Acclaimed pianist Orion Weiss opens Elgin Symphony Orchestra’s 76th season Oct. 11-12
Acclaimed pianist Orion Weiss joins the award-winning Elgin Symphony Orchestra to open its 76th season on Oct. 11-12 at the Hemmens Cultural Center in Elgin.
The season opener features George Gershwin’s Concerto in F, Howard Hanson’s Symphony No. 2 (“Romantic”), and Carlos Simon’s bold and energetic “Motherboxx Connection.”
Hailed for his lyrical intensity and dazzling technique, Orion Weiss is one of the most sought-after American pianists of his generation. His deeply expressive performances have led to solo engagements with major orchestras across the country, including the Chicago Symphony, Boston Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and San Francisco Symphony.
A graduate of the Juilliard School, Weiss has been praised by The Washington Post for his “powerful virtuosity and penetrating sensitivity.” He has also received the Classical Recording Foundation’s Young Artist of the Year Award and performed alongside violinists Joshua Bell and Hilary Hahn, cellist Alisa Weilerstein, and the Ariel and Pacifica String Quartets.
The program opens with Motherboxx Connection by Grammy-nominated composer Carlos Simon, known for works that blend gospel, jazz, and contemporary classical influences.
It is followed by Howard Hanson’s richly romantic Symphony No. 2, which was composed for the 50th anniversary of the Boston Symphony. Gershwin’s Concerto in F fuses classical form with jazz energy, brimming with rhythmic drive, memorable melodies, and a distinctly American voice.
Weiss’ performances with the ESO will be at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin. A pre-concert talk by ESO Music Director Chad Goodman will take place one-hour prior to each concert.
Tickets are available at ElginSymphony.org. Tickets start at $20. Continuing its commitment to making performances affordable and accessible to the community, the ESO offers discounted student tickets for $10 for those with a valid student ID, and free youth tickets for children age 17 and under with a paid adult ticket.
For information, call the ESO box office at (847) 888-4000 for more information and to include free youth tickets in your order. The ESO box office is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Elgin Symphony Orchestra was named Professional Orchestra of the Year in 2025 by the Illinois Council of Orchestras, which also awarded Goodman the Professional Conductor of the Year award.
The ESO’s 76th season is made possible through the generous support of donors, including season sponsors Otto and Willow Springs Charitable Trust; Concert Sponsors Illinois Arts Council Agency, The Pepper Family Foundation, John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc., and the S.E. (Stu) Ainsworth Family; contributing sponsors: Elgin Symphony League, The Driskill Foundation, Barrington Area Community Foundation, Florence B. and Cornelia A. Palmer Foundation, Seigle Foundation, and the Francis J. and Patricia A. Houlihan Foundation; and Community Sponsors the City of Elgin, W.R. Meadows, ARK Technologies Inc., and Epic Real Estate Group.