NW Festival Orchestra to pay tribute to fallen Marine

The Northwest Festival Orchestra will perform a memorial tribute to Marine Lance Cpl. James Stack of Arlington Heights on Sunday during its Gala Autumn Concert.

The performance begins at 3 p.m. in the theater of the Forest View Center, 2121 S. Goebbert Road, Arlington Heights.

The symphonic orchestra has more than 50 members under the baton of Resident Conductor Verne Schwager, and is assisted by piano soloist Victor Ngo from Northwestern University's Graduate School.

Schwager said he spoke about the tribute with the family of Stack, who was killed recently in fighting in Afghanistan, and that an informational flier about the fallen Marine will be available at the concert.

For the tribute, the orchestra will perform “Air on the G String” from Johann Sebastian Bach's Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major. It has the somber quality suitable for the occasion, Schwager said.

The overall program, titled “From Russia With Love,” will showcase selections from Mussorgsky's “Khovantchina,” Tchaikovsky's “Swan Lake” and “Sleeping Beauty” ballets, the Valse and Andante movements of Tchaikovsky's 5th Symphony, and Mozart's 23rd Piano Concerto, K. 488.

Tickets can be purchased at the door ($25 adult/$20 student) or in advance at (847) 392-9003.

The concert is the inaugural event for the orchestra's fourth season and will be followed by a holiday concert at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 22, at Harper College in Palatine.

The orchestra was formed with the goal of bringing classical music at its highest level to the Northwest suburbs at reasonable prices, Schwager said. The ensemble is composed of younger conservatory graduates and college-trained musicians.

Each performance costs about $20,000 and the orchestra depends on corporate and private donations to supplement ticket sales. Contributions, which Schwager said are essential to the orchestra's future, may be sent to 1009 S. Evergreen Ave., Arlington Heights, IL 60005.