You are here

Music Director & Orchestra Personnel

Lawrence Eckerling

Conductor / Music Director

Music Director Lawrence Eckerling is in his 21st season with the ESO. He continues to be committed to the on-going artistic growth of the Evanston Symphony and its talented musicians. He was named 2014 Illinois Conductor of the Year (Community Orchestras) by the Illinois Council of Orchestras, and he also received this accolade in 2007.

Prior to his tenure with the Evanston Symphony, Eckerling served as Music Director and Conductor of the St. Cloud Symphony Orchestra in Minnesota from 1986 to 2002. Earlier, he served as Assistant Conductor of the Omaha Symphony, and as Music Director and Conductor of the Omaha Area Youth Orchestra.

Born in Chicago, Eckerling grew up in Skokie and began his piano lessons when he was six in the Primary Piano Department at Northwestern University Music School. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education (in both instrumental and choral) at Indiana University, and completed his Masters in Orchestral and Opera Conducting from the same institution.

Eckerling is on the faculty of the Music Institute of Chicago, where he is Conductor of the Community Symphony, and teaches various other classes.

Eckerling is an active pianist, performing as both a chamber musician, and as a pianist/keyboardist in the pop/rock/jazz fields. He regularly can be heard accompanying Evanston Symphony Orchestra guest artists at Musical Insights (the ESO pre-concert lecture series), and can be heard as both conductor and pianist in Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue on the CD “Evanston Symphony Live!”.

Maestro Eckerling makes his home in Glenview, Illinois with his wife, Sharon.

Read more about Lawrence Eckerling at www.eckerlingconductor.com.

Behind the black ties

Behind those black ties and black skirts are your friends and neighbors, your co-workers, your acquaintances. These are people you see in the community, perhaps on a daily basis, who volunteer their time to make beautiful music together as the Evanston Symphony Orchestra performing world-class music right here in Evanston. On five Sunday afternoons a season, they transform themselves from their chosen professions into talented musicians sharing their love of music with you, their audience.

Orchestra Personnel

The musicians listed below are scheduled to play in upcoming concerts. Click on any name to learn more about that musician.

Violin I

Julie Fischer Concertmaster
Jon Bautista Member
Luann Benoit Member
Karen Boyaris Member
Joe Chervin Member
Jennifer Hill Member
Barbara Julis Member
Miku Sekizawa Member
Susan Sevcik Member

Violin II

Cheryl Haack Principal
Kris Barten Member
Liz Bauer Member
Gloria Boyell Member
Pam Brailey Member
Polina Cafaro Member
Beth Hafter Member
Sara Kujawa Member
Nancy Liskar Member
Eric Martin Member
Anne Mctighe Member

Viola

Terese Parisoli Principal
Lexi Barrett Member
Seoyeon Park Member

Cello

Ellen Frolichstein Principal
Gregory Bixler Co-assistant principal
Hannah Vis Co-assistant principal
Mike Curtiss Member
Rhea Davis Member
Jay Foley Member
Dee Hagari Member
Matthew Lucia Member
Andrea Musolf Member
Lee Perlstadt Member

Bass

Marc Temkin Principal
Tom Denman Member
John Jones Member
Dennis Morris Member
Jacob Nagler Member
Alan Trachte Member

Flute

James Donahue Principal

Piccolo

Oboe

Richard Von Holst Principal
Claire Cutting 2nd Chair
Amy Gollins Member

English Horn

Claire Cutting 2nd Chair

Clarinet

Adrian Munive Principal

Bass Clarinet

Natalie Szabo Member

E-flat Clarinet

Bassoon

Phoebe J. Peterson Principal

Contrabassoon

Horns

Erika Hollenback Co-Principal
Laura Stone Co-Principal
Ryan Sedgwick Member
Paul Seeley Member

Saxophone

Trumpet

Donald H. Cagen Principal
Matthew Bain Asst. Principal

Trombone

Jennifer Schmeiser Acting Principal
Roger P. Menning 2nd Chair

Bass Trombone

Tuba

Timpani

Percussion

Brian Kabat Principal
Cleo Goldberg Member
Nick White Member

Piano/Keyboards

Rick Ferguson Member