ESO presents 'French Connection' concerts
This weekend, Elgin Symphony Orchestra concertmaster and violinist Isabella Lippi takes the stage under the direction of ESO music director Andrew Grams for the "French Connection" concerts at the Hemmens Cultural Center in Elgin.
Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22.
The show will open with a performance of "La Marseillaise," the French national anthem.
The concert will feature a piece by an American composer, John Adams. Grams has programmed an American piece on every concert program for the 2015-16 season. Adams' Tromba Lontana (distant trumpet) was written as a fanfare.
Also on the concert are two French pieces, Chausson's Poème and Berlioz's Reverie et Caprice. For both of these pieces, Lippi performs as soloist.
"I first performed these pieces with the Charleston Symphony, where I was concertmaster," Lippi said. "Chausson's Poème is a piece that speaks to me and I enjoy playing it very much."
Lippi began as the ESO's concertmaster in 2004. She has performed as soloist many times with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra.
There is a difference in how she prepares for a concert when she is a soloist vs. concertmaster.
"When I prepare a solo I usually start preparing sooner than I would when playing concertmaster," Lippi said. "I need to memorize the pieces, so that is different. I also have a lot more freedom with the interpretation of the piece when playing a solo. That requires more time as well. The technical aspects are usually more challenging and they require many hours of practice."
Lippi, who began performing in public at the age of 10 when she made her debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, said she feels "very lucky and grateful that Andrew (Grams) has signed on (as music director) with us until 2021."
"I love the energy that Andrew has," Lippi said. "He is a great leader and inspires the orchestra to play their best. But the most extraordinary thing about Andrew is that he gets it. Sometimes we will show up at the first rehearsal and play through the music but don't know what we are trying say (musically). He knows how to zero in on the most important aspects to make the music come alive and suddenly make sense."
Grams explained why he chose the specific pieces for this weekend's concerts.
"Most of the music during our concert seasons are based on a story or some defined inspiration," Grams said. "For instance, the last program - 'Musical Chills and Thrills' - comprised pieces that were written to tell a specific story.
"For this weekend's concerts, 'French Connection with Isabella Lippi,' it is exactly the opposite. The music on the 'French Connection' concert revolves around mood. What you hear and how you hear it will depend on your current mood, your recent mood and the way the orchestra performs it live onstage that particular day.
"Essentially, you can create your own story. The music will engage multiple parts of the brain as each piece you hear changes in mood."
Grams also said he chose the Berlioz piece because it was one of his favorite CDs when he was growing up.
The Sibelius Symphony No. 2, also on this weekend's program, is a four movement piece with a "grandiose" finish. Sibelius said of one part in the music, "the inspiration in my music is the smell of Finnish snow." What does snow smell like? It depends on the person.
"I have such fond memories of the Sibelius Symphony No. 2, particularly the last movement," Grams said. "I played it in my first year playing in the All-State orchestra. I think I was in the seventh or eighth grade - ah, memories. The Sibelius Symphony, if you surrender to the music, will sweep you away on a grandiose wave that I am sure will leave your heart pounding."
To learn more about this weekend's program, check out the "Musically Speaking Preconcert Chats," where Andrew Grams will speak about all of the pieces. This preconcert event will be at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, and 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22. After Saturday night performances, the audience is invited to "Mingle with the Musicians" at the local restaurant, Elgin Public House.
Tickets start at $30 and can be purchased through the ESO box office, (847) 888-4000, or by visiting www.elginsymphony.org.
If you go
What: Elgin Symphony Orchestra's "French Connection with Isabella Lippi" concerts
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22
Where: The Hemmens, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin
Tickets: $30-$65
Details: (847) 888-4000 or <a href="http://www.elginsymphony.org">www.elginsymphony.org</a>