Blockbusters from Vienna Highlight Opening of Evanston Symphony Orchestra Season

January 30, 2017, Evanston, IL — The Evanston Symphony Orchestra will open its 71th season — titled Symphonic Blockbusters — at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall in Evanston conducted by Music Director Lawrence Eckerling on Sunday October 30, 2016 at 2:30 PM. The program includes works by the Viennese masters Beethoven, Mozart and Schubert and features the ESO debut of rising star violinist Alexandra Switala.

The major work on the program is Schubert’s “Great” C Major Symphony, generally called his Ninth Symphony. Alexandra Switala will solo in Mozart’s Fifth Violin Concerto “Turkish,” and the program opens with Beethoven’s impassioned Coriolan Overture.

The other three concerts of the Symphonic Blockbusters season are highlighted by the ESO return of the locally trained Chopin Competition bronze medal winner Kate Liu in Chopin’s First Piano Concerto, the ESO debut of Jeffrey Biegel playing Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto, and orchestral showpieces including Berlioz’ Symphony fantastique and John Williams’ Symphonic Suite from Star Wars. The North Shore Choral Society will join the ESO for the blockbuster season finale of Gustav Mahler’s “Resurrection” Symphony

Season subscriptions for the four concerts are available at $98 for adults, $84 for seniors (62 and over), $20 for full-time students and FREE for children 12 and under when accompanied by an adult. Order forms, additional information, and single tickets are available on-line at www.evanstonsymphony.org or by calling 847.864.8804. FREE children’s tickets (12 and under) are only available by calling 847.864.8804.

Founded in 1945, the Evanston Symphony was the Illinois Council of Orchestra’s “Orchestra of the Year” in 2010.  The ESO mission is to provide community members of all ages with convenient, affordable opportunities to perform and hear fine classical music from locally, nationally and internationally renowned artists.