ESO musicians and music director Andrew Grams on violin perform on 'Live from WFMT' May 14
On Monday, May 14, the Elgin Symphony Orchestra's Music Director Andrew Grams, an accomplished violinist, will perform with ESO musicians Isabella Lippi, concertmaster; principal viola Amanda Grimm; principal cello Matthew Agnew; Ben Wedge, violin and Sara Sitzer, cello, at 8 p.m. on "Live from WFMT," hosted by Kerry Frumkin.
The ensemble will play Beethoven's String Quartet No. 7 and Brahms' String Sextet No. 1. The ESO is encouraging supporters to host Listening Parties, to help spread the word about the award-winning orchestra. The ESO is in the midst of an aggressive fundraising campaign for the 2018-19 Season and to create a foundation. To donate or learn more about the ESO, visit ElginSymphony.org.
"Live from WFMT," the station's full-length recital series, presents weekly music and conversation from October through June. The program draws on the rich community of Chicago-based musicians as well as a roster of international artists who are visiting the city. Each two-hour program is performed live in WFMT's state-of-the-art Fay and Daniel Levin Performance Studio.
Peabody Award winner Kerry Frumkin not only ranks among classical radio's most distinguished hosts, he has a most desired guest list. Kerry is a regular host of live concert broadcasts including Live from WFMT, concerts from the Ravinia Festival, and WFMT's premiere visiting artist series, Impromptu. WFMT is a premier public media organization committed to creating and presenting unique radio and digital media content. WFMT is dedicated to bringing Chicago and the world together and invites the audience to explore classical and fine arts music. To learn more, see WFMT.com.
With a unique combination of intensity, enthusiasm and technical clarity, American conductor Andrew Grams has steadily built a reputation for his dynamic concerts and long-term orchestra building. He is the winner of 2015 Conductor of the Year from the Illinois Council of Orchestras and has led orchestras throughout the United States including The Philadelphia Orchestra, Chicago Symphony, Detroit Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, The Dallas Symphony, and the Houston Symphony. Grams served as Assistant Conductor of The Cleveland Orchestra from 2004-2007 where he worked under the guidance of Franz Welser-Möst, and has since returned for several engagements. Andrew Grams, now in his 5th ESO season, became music director of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra after an international search. His powerful conducting and easy accessibility have made him a favorite of Elgin Symphony audiences. He has extended his contract with the ESO through 2021. Born in Severn, Maryland, Grams began studying the violin when he was 8 years old. In 1999 he received a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from The Juilliard School, and in 2003 he received a conducting degree from the Curtis Institute of Music where he studied with Otto-Werner Mueller. As an accomplished violinist, Grams was a member of the New York City Ballet Orchestra from 1998-2004. Additionally, he has performed with ensembles including the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke's, Brooklyn Philharmonic, and the New Jersey Symphony.
Now at the end of its 67th season, the ESO offers programming unmatched for an entertaining, informative and relaxing cultural experience. The ESO has won Illinois Professional Orchestra of the Year an unprecedented four times - in 1988, 1999, 2005 and 2016 - and works to create an enjoyable entertainment experience that goes beyond the magnificent music performed by some of the best musicians in the region.