Two concerts culminate youth symphony season
On Sunday the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra will perform its final two concerts of the season. Both concerts will provide audience members with a truly unique and once-in-a-lifetime experience.
At 4 p.m., the EYSO's newest ensemble, Primo, will make its stage debut when it joins the Prelude Orchestra in performing two movements from "Serenade of Strings" by Leyden.
The Philharmonia will feature Benny Manibog as the soloist for one movement of the Haydn G Major Violin Concerto. He is the Philharmonia 2008 Young Artists Concerto winner from West Chicago, and this season has served as the concertmaster of Philharmonia.
EYSO Philharmonia will culminate its season Sunday with a complete performance of Hanson's Symphony No. 2, "Romantic." This is the first time that this ensemble has performed an entire symphony.
"We have taken an amazing year-long journey exploring this remarkable piece, and can't wait to share it with our audience," said David Anderson, Philharmonia conductor."
The 7 p.m. concert , "Transform," features the Brass Choir playing the "Symphony for Brass" by Ewazen. Youth Symphony member Josh Cote of Winnebago will perform a movement of the Strauss Horn Concerto as soloist. Josh, a senior at the Illinois Math and Science Academy in Aurora, is the 2008 Youth Symphony Young Artists Concerto winner.
The Brass Choir and Youth Symphony will be joined by local Chicago rock band Nyco. Several world premiere pieces arranged for brass choir and full orchestra will be performed.
Composers from all over the country including Robert Hanson, music director of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra, have helped with this project.
"As composers from earlier eras have done, we composers of the late 20th and early 21st centuries have not, in general, been effectively able to integrate our popular music into orchestral compositions," said Robert Hanson.
"This unique collaboration between the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra and the rock group Nyco is an interesting experiment in attempting to make rock music relevant in a symphonic setting," Hanson said. "Bravo to Randal Swiggum and Ted Atkatz for bringing two wonderful performing ensembles together."
Randal Swiggum also is very excited about this collaboration. With so many talented musicians in the Nyco band, it's no wonder that everyone involved is looking forward to the "Transform" concert.
"There are not many alternative rock bands -- even great ones -- that are led by musicians with the background and pedigree of Ted Atkatz. This band is hot!, enthused Randal Swiggum, Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra music director. "The Youth Symphony has loved collaborating with Nyco to expand their awesome tunes into full orchestral charts, and we've gotten some of the best composers/arrangers in the business -- like Robert Hanson and Cliff Colnot -- to create these really stunning arrangements. This music is really, really good."
In addition to the music that will be performed, EYSO will award numerous students a variety of honors throughout the day. Summer music scholarships in honor of Robert Hanson, the first conductor of the EYSO, and in memory of Robert Durnbaugh, great champion of the arts in Elgin, will be presented to the winning EYSO members.
Following the 7 p.m. concert, 20 graduating seniors who have been in the EYSO for four years or more will receive service medallions.
The Youth Symphony will then perform its traditional season-ending piece, "Turtle Dove," by Cassler. The piece has words that describe what it means to leave, but be remembered.
Tickets for the concerts are $19, $12 seniors and $10 students. Tickets can be purchased at the ECC box office in the Arts Center, by phone (847) 622-0300, or online at www.elgin.edu/arts. Box office hours are noon to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday: noon to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets may also be purchased the day of the event. Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express and cash are accepted for payment.