Elgin Symphony Orchestra

The Elgin Symphony Orchestra, four-time winner of Orchestra of the Year!

ESO

Meet the Musician: Jean Bishop, Principal Flute

by

Jean Bishop, ESO Principal Flute

Jean Bishop, Principal Flute

When did you begin to play your instrument?

I was 14 – a freshman in high school. I was transferred out of an overcrowded art class and into the beginning band class about a week into my freshman year. Growing up in Chicago, there was at that time no elementary (K-8) music education – occasionally an outside teacher would come in to teach us songs and the like, so high school was my first exposure to instruments and band. The only instrument the band director had left when I arrived in class was a French horn. I tried valiantly, but that instrument made no sense to me! (Horn players everywhere will feel my pain.) The band director wanted to move me into concert band, but I wouldn’t do it unless he gave me a flute, which he did. So here we are, lol.

Where did you study your main instrument; with whom?

I went to Chicago Musical College of Roosevelt University, and studied with Ralph Johnson, Mardele Combs Marcellus and Jean Berkenstock. I thought about doing a masters degree and even auditioned at a couple of schools, but then decided against it. It was a different era – these days I would advise anyone and everyone with a BM to continue on and get a MM.

When did you join ESO?

Oooo, a really long time ago!

What other orchestras have you played with/do you play with now?

I am a member of Rockford Symphony Orchestra, and have played as a substitute/extra with just about every orchestra in the area. I’ve done performances with the Grant Park Symphony, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Lake Forest Symphony, Chicago Opera Theatre, South Bend Symphony, Illinois Philharmonic, Northwest Indiana Symphony and Wisconsin Philharmonic, to name a few.

Your most memorable ESO performance

So many! I think I would have to choose a concert with a large orchestra playing a really exciting piece, like Beethoven 9, The Planets, or Rite of Spring. Also, any of  Andrew Grams’ Mahler performances stick in my mind. Another one that I remember well was in January 2016, when we performed Copland’s “Appalachian Spring” and Shostakovich Symphony No. 11.

What are some of your interests, and how are you passing the time?

I like to read – right now I’m making my way through all the Harry Potter books (for about the tenth time), and I’m doing a few home projects that I’ve never had time for. And experimenting with the Acapella app. I like to bake, but mostly do so at holiday time. Cookies and pie are my specialty. It’s rhubarb season, so I think rhubarb pie will be my next baking project.

Meet the Musician: Tim Shaffer, Principal Double Bass

by

Tim Shaffer, Principal Double Bass

When did you begin to play your instrument?

In January of 1970 (50 years ago!), in the middle of fifth grade at my public school in Columbus, Nebraska, I decided on a whim to start playing bass.

Do you play any other instruments?

I play some piano, just enough to accompany my beginning and intermediate students.

Where did you study your main instrument; with whom?

I earned my Bachelor of Music degree in Performance from Indiana University, studying with Professors Murray Grodner and Barry Green. My first teacher in high school was Karel Netolicka, the Assistant Principal Bass of the Milwaukee Symphony at the time.

When did you join ESO?

Fall, 1996

What other orchestras have you played with/do you play with now?

My first full time job out of music school was with the New Orleans Symphony. My next position was in Germany as Principal Bass of the Westphalian Symphony in Recklinghausen, a small city about the size of Elgin in northwestern Germany. Since relocating to the Chicago area and joining the ESO, I have also enjoyed a wonderful summer job performing with the Grant Park Orchestra in Chicago. For many years I have appeared as an extra and substitute musician with the Lyric Opera Orchestra of Chicago, and I also freelance with various groups in the Chicago area throughout the year.

Your most memorable ESO performance

We played Elgar’s Enigma Variations with Andrew Grams a few months after my wife Lynn died of cancer. It was her favorite piece. The performance was wonderful and very moving for everyone—especially for me. I cried a bit during the “Nimrod” variation but managed to keep playing. Lynn loved the ESO and was understandably proud of our Bass section. She would have been thrilled with that performance.

