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Celebrate the 'Golden Age of Cinema & Radio' Sept. 26-Oct. 9

The Elgin Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Music on the Fox and the Gail Borden Public Library will present "A Celebration of Music from the Golden Age of Cinema & Radio" Sept. 26 to Oct. 9, an exploration of the work of composer and conductor Bernard Herrmann, and filmmaker and actor Charlie Chaplin, brilliant contemporaries who left their marks in radio and film.

• The 1955 film,"The Trouble with Harry," directed by Alfred Hitchcock and scored by Bernard Herrmann, will be shown from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 26, in the library's Meadows Community Room, 270 N. Grove Ave. in Elgin.

• On Sunday, Oct. 2, Herrmann biographer Steven C. Smith will lead a guest lecture on the the Oscar-winning composer's career from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the library. He will talk about how his innovative music for the radio series "Crime Classics" foreshadowed his acclaimed film scores for Hitchcock.

• The Chamber Music on the Fox will present an evening of old-time radio dramas, scored by Herrmann, in "Crime Classic," with Radio Players West and the ESO trombone section, at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4, at the Kimball Street Theater, 261 Dundee Ave. in Elgin. Join them in solving true crime stories along with live music and theater. Tickets are $20, $10 for students, with a service fee. For tickets, visit www.chambermusiconthefox.org or call (224) 276-8881.

• Steven Smith will return to the Elgin library from 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5, to discuss the musical score to Charlie Chaplin's silent film, "City Lights," which Chaplin himself composed. The 1931 film, which has received many accolades and awards, will be shown with the ESO performing the score live Oct. 7-9. For tickets to the "City Lights" concerts, visit ElginSymphony.org or call (847) 888-4000.

For more information about "A Celebration of Music," visit gailborden.info/bernardherrmann.

Bernard Herrmann was born in New York City. He studied composition and orchestration at New York University and became a student at the Juilliard School of Music studying under Bernard Wagenaar and Albert Stoessel. In 1933, Herrmann went to work at the Columbia Broadcasting System. He started as a composer, writing music for the Columbia Workshop radio programs and soon after, he became first music adviser and later staff conductor at The American School of the Air, directing symphonic programs. In 1940, Herrmann became Conductor-in-Chief of the Columbia Symphony Orchestra and in this role, he championed new works to American radio audiences. He was introduced to the world of motion picture music by Orson Welles, who gave him his first film music assignment on "Citizen Kane." Hermann wrote the scores for nearly 50 motion pictures, including "Psycho," "North by Northwest," "The Man Who Knew Too Much," "Vertigo," "Citizen Kane," "Cape Fear" and "Taxi Driver." He composed the scores for several fantasy films by Ray Harryhausen, and many TV programs, including Rod Serling's "The Twilight Zone."

Charlie Chaplin was a worldwide icon in the silent movie era with his screen persona of "The Tramp" and he is considered one of the most important figures in the history of the film industry. He lived in poverty in London during his childhood. His father was an alcoholic, his mother had mental issues and Chaplin was sent to a workhouse twice before he reached the age of 9. He dropped out of school to focus on performing in music halls and worked as a stage actor and comedian. He was signed to the prestigious Fred Karno Company and toured America, where he was recruited by a talent scout for the film industry. He soon developed his "Tramp" persona and quickly shot to stardom. He was one of the most well-known celebrities in the world.

One of Elgin's newest arts organizations, Chamber Music on the Fox is a classical chamber music series serving Elgin and the greater Fox Valley region, with a mission to present engaging, enriching, and immersive performances and cultural experiences that enhance and enrich the cultural offerings of the area. Its second season includes performances by many of the finest artists in the Chicago and Fox Valley regions, as well as a collaboration with the Elgin Master Chorale's Chamber Singers. For more, visit chambermusiconthefox.org.

The Gail Borden Public Library has received 20 awards, including the 2009 National Medal for Museum and Library Services and the 2010 Elgin Hispanic Network Organization of the Year. The main library opened in October 2003 and is the third largest public library building in Illinois, after Chicago and Schaumburg. The library serves 144,597 residents in Elgin, South Elgin and portions of Hoffman Estates, Streamwood and Bartlett, has more than one million visitors, and is the largest library district in the state of Illinois for population served. For details, visit gailborden.info.

American film score composer Bernard Herrmann Courtesy of Popperfoto/Getty Images
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