Chicago Sinfonietta makes Naperville its new suburban home

Chicago Sinfonietta Music Director Mei-Ann Chen's name means beautiful tranquillity, however, she promises that's not what Naperville audiences are going to see this weekend.

"I guess my parents didn't quite know me when they named me, because I have lots of energy," said Chen, who grew up in Taiwan. "My conducting style is quite dramatic."

The sinfonietta debuts at North Central College's Wentz Hall on Saturday night in a performance that marks two notable beginnings: the first of four concerts planned in the sinfonietta's new West suburban home and the start of Chen's tenure at the helm of the Chicago Sinfonietta's concert series.

Founded in 1987 by Maestro Paul Freeman, the sinfonietta has committed itself to creating innovative and world-class music by removing barriers between minorities and classical music through education and inclusion.

"Our approach to classical is a little bit on the innovative side," said Don Macica, the sinfonietta's director of communications. "What you'll typically find is a combination of classical works that you might ordinarily recognize - Beethoven, Brahms and so on. Every one of our programs will include contemporary works and occasional world premieres. Quite often we'll cross over into different genres of work that provides a fresher approach."

Saturday's concert begins at 8 p.m. and includes four pieces. The first is written by Chinese composer An-Lun Huang. It uses Chinese melodies and sounds, but it's played by Western instruments.

William Grant Still wrote the second piece, "Ennanga," for harp, piano and orchestra.

The third piece is the Chicago premiere of the harp concerto "On Willows and Birches" by John Williams, the composer behind the musical scores of hit movies like "E.T.," "Superman" and "Indiana Jones." The piece was written in honor of black harpist Ann Hobson Pilot, who will perform at the concert.

The program concludes with Beethoven's Symphony 5.

"It's a mixture of new and old pieces from throughout the world, and that's fairly typical of what we like to do with every concert," Macica said.

The Chicago Sinfonietta also performs downtown at the Symphony Center, and moved this year to Wentz Concert Hall after using Dominican University in River Forest as its suburban location since its inception in 1987.

The sinfonietta first performed in Wentz Concert Hall after being invited to appear at a tribute to the Rev. Martin Luther King a couple of years ago, and it was love at first sound, Macica said.

The Naperville community's focus on bringing culture within the city rather than traveling to Chicago was another attraction to making the location switch.

The sinfonietta recently performed at the Riverwalk Fine Art Fair and has done several chamber pieces throughout the Naperville community.

In making Wentz Concert Hall its suburban home, the sinfonietta will share the same locale as the DuPage Symphony Orchestra.

"The DuPage Symphony is a wonderful orchestra and we're very happy to share the same stage," Macica said. "I think that we will complement what the DuPage Symphony does. They make wonderful, wonderful music, and we certainly don't want to compete with them. We want to provide another window into classical music. I think people are going to find both of our concerts are something they'll want to attend."

Sinfonietta tickets cost between $35 and $45. Wentz Concert Hall is at 171 E. Chicago Ave. For information, call (630) 637-7469 or visit boxoffice@noctrl.edu or chicagosinfonietta.org.

"I encourage the Naperville community to come and let us touch their lives by the music we're making on stage," Chen said.

If you go

What: Chicago Sinfonietta's Concert I

When: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24

Where: Wentz Concert Hall, 171 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville

Cost: $35 to $45

Info: (630) 637-7469 or boxoffice@noctrl.edu