Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra and Apollo Chorus celebrate Bruckner March 9-10
The Elmhurst Symphony Association, in partnership with the Apollo Chorus of Chicago, will present “Majestic Bruckner” on March 9-10.
2024 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Austrian composer Anton Bruckner. A remarkably humble composer (a leading music critic at the time called him “half genius, half simpleton”), he is best known for his symphonies and sacred music.
Bruckner’s music, however, is anything but humble. His works are often punctuated with expansive, organ-like walls of sound. The scene from “Back to the Future” when Marty McFly blasts himself backward through a wall comes to mind.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, also an Austrian composer, arrived in the city of Linz and found himself in something of a pickle: A local count, Count Thun, unexpectedly insisted the young composer give a concert while in town. Mozart, unprepared but unfazed, composed a new symphony (nicknamed “Linz”) in just four days for the occasion.
The concert will feature soprano Michelle Areyzaga, mezzo-soprano Tetyana Vakhnovska, tenor Martin Luther Clark, and bass-baritone Bill McMurray.
The program will include Anton Bruckner “Psalm 150” and “Te Deum.” On Saturday, they will perform Bruckner “Motets” and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Symphony No. 36 (“Linz”) on Sunday only.
The concerts will be at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 9, at Glenview Community Church, 1000 Elm St. in Glenview, and 4 p.m. Sunday, March 10, at Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church, 149 W. Brush Hill Road, Elmhurst.
The Apollo Chorus of Chicago, Chicago's oldest musical organization, founded in 1872, is made up of approximately 120 auditioned singers.
Audiences are invited to attend a pre-concert lecture by Assistant Conductor Eli Chen beginning at 2:45 p.m. on Sunday only.
Tickets are $35-$45, $32-$42 for seniors, or $12-$17 for students.
Tickets may be ordered online, by phone, or at the box office the day of the event. Senior and student ticket prices are available.
To purchase tickets for the Saturday concert, visit ApolloChorus.org.
To purchase tickets for the Sunday concert, visit ElmhurstSymphony.org or call the Elmhurst Symphony Association office at (630) 941-0202, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.