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Evanston Symphony Orchestra | Evanston Illinois’ Community Orchestra playing classical music concerts at Pick Staiger Hall

  • Our Next Concert
    Imperial London

    Sunday, March 18, 2018, 2:30 p.m.

    Haydn

    Vaughan Williams

    Grainger

    Walton

    Purcell

    Britten

    with Henry Fogel, narrator

    Henry Fogel

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  • ESO is named
    2017 Community Orchestra of the Year

    Illinois Council of Orchestras award announced!

    A panel of judges selected the ESO as best in Illinois

  • ESO’s
    Share The Stage

    Share the Stage lets you sponsor a chair in the Orchestra. It’s our way of recognizing that the ESO Community is made up of Orchestra Members and Supporters.

     

    Donate Now

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2025-2026 SERIES: The POWER of Music

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Musical Insights

Free Pre-Concert Preview Series!

October 17, Friday, at 1:30 pm

Enhance your concert experience with a sneak preview — Composers come alive and their passions take center stage when ESO Maestro Lawrence Eckerling takes you on an insider’s tour of the history and highlights behind the music.

Adrian Munive, ESO Principal Clarinet, will be featured at Musical Insights.

Friday, October 17 at 1:30 pm,
Merion’s Crystal Ballroom at
529 Davis St, Evanston.
FREE and open to the public.
Please RSVP to 847-570-7815.

The Merion
Light refreshments will be served and casual tours of apartments will be available after the program.

Give the gift of music

Treat a friend or relative to the ESO

Give the gift of music by ordering directly from our website and purchasing a custom gift certificate in any denomination of your choice! Certificates may be redeemed for single ticket or season subscriptions for any of our concerts.

You will receive an electronic gift certificate or we can mail the certificate to you or directly to the recipient.

Jen & Pen

Originally hailing from New York, Jen McGeary’s family relocated to Minneapolis and then to Chicago when she was in fourth grade. Her new school was offering the opportunity to try out stringed instruments, and after deeming the violin too squeaky and the cello too complicated, Jen settled on viola. This seemingly arbitrary selection became a passion that lasted all through high school, including time with the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras and private lessons with former ESO Concertmaster Julian Arron and then college.

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The Return of the ESO: Free Lakefront Summer Pops Concert

Orchestra members are eager to begin rehearsals in July for the August 29 concert of light classics, music from Broadway, and movie soundtracks, highlighted by the beloved "Theme from Schindler’s List" performed by ESO Concertmaster Julie Fischer, and concluding with the ever-popular 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky and Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever."

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Charles Taylor Wins the William Grant Still Initiative for Black Conductors

In 2014 Charles Taylor found himself unexpectedly conducting a children’s choir at Millennium Park. The concert was a tribute to Nelson Mandela, who had passed away the year before. The scheduled conductor was unable to make it and Charles suddenly found himself thrust into the limelight. He loved it. Now, 7 years later, he is honored to be the recipient of the prestigious scholarship of the William Grant Still Initiative for Black Conductors. The scholarship has several important goals.

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