Elgin Symphony Orchestra welcomes world renowned cellist
The Elgin Symphony Orchestra is welcoming storied and celebrated cellist Lynn Harrell for its opening weekend, Oct. 3 and 4, at the Hemmens Cultural Center in Elgin. This opening weekend marks the kick-off for the ESO’s 65th anniversary season.
The ESO’s 2015-2016 season is all about connections — connections to the Music Director Andrew Grams, to the ESO musicians, to the music, and to the community.
This first concert has a special connection between the conductor and soloist.
“We are so lucky to have Lynn Harrell come to Elgin to help kick-off the season — he is a storied cellist — he has one of the most amazing careers I can think of,” Grams said. “I first met Lynn a couple of years ago when we were doing the Elgar Cello Concerto together on a tour in New Zealand. We had such a wonderful time in the rehearsals, and the concerts of course, but we really connected just speaking with one another about his time with the Cleveland orchestra. At the time, I was assistant conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra. Lynn told me great stories about his time in Cleveland with the great James Levine (another artist with an amazing career!). One of the gifts that Lynn gave me at the end of our time together in New Zealand was the great recording of Mahler’s 4th Symphony. We’re ending our 2015-2016 season with this Symphony. It was his first recording as principal cellist — and he signed it and gave it to me. It was a wonderful thing!”
The Elgin Symphony Orchestra received a $10,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to bring in this artist. The ESO will utilize Harrell’s many talents, including teaching, during the week of Sept. 28. The ESO is hosting a Lynn Harrell Cello Masterclass on Saturday, Oct. 3 at 10 a.m. at the Gail Borden Public Library. This Masterclass is free and open to the public.
The ESO’s Opening Weekend concerts, Lynn Harrell Plays Tchaikovsky, will be performed at the Hemmens Cultural Center in Elgin on 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3 and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4. Tickets start at $30 and can be purchased through the ESO Box Office 847-888-4000 or by visiting www.elginsymphony.org. This concert is supported in part by S.E. Ainsworth & Family and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Elgin Woman’s Club plans October meeting
The next Elgin Woman’s Club luncheon meeting and program will be held on Oct. 6, at Villa Olivia Country Club, Route 20 and Naperville Road, Bartlett. The business meeting will begin at 11:30 a.m. with lunch served at noon.
The program will feature a presentation by Andy Engelmann of Town and Country Gardens in Elgin. He will demonstrate secrets of successful floral arranging and will complete a floral arrangement as part of his presentation to the group.
Reservations should be made by calling the EWC hotline at 847-622-3614. The luncheon meeting and program costs $20 and may be paid for by check the day of the meeting. The club meets monthly from September to May at local restaurants for luncheon meetings and programs. Women interested in receiving more information about the Elgin Woman’s Club may call the EWC hotline.
This year the Elgin Woman’s Club is celebrating its 128th year, having been founded in 1887 and one year later, founded Sherman Hospital. Since the club was organized, members have supported hundreds of local projects including yearly scholarships to students from U46 high schools. In addition, members serve as readers in local schools, volunteers in hospitals and other agencies throughout the Elgin area and are active in recycling, conservation, women’s health and international affairs.
Eat like a lumberjack
Batavia Lodge 404 is hosting an All-U-Can-Eat “Lumberjack” breakfast fundraiser from 7:30 a.m. to noon Sunday, Sept. 27, at the Batavia Masonic Lodge, 28 North Van Nortwick Ave, Batavia.
Donation is $6 for adults, $3 for children age 10 and under, and $15 for a family of four. Also available is the “King Solomon’s Pass” which can be used throughout the year, and entitles the bearer to six breakfasts for the price of five. The breakfast proceeds support local and state charities, the Guy P. Vance scholarship fund, and lodge operations.
For information, contact Trevor Steinbach at 630-768-2705
Tree planting at LeRoy Oakes
Help plant 150 oak trees, and other types of trees, as part of National Public Lands Day on Saturday, Sept. 26.
The Forest Preserve District of Kane County is calling for volunteers of all ages to help plant trees at LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve, 37W700 Dean St., St. Charles, as part of National Public Lands Day. This event is one of many that will take place across the country on Sept. 26. National Public Lands Day is America’s largest single-day volunteer event for public lands.
Tree planting begins at 10 a.m. and will last until all 150 oaks are planted or 1 p.m. Holes are pre-dug and will have a tree in them. Volunteers are needed to tamp down dirt, water and mulch. There are also opportunities to help with brush cutting and seed harvesting.
Groups of 10 or more, contact volunteer coordinator at 630-762-2741 or e-mail CleaveRobb@kaneforest.com to register. Groups of less than 10 do not need to register in advance.
For information, visit www.kaneforest.com or www.publiclandsday.org.
VFW’s Penny Social
Members of the Carpentersville Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Post 5915 will host a Penny Social, the biggest fundraising event for the organization, Wednesday, Sept. 23, at the Dundee VFW, 117 S. First St., West Dundee.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and drawings begin at 7 p.m. The entrance fee is 50 cents, which entitles attendees to a chance at door prizes. Tickets for the table items are one penny each, and the evening will also include two raffles. Refreshments will be served.
Donations of new or like-new items are being accepted. Call Elaine Slack at 847-658-3391 or Helen Helland at 847-346-5506.
Snowmobilers wanted
The Elgin Cold Ducks Club is hosting a pancake breakfast, open to all snowmobilers at no charge, Sunday, Sept. 27, at Paul Wolff Campground, off Big Timber Road in Elgin, from 8 to 11 a.m. — rain, snow or shine.
The Elgin Cold Ducks Snowmobile Club is a family oriented snowmobile club with access to hundreds of miles of snowmobile trails west of Elgin extending into Wisconsin. These trails are accessible to Elgin Cold Ducks Snowmobile members at the trails head at the Old Oak Farm, 11N717 Muirhead Road, Elgin (one mile south of Plank Road on the east side of Muirhead Road). Trails are open with a minimum of four inches of snow.
The club meets on the third Tuesday of the month, September through April.
For information, visit www.elgincoldducks.com or email info@elgincoldducks.com
