495:"Guest conductors to guide ESO season"
518:American Choral Directors Association
456:von Rhein, John (19 September 2008).
7:
588:Musical groups established in 1950
242:star, Doug LaBrecque. It featured
14:
407:von Rhein, John (July 20, 2006).
211:Notable guest conductors include
493:Gowan, Bill (1 September 2011).
593:1950 establishments in Illinois
309:On the Transmigration of Souls
19:Elgin Symphony Orchestra (ESO)
1:
598:Orchestras based in Illinois
336:http://www.ElginSymphony.Org
246:aerialists and jugglers and
271:The Hemmens Cultural Center
619:
284:label featuring music by
23:
568:Elgin Symphony Orchestra
434:Glen Ellyn Suburban Life
297:A Concert of Remembrance
98:Elgin Symphony Orchestra
544:"September 11 Concerts"
263:Elgin Children's Chorus
226:The symphony began its
126:Elgin Community College
106:Hemmens Cultural Center
301:September 11 attacks
240:Phantom of the Opera
482:. 7 September 2011.
358:Commonwealth Edison
299:, in memory of the
524:on 23 October 2013
458:"Classical Corner"
437:. 27 November 2008
360:. 21 November 2006
221:Ignat Solzhenitsyn
213:Giancarlo Guerrero
182:Rachel Barton Pine
53:Douglas Steensland
356:(Press release).
330:Performing Season
194:Alisa Weilerstein
94:
93:
610:
556:
555:
553:
551:
540:
534:
533:
531:
529:
520:. Archived from
509:
503:
502:
490:
484:
483:
472:
466:
465:
453:
447:
446:
444:
442:
425:
419:
418:
404:
398:
397:
395:
393:
376:
370:
369:
367:
365:
350:
317:A German Requiem
303:. It performed
244:Cirque du Soleil
228:Holiday Showcase
198:Nicola Benedetti
166:Pinchas Zukerman
158:Sir James Galway
90:
87:
85:
16:
618:
617:
613:
612:
611:
609:
608:
607:
603:Elgin, Illinois
578:
577:
564:
559:
549:
547:
542:
541:
537:
527:
525:
511:
510:
506:
492:
491:
487:
480:Chicago Tribune
474:
473:
469:
462:Chicago Tribune
455:
454:
450:
440:
438:
427:
426:
422:
414:Chicago Tribune
406:
405:
401:
391:
389:
378:
377:
373:
363:
361:
352:
351:
347:
343:
332:
324:Violins of Hope
290:The Tender Land
252:Melissa Gregory
186:Kathleen Battle
130:Margaret Hillis
122:
102:Elgin, Illinois
82:
66:
61:
58:Margaret Hillis
56:
12:
11:
5:
616:
614:
606:
605:
600:
595:
590:
580:
579:
576:
575:
570:
563:
562:External links
560:
558:
557:
535:
504:
485:
467:
448:
420:
399:
371:
344:
342:
339:
331:
328:
256:Denis Petukhov
217:Rossen Milanov
162:Itzhak Perlman
121:
118:
92:
91:
86:.elginsymphony
80:
76:
75:
50:
49:Music director
46:
45:
40:
36:
35:
32:
28:
27:
21:
20:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
615:
604:
601:
599:
596:
594:
591:
589:
586:
585:
583:
574:
571:
569:
566:
565:
561:
545:
539:
536:
523:
519:
515:
508:
505:
500:
496:
489:
486:
481:
477:
471:
468:
463:
459:
452:
449:
436:
435:
430:
424:
421:
416:
415:
410:
403:
400:
388:
387:
382:
375:
372:
359:
355:
349:
346:
340:
338:
337:
329:
327:
325:
320:
318:
314:
310:
306:
302:
298:
293:
291:
287:
286:Aaron Copland
283:
278:
276:
275:Leonard Nimoy
272:
268:
264:
259:
257:
253:
249:
245:
241:
237:
233:
229:
224:
222:
218:
214:
209:
207:
203:
199:
195:
191:
187:
183:
179:
175:
171:
170:Janos Starker
167:
163:
159:
155:
151:
150:Benny Goodman
145:
142:
138:
135:
134:Robert Hanson
131:
127:
119:
117:
113:
111:
107:
103:
99:
89:
81:
77:
73:
72:Chad Goodman
69:
64:
63:Robert Hanson
59:
54:
51:
47:
44:
41:
37:
33:
29:
26:
22:
17:
548:. Retrieved
538:
526:. Retrieved
522:the original
507:
499:Daily Herald
498:
488:
479:
470:
461:
451:
439:. Retrieved
432:
423:
412:
402:
390:. Retrieved
386:Daily Herald
384:
374:
362:. Retrieved
348:
333:
326:collection.
321:
296:
294:
279:
260:
250:ice skaters
232:Sears Centre
225:
210:
206:Lynn Harrell
202:Jaime Laredo
190:Jennifer Koh
146:
143:
139:
123:
114:
97:
95:
74:2023-present
71:
68:Andrew Grams
67:
52:
39:Concert hall
236:Jodi Benson
178:Midori Goto
174:Pepe Romero
43:The Hemmens
582:Categories
341:References
305:John Adams
277:narrated.
70:2013-2023
392:March 16,
65:1985-2011
60:1971-1985
55:1950-1971
25:Orchestra
550:16 March
441:16 March
364:16 March
265:and had
154:Yo-Yo Ma
528:23 July
248:Olympic
230:at the
120:History
79:Website
31:Founded
313:Brahms
273:while
219:, and
204:, and
282:Naxos
110:Elgin
552:2018
530:2017
443:2018
394:2018
366:2018
311:and
267:NASA
254:and
238:and
96:The
88:.org
34:1950
108:in
84:www
584::
516:.
497:.
478:.
460:.
431:.
411:.
383:.
319:.
315:'
307:'
292:.
258:.
223:.
215:,
200:,
196:,
192:,
188:,
184:,
180:,
176:,
172:,
168:,
164:,
160:,
156:,
152:,
554:.
532:.
501:.
464:.
445:.
417:.
396:.
368:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.