ESO to perform "Sounds of Shakespeare" March 7-8

Maestro Andrew Grams will be joined by guest pianist Natasha Paremski, in her Elgin Symphony Orchestra debut, to present "Rachmaninoff & Tchaikovsky: Sounds of Shakespeare" on Saturday, March 7 and Sunday, March 8.

Patrons will experience the musical expression of heartfelt sincerity in Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto along with the tempestuous sounds and passionate melodies of Tchaikovsky's Shakespearean based masterpieces.

An audience favorite and graduate of the Julliard School and the Curtis Institute of Music, Grams is one of America's most promising and talented young conductors and has already appeared with many of the great orchestras of the world. Maestro Grams recently announced the 2015-16 season of the ESO, which will feature the music of American composers at each concert.

Paremski began her piano studies at the age of 4 and made her professional debut at age 9 with the El Camino Youth Symphony in California. In recent years, she has been featured in a major two-part film for BBC Television on the life and work of Tchaikovsky, performing excerpts from Tchaikovsky's First Piano Concerto and other works, and has recorded Tchaikovsky's first concerto and Rachmaninoff's Paganini Rhapsody with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Fabien Gabel on the orchestra's label distributed by Naxos.

Patrons can enjoy a drink, time with friends and even shopping in the lobby of the Hemmens Cultural Center. After Saturday night performances, the audience is invited to "Mingle with the Musicians" at the local restaurant, Elgin Public House.

The ESO's "Rachmaninoff & Tchaikovsky: Sounds of Shakespeare" will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 7 and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, March 8, at Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way in Elgin. Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased through the ESO box office by calling (847) 888-4000, or by visiting www.elginsymphony.org.