Evanston Symphony Orchestra

The vocal virtuosity of local favorite Michelle Areyzaga and of the North Shore Choral Society will assist in the ESO’s celebration of the 100th birthday of Leonard Bernstein, America’s greatest musical genius. A short overture by John Williams based on Bernstein melodies completes the tribute. The concert concludes with the great choral blockbuster, Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, which combines haunting Medieval and Renaissance melodies with a large percussion laden orchestra.

Evanston resident Tage Larsen has been a member of the vaunted brass section of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for over 15 years and he will share his virtuosity in the most popular of trumpet concertos, that of Franz Joseph Haydn. Grieg’s Holberg Suite for strings is based on Norwegian themes, while the short Gordon Jacob piece humorously uses melodies from Rossini’s opera of the same name. The program opens with one of Verdi’s greatest overtures, while the Pines of Rome provides the ultimate in Italian symphonic excitement.

Adam Neiman, a faculty member at Roosevelt University, headlines our Virtuoso Piano concert with one of the great Romantic concertos, that by Robert Schumann. This all-German Romantic program opens with one of Mendelssohn’s most exciting overtures and concludes with Brahms’ towering First Symphony, his tribute to the symphonies of Beethoven, in particular the C Minor Fifth Symphony.

Program

Go To Videos

Our 73rd season featuring great virtuosos, all Chicago area residents, begins with the talents of John Bruce Yeh, the longest serving clarinet player in the history of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He will perform the clarinet solo in a piece composed for him by Lake Forest resident James Stephenson. The concert opens with orchestral dances from the first great Czech opera, by the “father” of Czech music, and closes with the most popular of all Czech compositions, Dvořák’s “New World” Symphony.

Make sure your holiday season starts with the best holiday event in Evanston!

Don’t miss enjoying these favorite Yule festivities with your family and friends … and you can take advantage of our special rates for a package of 2 adult tickets and 3 children’s tickets.