Additional interesting information

We are living through strange and historic times, but I am grateful that my music career also brought me up close to an historic moment in Germany over 30 years ago. In November of 1989, just a few months after Lynn and I were married and started a new life and symphony job in Recklinghausen, West Germany, the Berlin Wall fell. Overnight, East Germans began streaming into the West, showing up at the doors of family members from whom they’d been separated for decades; or at any address of a West German that they happened to possess. The morning after the border opened we observed an East German car parked right in front of our apartment house! None of us had ever dreamed that the Wall and the kill zone dividing East and West would come down in our lifetimes. It was a stunning and insanely euphoric event. The emotional release we witnessed in the German people after 28 years of cruel separation was deeply touching. I have never seen so many grown men cry! Naturally, music played a huge part in the emotional celebration exploding all over the country. One of the most memorable concerts given during that extraordinary time featured Leonard Bernstein conducting Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in front of the Berlin Wall at the Brandenburg Gate.

In 2019, thirty years later, I was able to visit Berlin and witness the transformation that has occurred in that once divided city. I could not have imagined in 1989 that Berlin would grow into the brash and vibrant capital city it has now become. It gives me hope that something good may come out of the trying times we are currently experiencing in this country!

  • Berlin’s iconic Oberbaum bridge
    Berlin’s iconic Oberbaum bridge over the River Spree, an East-West border checkpoint during the Cold War.
  • The Bernauerstrasse section of the Berlin Wall, preserved as a memorial.
    The Bernauerstrasse section of the Berlin Wall, preserved as a memorial.
  • The ESO bass section, 2019-2020 season.
    The ESO bass section, 2019-2020 season. Pictured L to R: John Floeter, Jason Niehoff, Gregory Heintz, Susan Sullivan, Jeremy Attanaseo, Tim Shaffer

ESO Debuts Free Summer Events

by

ESO Listeners Club and Mingle in Place with Andrew Grams

The Elgin Symphony Orchestra is excited to announce our new Summer lineup of Listeners Club and Mingle in Place with Andrew Grams events. These will hosted LIVE on our Facebook page.

Below is the full listing – feel free to RSVP to the events for any notifications. Don’t forget to invite your friends!

Listeners Club: Beer & Beethoven 9

Monday, May 25th, 2020 7:00 PM
For our first virtual Listeners Club, join ESO pre-concert lecturer Jim Kendros for an exploration of Beethoven’s monumental 9th Symphony, which will open the 20/21 season!

Enhance your experience and support local business: Elgin Public House will supply ESO patrons with a four pack of local beers and some special virtual tasting notes for only $12.00.
Supplies are limited. Sign up by emailing e.malmquist@elginsymphony.org

The Beethoven 9 concert celebrates the ESO’s Opening Weekend for the 2020/2021 Season on September 12th and 13th.

Mingle In Place: Drinks with Andrew / ESO Freshmen

Thursday, May 28th, 2020 7:00 PM

Join Maestro Andrew Grams as he sits down with the three newest members of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra, violist Rebecca Swan, bassist Greg Heinz and principal oboe Erik Andrusiak. From auditioning for an orchestra, to maintaining good relationships with your stand partner, to non-musical hobbies, no topic is off limits.

Listeners Club: West Side Story

Monday, June 1st, 2020 7:00 PM

Jim Kendros returns for a discussion of Leonard Bernstein’s timeless musical West Side Story and how the composer adapted the best-loved melodies into a suite that you will hear on our October Classics program, An American in Paris.

Mingle In Place: Drinks with Andrew / Low Brass

Thursday, June 4th, 2020 7:00 PM

“Drinks with Andrew” take two! This time, the maestro is joined by the low brass section of Reed Capshaw, Adam Moen, Mark Fry and Charlie Schuchat.

Listeners Club: Movie Night!

Monday, June 8th, 2020 7:00 PM

The music of John Williams has become synonymous with big budget blockbusters: Harry Potter, Star Wars, Jaws, Indiana Jones and so many more. But how did he find a compositional style that worked so perfectly with the big screen? Jim Kendros explores this question and gives you a great preview of the music to be heard on ESO’s first pops concert of the 20/21 season!

