ESO offers fun for music lovers before season opener Sept. 16-17
The Elgin Symphony Orchestra is offering several events for music lovers before the season opening concerts Sept. 16-17.
• The first Listeners Club of the season on Wednesday, Sept. 13, will highlight works by the popular composer Tchaikovsky. Led by the music lecturer, composer, and radio personality Jim Kendros, it will be offered at 10:30 a.m. at Greenfields of Geneva, 0N801 Friendship Way, and 1 p.m. at the Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove Ave. in Elgin. Participants in this group will be invited to ESO events including lunches, potlucks, backstage tours, closed dress rehearsals and more. You never know who will show-up at the Listeners Club - ESO Music Director Andrew Grams, or an ESO musician, guest artist or conductor. Register for the library lecture at elginsymphony.org. There is no need to register for Greenfields, just sign in at the door.
• The Elgin Symphony League's first meeting of the concert season will be held at noon Thursday, Sept 14, at the Evangelical Covenant Church, 1565 Larkin Ave., Elgin. It begins with lunch followed by a presentation by guest speaker Betty Grams, mother of ESO Music Director Andrew Hilary Grams. The luncheon cost is $15. Anyone who is a prospective league member will be a guest at the first meeting. Reservations can be made by calling Jeanne Hebeisen at (847) 741-6264. Established in 1971 to support the Elgin Symphony Orchestra, it has become a prominent ambassador to our community with members contributing thousands of hours of time and talent to promote and support this award-winning orchestra. Membership is open to anyone who loves music. For information, call (847) 888-4000.
• Pianist Dinara Klinton will perform a free, all-ages pop-up concert at 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15, at the Gail Borden Public Library in Elgin. Klinton, who was born in Ukraine, has been playing since she was a little girl. She will perform Tchaikovsky's famous Piano Concerto No. 1 with acclaimed conductor and ESO Music Director Andrew Grams and the Elgin Symphony Orchestra Sept. 16-17 at the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way in Elgin. The concerts will also include his Suite No. 3, an ESO premiere. Tickets are $30-$65. Student tickets are $12. For concert tickets, call (847) 888-4000 or visit Elgin Symphony.org. For more information about the free Sept. 15 Pop-Up Concert, call the library at (847) 742-2411.