Elgin Symphony Orchestra

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

ESO in the News

Meet the Musician: Rebecca Swan, Viola

ESO- Rebecca Swan, Viola

Rebecca Swan, Viola

Rebecca Swan is a graduate of the Juilliard School, where she studied with Heidi Castleman and Misha Amory. A native of the Chicago area, Rebecca recently moved back after several years in Charlotte, NC, where she played Principal Viola for Charlotte’s Broadway Series and subbed regularly with the Charlotte Symphony.

Rebecca has played with Iris Chamber Orchestra under Michael Stern, New World Symphony with Michael Tilson Thomas, The Perlman Program Orchestra with Itzhak Perlman, and The Orquesta Sinfonia Nacional de Costa Rica in San Jose, Costa Rica. She was the youngest member ever to be accepted into the Civic Orchestra of Chicago under Daniel Barenboim when she was 16. Some of her favorite freelance opportunities have been playing backup for Josh Groban, Stevie Wonder, and Andrea Bocelli.

Rebecca currently is a member of the Grant Park Symphony, Elgin Symphony and is Principal Violist with the Rockford Symphony. This year she played with Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago Philharmonic, Chicago Jazz Philharmonic, and has served as guest principal of the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra.

Meet the Musician: Gene Collerd, Principal Clarinet

ESO Gene Collerd, Principal Clarinet

Gene Collerd, Principal Clarinet

Gene Collerd holds B.A. and M.M. degrees from Yale University where he studied clarinet with Keith Wilson and conducting with Otto-Werner Mueller. He also studied clarinet with Anthony Gigliotti of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Robert Marcellus at Northwestern University, and with soloist Richard Stoltzman. He is Professor of Music, Emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chicago where he was active as a conductor and now teaches clarinet, chamber music, and theory. Serving for several years as Coordinator of Music, he was Chair of the Department of Theatre and Music at UIC in 2010-2011.

Collerd plays Principal Clarinet with the Elgin Symphony, Chicago Opera Theater, Ars Viva Orchestra, and the New Sousa Band; he plays Assistant Principal Clarinet and Bass Clarinet with the Grant Park Symphony of Chicago. A founding member of the Chicago Wind Quintet, he continues to be a guest with such notable ensembles as Music of the Baroque, Chicago Chamber Musicians, Rembrandt Chamber Players, the Lyric Opera Orchestra, and the Chicago and Milwaukee Symphony Orchestras.

Recently, Collerd was a featured soloist in Frank Martin’s Concerto for Seven Winds in the Grant Park Music Festival in Millennium Park, Chicago. In 2006 and in 2009 Collerd was a resident artist/teacher at the Fine Arts College of Nanjing, China. As a recitalist and chamber musician he has performed on many campuses and professional series in this country, Canada, and the People’s Republic of China. He can be heard on the recording Embrace the Wind (RealMusic label) and he is currently working on a CD of music for clarinet and percussion for Centaur Records. His New York debut recital was warmly received by The New York Times and critic John von Rhein of the Chicago Tribune has hailed his “virtuoso playing.” His professional conducting includes performances with the Grant Park Symphony and the Arie Crown production of The Nutcracker ballet.

Meet the Musician: Julia Richter, Flute, Piccolo

Julia Richter, Flute / Piccolo

Instrument/Section

Flute / Piccolo

When did you begin to play your instrument?

I picked the flute out of an array of instruments so that I could join my 6th grade school band. I remember my decision was made by careful consideration of which instrument was the shiniest.

Do you play any other instruments?

Piccolo

Where did you study your main instrument; with whom?

I took private flute lessons with different local flute teachers from 6th – 12th grade. At college, I studied with Dr. Marilyn Shotola at Portland State University in Oregon for my Bachelors of Music degree and Dr. Mary Karen Clardy at the University of North Texas for my Masters.

When did you join ESO?

I joined the ESO in 1999!

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

I’ve played with the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra , Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra, Grant Park Orchestra, Lyric Opera Orchestra and Chicago Opera Theatre Orchestra.

What was your most memorable ESO performance?