Enhance your experience and support local business: Receive a four pack of popcorn from Mama Lee’s Popcorn in downtown Elgin — the perfect edible companion to a night at the movies! Only $22.00. Supplies are limited. Sign up by emailing e.malmquist@elginsymphony.org

From Hedwig to Han Solo: The Music of John WIlliams debuts the weekend of November 19, 2020.

Mingle In Place: Drinks with Andrew / String Principals

Thursday, June 11th, 2020 7:00 PM

The five string principals, Isabella Lippi, Daniella Folker, Amanda Grimm, Matt Agnew and Tim Schaffer collectively shape the string sound of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra. Hear what these key musicians have to say when the stage lights off and with a drink in their hand, as they share a fun evening with their conductor!

Listeners Club: White Russians & Tchaikovsky 6

Monday, June 15th, 2020 7:00 PM

So much mystery surrounds Tchaikovsky’s final symphony. He died just days after it’s premier and the cause of his death remains hotly debated. What is without question is this great symphony’s place in the repertoire. Hear Jim Kendros delve into these mysteries and share the beauty of Tchaikovsky’s final work.

Enhance your experience and support local business: Elgin Public House will supply cocktail kits to make a White Russian! Only $9.00 per cocktail mix. Supplies are limited. Sign up by emailing e.malmquist@elginsymphony.org

All Tchaikovsky debuts the weekend of November 7, 2020.

Mingle In Place: Drinks with Andrew & Flutes!

Thursday, June 18th, 2020 7:00 PM

They are the kings and queens of the woodwind section; their sound sits atop the orchestral texture, their solos are legendary. Maestro Andrew Grams takes the pressure off of the demanding job of “ESO Flute Player,” pours a drink and has a wide-ranging conversation with three of his four favorite flutists.

Elgin Symphony Orchestra Names Erik Malmquist as Executive Director

by

Erik Malmquist

The Elgin Symphony Orchestra has named Erik Malmquist to the post of Executive Director effective May 15th. Erik has been the ESO’s Director of Artistic Planning and Operations since January 2020. Prior to joining the ESO, he spent six years as Artist Manager and Director of Operations at Zemsky Green Artists Management in New York City, managing a roster of some of today’s most prominent operatic talents, and general manager of Bach Vespers at Holy Trinity on New York’s Upper West Side.

“As a native of the Fox Valley, the Elgin Symphony Orchestra was a larger than life presence in my musical upbringing. I am both excited and humbled to return and be a part of its future.” Erik began his musical studies at the age of three with Lamar Blum in Elgin.  He received his bachelor’s degree in music from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa and his master’s degree in violin performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Says board chairman Andre Fiebig, “After recently celebrating our 70th Anniversary, the ESO is excited to be entering into a new era with an energized team of leaders.  The appointment of Erik as Executive Director will ensure the continued success of this cultural institution in Elgin and the surrounding communities.  We are fortunate that Erik has agreed to assume the leadership.”

Filed Under: ESO

ESO Announces Artistic Director of Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra as Education Conductor

by

Matthew Sheppard

The ESO is now in the final stages of confirming Matthew Sheppard to be its next Education Conductor. Since taking over as artistic director of the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra (EYSO), Sheppard has consistently demonstrated not only great music and pedagogical talent, but also an enthusiasm for music education that is infectious. In his new role, we will be able to harness that enthusiasm to enhance the offerings of the Ainsworth Concerts for Youth and the ESO and EYSO will be able to coordinate educational outreach efforts to the benefit of music education in the Northwest Suburbs. 

Sheppard will select the annual concert theme and pick repertoire to support the theme. He will work with the ESO education committee to develop supporting materials for the educators who participate in the program. As the relationship develops, it is the hope of the ESO and EYSO that we can use the in-school outreach work of the EYSO honors chamber ensembles to introduce students to the works that they will later hear on stage with full orchestra. The effect should be a much deeper relationship with the music that is introduced.

Sheppard leads a career as both performer and teacher. Outside of EYSO, he serves as music director of the University of Chicago Chamber Orchestra, the Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company of Chicago, and the Hyde Park Youth Symphony.

