ESO cancels fall season due to COVID-19

The Elgin Symphony Orchestra has canceled its previously announced concerts through December because of ongoing health and safety concerns tied to COVID-19.

“This is difficult news for us as an organization,” said ESO executive director Erik Malmquist in a statement.

The ESO joins other major arts organizations such as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Joffrey Ballet that have already canceled the first halves of their 2020-21 seasons. The ESO faced the prospect of closed concert halls, or reduced capacity performances before audiences of no more than 50.

The ESO's fall season was to have featured Beethoven's 9th Symphony, the pops concert “The Music of Journey & Queen” and an annual Holiday Concert. In addition to its main venue at Elgin's Hemmens Cultural Center, the ESO had planned some performances at Crystal Lake's Raue Center for the Arts and Skokie's North Shore Center for the Performing Arts.

“We hope to use these intervening two months between the cancellation and what was to have been Beethoven 9 to work on safer, smaller-scale events that will keep our audiences engaged and the Elgin Symphony playing in a safe and responsible way,” Malmquist said.

Two announced ESO concerts so far are at Goebbert's Pumpkin Patch and Apple Orchard in Pingree Grove on Friday, Sept. 11, and on Saturday, Sept. 12, at the Haight in Elgin. In-person and online streaming tickets to these concerts go on sale soon.

For more information on ticket refunds or donations, call (847) 888-4000 or visit elginsymphony.org.