Many performances were delayed during the pandemic so it’s unlikely that Beethoven will be upset that the Northbrook Symphony is celebrating the 250th anniversary of his birth two years late. Music Director Mina Zikri will lead “Happy (Belated) Birthday Beethoven” on April 3 at Sheely Center for the Performing Arts in Northbrook.
“We were scheduled to have this Beethoven celebration during the pandemic. Since the lockdown, we were not able to play in person,” Zikri related. “We thought the first season we’re back in person we should dedicate a concert to Beethoven.”
Wilmette resident Zikri is in his third season as leader of the orchestra, which is celebrating its 42nd season. Prior to taking on that role, he was second principal violin for 10 years.
There are 65 musicians in the orchestra; approximately 50 will perform at the Beethoven concert.
Zikri wanted to celebrate Beethoven because, “Musically there are elements that are very innovative, revolutionary,” he said. “Beethoven is a symbol of courage and also determination. There’s some humanistic elements in his music that really connects with me.”
The orchestra will perform Symphony No. 4 in B flat major, Op. 60 and Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 55 “Eroica.”
“We’re actually doing Symphony No. 3 and Symphony No. 4 in reverse order because the ‘Symphony No. 3’ is more of a grand work than the fourth symphony,” Zikri explained. “So we start with the simpler symphony and then we’re going into the deep, complicated one.”
He chose to have the orchestra perform those two symphonies because “they present two different elements of Beethoven’s character,” Zikri said. “One of them is light and ‘funny’ in a sense. The other one is very deep and heroic and descriptive. The contrast between the two pieces will make a good concert.”
The Music Director revealed that Beethoven did not want Symphony No. 3 performed as a second work. “He wanted it always to be a first work on a concert,” he noted. Zikri said Beethoven was referring to other works such as concertos.
“I don’t know what he would have thought about playing one of his other lighter symphonies ahead of it,” Zikri said. “I hope he’s not upset.”
Robert Chen won’t be performing at the April 3 concert but he has already taken on an important role with the orchestra. The concertmaster of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra has been appointed the Artistic Creative Partner of the Northbrook Symphony’s current season.
Chen agreed to take on this role because “It sounded like a wonderful idea to engage in the community and the creative process of an orchestra from another perspective,” he said. “I work in the Chicago Symphony and as musicians in the orchestra, we’re just involved in one part of the process, which is to present the concerts. This way we can talk about repertoire and what the vision is for the orchestra moving forward.”
“The beginning of the season, Robert performed with us ‘Four Seasons’ by Vivaldi,” Zikri said.
Chen will also be involved in community engagement.
“We’re trying to reconfigure how we’re going to reach out to the community, whether it’s a younger audience or an older audience,” Zikri said. “He has helped us with forming some relationships. Most important is the fact that Robert is able to lift up our performances for us and our audiences.”
‘Happy (Belated) Birthday Beethoven’
When: 4 p.m. April 3
Where: Northbrook Symphony at Sheely Center for the Performing Arts, 2300 Shermer Road, Northbrook
Tickets: $35-$50
Information: 847-272-0755; northbrooksymphony.org
Myrna Petlicki is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
