ESO celebrates life of Leonard Bernstein
The Elgin Symphony Orchestra turns its attention to Leonard Bernstein in a big way next weekend.
A true American original as a composer and conductor, the memory of Bernstein (1918-90) is being honored by musical organizations throughout the world in celebration of his 90th birthday year. These "birthday parties" included a monthlong festival, "Leonard Bernstein: The Best of all Possible Worlds," last fall at New York's Carnegie Hall, the site of many of his early conducting triumphs.
For the fifth year of its American Icon Festival, the Elgin Symphony is saluting Bernstein this month, climaxed by next weekend's Classics Series concerts at Hemmens Theatre.
"The 'Discover Bernstein Festival' is part of our ongoing series 'In Search of our American Voice,'" said ESO music director Robert Hanson. "And we could not have a more appropriate American voice than Leonard Bernstein."
The concerts, all at the Hemmens, are at 1:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. May 1, 8 p.m. May 2 and 3:30 p.m. May 3. Related events in area schools and the community have been ongoing for the past month, with several still to come during the main festival weekend May 1-3.
"Leonard Bernstein, as he was to most conductors my age, was my idol when I was growing up," Hanson said. "Of course, we all watched the 'Young People's Concerts' on television. He is certainly the most influential classical musician this country has produced."
Two of Bernstein's most familiar concert works will be featured on next week's programs: the overture to the Broadway operetta "Candide," and the symphonic dances from "West Side Story." Also, ESO concertmaster Isabella Lippi will perform the Serenade for Violin and Strings, which Bernstein wrote for the legendary American violinist Isaac Stern in 1954.
"It's actually a beautiful piece, and in studying it I'm just really amazed at Bernstein's compositional skills," Hanson said of the 27-minute concerto-length work. "It's a very deep and complex work. It's probably, next to the 'Kaddish' Symphony, his toughest orchestral work."
Hanson will also conduct Walter Piston's "Serenata for Orchestra." Piston, one of the key American composers of the mid-20th century, wrote the work as a commission for the Louisville Orchestra. "Piston was Bernstein's composition and theory teacher at Harvard, so we're using that piece as a connection to Leonard's development as a composer," Hanson said.
As part of next weekend's festival celebration, the Hemmens Theatre lobby will feature a comprehensive visual display of artwork by area school students, inspired by the music of Leonard Bernstein.
Other related festival events:
• Nina Bernstein lecture and film: At 4 p.m. Saturday, May 2, at the Gail Borden Public Library, Nina Bernstein, one of Leonard Bernstein's two daughters, will present a lecture and film, "A Total Embrace," exploring Leonard Bernstein's professional and family life. "This documentary is not generally available to the public," Hanson said. "Nina will do a question-and-answer session, and there's a dinner afterward with her for the Robert Hanson Society members."
Registration for "A Total Embrace," is required. Visit gailborden.info for an online registration form. For more information call (847) 742-2411. The Gail Borden Public Library is at 27 North Grove St., Elgin.
• EYSO Bernstein concerts: On Sunday, May 3, the orchestras of the Elgin Youth Symphony will honor Leonard Bernstein in their final program of the EYSO's 33rd season. Performances are at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the Blizzard Theatre in the Elgin Community College Arts Center, 1700 Spartan Drive.
"Bernstein was the conductor who really championed the symphonies of Gustav Mahler at a time when most people didn't know them," said Randal Swiggum, conductor of the Prelude Orchestra and the EYSO. The Prelude Orchestra will play the scherzo from Mahler's Symphony No. 1.
In addition, the Philharmonia, Youth Symphony and Prelude Orchestra will each perform music from "West Side Story," including a new arrangement of "America" with Latin percussion. Also on the program is Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's "Capriccio Espagnol," while 2009 Young Artists concerto winner Sarah Campbell of Naperville will perform Charles Tomlinson Griffes' "Poem for Flute and Orchestra." Sarah is a junior at Neuqua Valley High School.
At the 7 p.m. concert, Susan Thorne will receive the annual EYSO Music Educator of the Year award. The award recognizes Thorne's contributions to music education and support of the EYSO in her 33 years as orchestra director at Kimball Middle School in Elgin before her retirement last year. She is a violinist with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra.
Tickets are $21, $16 for seniors and $12 for students, on sale in advance or at the door. They can be purchased at the ECC box office in the Arts Center, by phone at (847) 622-0300 or online at elgin.edu/arts.