A few concerts stand out in my memory. One was the Opening Season Gala with Sir James Galway as flute soloist. It was incredible to have such a famous musician on the same stage with the ESO! It was also fun to chat with him about all things flute at the reception afterwards. Another concert was getting to play every piccolo players dream piece, Shostakovich Symphony #10.  The piccolo part is very difficult, rewarding, terrifying and inspiring. Everything you could want in a piece as a musician. Andrew Grams was conducting, and I believe it was his first season as music director of the ESO! I’ll never forget the rush of adrenaline as we got to the end of the piece and also a feeling of pride for being a part of the incredible Elgin Symphony Orchestra.

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

I love rock climbing, biking and generally being active outdoors. I also love listening to live music of any style during summer evenings with a picnic and a good bottle of wine. Since we’ve had to be more homebound recently due to the pandemic, I’ve been playing a lot of board games with my daughter. The whole family participates in a Skee-Ball tournament we’ve created in our house every Sunday evening. We have a big scoreboard and my daughter makes certificates and prizes for us all.

I’ve also been spending a lot of time experimenting with a multi-frame video app called Acapella. I used it originally to create practice videos for a student flute choir, but I’ve found that it is fun to do just for my own fun and it keeps my flute playing in shape. The ESO flute section did a virtual flute trio using Acapella a few weeks ago! It was so much fun to still be able play with my colleagues even though we couldn’t be together in real time.

Here is a link to one of Julia’s Acapella projects.

  • Julia with fellow ESO flutists Jean Bishop and Scott Metlicka
  • Julia with Gerry Loughney and Sara Sitzer
  • Julia playing a pink piccolo

Meet the Musician: Greg Heintz, Double Bass

Elgin Symphony Orchestra - Greg Heintz, Bass

Greg Heintz, Double Bass

Instrument/Section

Double Bass

When did you begin to play your instrument?

I started playing the Bass at the beginning of my junior year of high school. The music teachers were more than a little skeptical when I showed up, out of the blue, asking to join the jazz band and orchestra! Luckily, they took a chance on me.

Do you play any other instruments?

I can play a few things on the guitar. I can plunk even fewer things out on the piano.

Where did you study your main instrument; with whom?

I earned my Bachelor of Music Degree in Double Bass Performance from Northern Illinois University, where I studied with ESO bassist John Floeter. I then received a Master’s Degree in Bass Performance from Roosevelt University, studying with Lyric Opera bassist Andy Anderson and Milwaukee Symphony Principal Jon McCullough-Benner.

When did you join ESO?

Fall, 2019

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

The Elgin Symphony is the first orchestral job for which I successfully auditioned. I played in the Civic Orchestra of Chicago for 2 years, where I was fortunate enough to serve as Principal Bass for many concert cycles. I’ve also been very privileged to appear as a substitute player with many of the fantastic ensembles in the Midwest; including the Milwaukee, Chicago and St. Louis Symphony Orchestras.

What was your most memorable ESO performance?

To be honest, despite the pandemic cutting the season short, this entire season has been my most memorable. Auditioning is an extremely difficult and competitive process for all musicians, but because of about 20 minutes of playing my best, I was selected to join this fantastic orchestra! I will certainly never forget sitting on stage with the orchestra for the first rehearsal of the season. That first week was a lot of fun.

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

I remember going to the Elgin Symphony for the first time with my mother and grandparents many years ago. The big piece on the program was Symphonie Fantastique by Berlioz.

During my senior year of high school, our orchestra took a field trip to Symphony Center to see the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra play Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony. The moment I stepped into that hall to hear that orchestra play, I knew what I wanted to do with the rest of my life: it was a life-changing experience. I fell in love with the pre-concert energy that filled the hall, from the stage to the audience. The silence that came when the lights dimmed enchanted me, and the superb musicality of that orchestra was astounding.

A few years ago, I began playing chess online for fun. I see a lot of correlations between chess and the performing arts. Much like learning an instrument, it takes years and years of study and practice to become a good chess player. Similar to performing, there are many things in chess you must commit to memory. Chess has themes and variations, composed puzzles, and even its own notation. The pandemic has stopped all in-person tournaments, but many of the top players in the world are still competing in online tournaments. I’ve had a lot of fun watching!

For two years I played in a Bluegrass band called “Truman’s Ridge.” I had to learn around 100 tunes by ear during rehearsals.

I have a wonderful cat named Dancer. She is a big fan of classical music! My fiancée Emily is currently pursuing her Doctorate Degree at UMKC in violin, which for Dancer is fantastic because violin happens to be her favorite instrument. The attached picture shows Dancer helping Emily practice by napping in Emily’s violin case.

