Go 'Inside the Music' of Elgar's 'Enigma Variations' with ESO March 23
Designed to demystify classical music in a relaxed and informal setting, the Elgin Symphony Orchestra's popular new program "Inside the Music" features Music Director Andrew Grams, who will explore Edward Elgar's "Enigma Variations."
Elgar, who also composed the "Pomp and Circumstance" marches, is one of the most famous English composers of all time. Initiated one year ago, the ESO's "Inside the Music" events were an instant success. Attendees raved: "Please, please, please do more of these - it was fun and educational."
Using musical excerpts performed by the ESO, Andrew Grams will examine and discuss the "Enigma Variations," with each variation representing a friend, family member and even a beloved dog!
The program will begin at 8 p.m. Friday, March 23, at the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way in downtown Elgin.
After intermission, the orchestra will perform the entire work, with the audience experiencing a deeper connection to the piece.
Food and drinks are allowed in the hall and popcorn will be available from Mama Lee's Gourmet Popcorn, mamaleespopcorn.com. The program is sponsored by Gwen Gage and Domani Café,/www.facebook.com/DomaniCafe/. Concert tickets are $30; student tickets are $12. There is a valet or free parking. For more information, visit ElginSymphony.org or (847) 888-4000.
With a combination of intensity, enthusiasm and technical clarity, American conductor Andrew Grams has steadily built a reputation for his dynamic concerts and long-term orchestra building. He is the winner of 2015 Conductor of the Year from the Illinois Council of Orchestras and has led orchestras throughout the U.S., 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. Grams served as assistant conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra from 2004-2007 where he worked under the guidance of Franz Welser-Möst, and has since returned for several engagements.
Grams, now in his fifth ESO season, 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. 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. In 2015-16, 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. This season, Grams is conducting the Chicago College of Performing Arts Chamber Orchestra, Barcelona Symphony Orchestra, Sacramento Philharmonic, the Tulsa, Santa Rosa, Kalamazoo, and Omaha symphony orchestras, and Residentie Orchestra in The Hague, Netherlands.
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 2004-2007 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/.