Take a trip inside the music with ESO, Andrew Grams and discover Stravinsky's 'Petrushka' Nov. 4
Do you love music? Looking for a new experience? Spend an informal evening with Music Director Andrew Grams and the Elgin Symphony Orchestra exploring how the musical notes on a page combine to create a masterpiece of sound at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4, at the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way in Elgin.
Complimentary appetizers will be served starting at 7 p.m., sponsored by Lagunitas Brewing Company, Dog's Paw Brewing, Bennigan's, Chooch's Pizzeria, and Domani Café.
Then take a musical tour with your guide Andrew Grams and discover the delightful "Petrushka," Igor Stravinsky's 1947 ballet about three puppets, brought to life by a magician, who experience the very human emotions of love, passion and jealousy. Perfect for classical music beginners and connoisseurs alike, these casual and relaxed presentations use musical excerpts performed by ESO musicians, combined with visuals, to embark on an in-depth journey into classical masterworks.
After intermission, the ESO will play the entire piece with the audience having gained newfound insight into what makes the work so special.
Tickets are $30 or $12 for students with valid ID. Seating is limited; visit elginsymphony.org or call (847) 888-4000. For $15, students can enjoy pizza from Chooch's Pizzeria starting at 6:30 p.m.
Andrew Grams became music director of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra after an international search. His charismatic conducting and easy accessibility have made him a favorite of Elgin Symphony audiences. He has extended his contract with the ESO through 2021. With a unique combination of intensity, enthusiasm and technical clarity, Grams has steadily built a reputation for his dynamic concerts and long-term orchestra building. He has led orchestras throughout the United States including The Philadelphia Orchestra, Chicago Symphony, Detroit Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Symphony, and the Houston Symphony. A frequent traveler, Grams has worked extensively with orchestras abroad, including the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre National de France, Orchester der Beethovenhalle Bonn, BBC Symphony Orchestra London, Sydney Symphony, Melbourne and Adelaide Symphony Orchestras, and New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Last season, Grams led a Gershwin festival with the Orquestra Simfoica de Barcelona before returning to Australia to work with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and Western Australia Symphony Orchestra.
Born in Severn, Maryland, Grams began studying the violin when he was 8 years old. In 1999, he received a bachelor of music in violin performance from The Juilliard School, and in 2003 he received a conducting degree from the Curtis Institute of Music where he studied with Otto-Werner Mueller. He was selected to spend the summer of 2003 studying with David Zinman, Murry Sidlin and Michael Stern at the American Academy of Conducting at Aspen and returned to that program again in 2004. Grams served as assistant conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra from 2004-07 where he worked under the guidance of Franz Welser-Möst, and has since returned for several engagements.
As an accomplished violinist, Grams was a member of the New York City Ballet Orchestra from 1998-2004, serving as acting associate principal second violin in 2002 and 2004. Additionally, he has performed with ensembles including the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke's, Brooklyn Philharmonic, and the New Jersey Symphony. To learn more about Andrew Grams, visit andrewgrams.com and www.instagram.com/andrewhgrams/.
Now in its 66th season, the ESO offers programming unmatched for an entertaining, informative and relaxing cultural experience. The ESO has won Illinois Professional Orchestra of the Year an unprecedented four times - in 1988, 1999, 2005 and 2016. The ESO works to create an enjoyable entertainment experience that goes beyond the magnificent music performed by some of the best musicians in the region. There is accessible, free parking around the Hemmens Cultural Center and valet service available.
Area student musicians often perform in the lobby before concerts and patrons can purchase gifts at the Elgin Symphony League Boutique. Preconcert chats are given by Andrew Grams, guest artists and others one hour before most performances and Saturday night patrons are invited after concerts to Mingle with the Musicians at the Elgin Public House. In addition, free Listeners Club lecture/discussions presented by music historian Jim Kendros are offered before ESO concert weekends on Wednesdays at 1 p.m. at the Gail Borden Public Library. Flex passes are available for purchase so that you can choose your concerts at a later date based on your own schedule. And if a patron can't make a concert, the ESO offers free exchanges to subscribers and to single ticket buyers for a $5 fee.
The ESO is a world-class orchestra providing quality musical explorations that are entertaining, hassle-free and conveniently located close to home in the western suburbs. For more information, see elginsymphony.org.