ESO - Greg Heintz
Dancer in Emily’s violin case
ESO - Greg Heintz

Meet the Musician: Michael Folker, Percussion

Michael Folker, Percussion

Instrument/Section

Percussion

When did you begin to play your instrument?

I started with piano as early as I can remember (my mother was the local piano teacher and I had no choice).  But I discovered the drums when I was 10 and was forever bitten by the drumming bug”.

Where did you study your main instrument; with whom?

I did my Bachelor’s Degree at Millikin University and then my Master’s in Percussion Performance from DePaul University.  I studied with Tom Akins, Timpanist of the Indianapolis Symphony; Al Payson, Percussionist with Chicago Symphony and Mike Green, Lyric Opera of Chicago.  I also studied with a number of other Chicago Symphony members during my early years in Chicago.

When did you join ESO?

I think it was in 1990….give or take a year.

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

I am also a member of the Chicago Sinfonietta and the Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra.  I’ve performed numerous times with the Milwaukee Symphony…including a tour with them to Cuba in 1999, Chicago Symphony, Grant Park Symphony, and Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago Opera Theater, and various other groups and orchestras in the area.

What was your most memorable ESO performance?

I honestly have a hard time answering that as there are many concerts that have been standouts.  To be honest, I love playing with the ESO.  Daniela and I met in the ESO so there’s something very special about it … additionally, I love my colleagues that I work with.  They’re family to us and thus, every concert in many ways seems like a family reunion.  But truly one special concert of note was actually a family concert we did a few years ago which featured the show I wrote titled “The Magic of Rhythm”.  It featured Daniela, our son Christopher and myself.  You can’t get more magical than that.

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

I’ve been teaching private percussion lessons several days a week via on-line lessons.  I love the opportunity to work with students especially during this challenging time. I try to create a positive and empowering situation for students to help encourage them since many are cooped up and struggling with a loss of routine, etc.

I’ve been working on various “world percussion” instruments which I love for their unique sounds and rhythms.

My personal interests and hobbies are vintage cars and watching vintage auto racing….(actually any kind of auto racing). I love spending time with our son, Christopher and tinkering on and driving our 1958 MGA sports car and our 1965 Bentley S III (affectionately called ‘Duchess”).  I love cruising around on my Vespa motor scooter as well.   My son and I are also working on restoring a 1961 Triumph TR3 sports car which I’ve owned since I was 18 years old.  It’s long overdue for a restoration.

I also like spending time practicing magic tricks, card & coin tricks and illusions….wishing I could make Covid “disappear”. 

Lastly, I love grilling out.  I’m outside every evening firing up the grill and trying new recipes.

  • ESO-Michael-Folker
    Michael, Daniela, and Christopher with “Duchess,” our 1965 Bentley S-III
  • ESO-Michael-Folker
    A mini cymbal lesson to lighten things up during Covid
  • ESO-Michael-Folker-
    Michael with his pet bearded dragon named “Stripey”
  • ESO-Michael-Folker
    Doing what he loves…cooking breakfast and camping at Road America for the vintage auto races
ESO-Michael-Folker
Daniela and Michael

Meet the Musician: Scott Metlicka, Flute

Scott Metlicka, Flute

When did you begin to play your instrument?

I started playing piano in first grade and began playing flute when the band program kicked in, in fifth grade.

Where did you study your main instrument; with whom?

Mary Louise Poor was my first flute teacher in Aurora, IL. I did my undergraduate at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb and studied with Peter Middleton. Walfrid Kujala was my teacher at Northwestern University, where I did my Master’s degree. I also studied with Mary Stolper in my twenties.

When did you join ESO?

In 1998.

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

In addition to Elgin, I have contracts with three other orchestras: Principal Flute – Rockford Symphony and Wisconsin Philharmonic; Piccolo – South Bend Symphony. I also play with Chicago Opera Theater and sub with the Grant Park Symphony.

What was your most memorable ESO performance?

Debbie Reynolds sang a Pops concert with us in 2003 on short notice when Doc Severinson cancelled on short notice.

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

My great-grandparents bought a cabin in Crandon, WI in 1938 and I became half-owner with my Dad in 2018.  As I write this, I’m up at the cabin doing some work.  I removed the old carpeting to reveal beautiful hardwood floors!  In late August I began a new job as the flute professor at Northern Illinois University.  I am very grateful to have this position at my alma mater.