Sheppard has guest conducted orchestras in North and South America, including the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional del Paraguay, the Champaign Urbana Symphony Orchestra, and the Lake Geneva Symphony. As an educator, conductor, and clinician, he is highly regarded for his passionate musicianship and technical ability, and he regularly leads masterclasses on playing and conducting in Chicago and abroad.

Sheppard studied under Donald Schleicher as a doctoral candidate in orchestral conducting at the University of Illinois. Before moving to Illinois, he attended Penn State University and earned bachelor’s degrees in Liberal Arts, Music Education, and Music Performance as well as a master’s degree in orchestral conducting under the tutelage of Max Zorin (violin) and Gerardo Edelstein (conducting).

As the ESO and EYSO share common parentage and so much wonderful history, both are excited to work together in this way. 

About the ESO

For over 70 years the Elgin Symphony Orchestra is unmatched for programming 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 – and works to create an enjoyable entertainment experience that goes beyond the magnificent music performed by some of the best musicians in the region.

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. Visit ElginSymphony.Org to learn more about the ESO’s many activities in the community.

About EYSO

EYSO serves nearly 400 students from 70 Chicagoland communities and has a national reputation for providing students with an engaging musical experience and a comprehensive learning environment of curiosity, imagination, critical thinking, and collaboration. Students explore a thematic curriculum each season – one which helps students develop artistically and technically, and prepare them for a future of complex ideas, creative risk-taking, and leadership as global citizen. This approach has led hundreds of alumni to successful careers as professional musicians, educators, and strong leaders in every field. 

The 2019-20 season theme is MOVE and explores the rich traditions of Dalcroze, ballet, and folk dance. Collaborations have included work with Joffrey Ballet artist Luis Vazquez, and the season will culminate with an online performance at 7 pm, Sunday, May 10th. See eyso.org/concert for details.

Filed Under: ESO

Andrew Grams to Leave Elgin Symphony Orchestra Conductor Post at End of 2020/21 Season

by

ESO Conductor Andrew Grams

Following seven years with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra, Andrew Grams will leave his post as Music Director and Conductor at the end of the 2020/21 season.

“After enjoying the privilege of being the Elgin Symphony Orchestra’s Music Director for seven extraordinary seasons of music-making, I make this decision proud of the work we’ve done to raise the level of the orchestra and all we have achieved in making the connection to the community it serves even stronger. Thanks to these accomplishments, I have discovered in myself a passion for teaching and sharing music in different ways and I now seek to open time in my diary to allow me to pursue more of this kind of work.”

Grams joined the Elgin Symphony in 2014 after an extensive international search. His charismatic conducting and easy accessibility have made him a favorite of Elgin Symphony audiences.  A frequent traveler, Mr. 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 the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

Throughout his seven season tenure, audiences have seen Grams lead everything from traditional masterworks to holiday concert sing-alongs and the best of John Williams. He will truly be missed by ESO staff, musicians, and patrons. Grams has a love for the city of Elgin as well as the orchestra. “Please know that I am extremely grateful for having had the opportunity to helm this fine orchestra. I sincerely hope to be able to assist in attracting music director candidates to continue the work I have begun. Of course I intend to maintain a close relationship with the ESO and to continue to serve this great community well into the future.”

“We are deeply grateful for the considerable time, artistry and enthusiasm that Maestro Grams has devoted to the ESO and to our community of supporters. His vibrant energy and positive spirit will be missed by musicians and audiences alike. The process to identify a worthy successor to this legacy, no easy task, is already underway in the hands of a committee comprised of musicians, board members, ESO staff and members of the greater Elgin community,” Erik Malmquist, Director of Artistic Planning & Operations. Grams will conduct the opening and closing concerts for the 2020/21 seasons and the Music Director search will begin.

In their 70th Anniversary Season, the Elgin Symphony Orchestra is unmatched for programming 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 – and works to create an enjoyable entertainment experience that goes beyond the magnificent music performed by some of the best musicians in the region. 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. Visit ElginSymphony.Org to learn more about the ESO’s many activities in the community, read program notes, see the full season line up, make a donation and find out how to sponsor a program or series. “Like” the ESO on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.