Step into a world where the symphony comes alive with the electrifying spirit of Serious Fun! Join Lakeview Orchestra and conductor Jeffrey Parthun on Sunday, April 14, for an afternoon that's all about the thrill of music and the joy of performance.

From the haunting melodies of Shostakovich to the fiery passion of Carmen, this concert lineup is a symphonic adventure like no other. Experience the thrill of contemporary favorites like How to Train Your Dragon, intertwined with a colorful mix of Latin jazz, English folk tunes, and Hungarian melodies.

But wait, there's more! Enjoy a double dose of Tchaikovsky, including a performance featuring the extraordinary talent of 2024 Young Artist Concerto Competition-winning cellist Jan Vargas Nedvetsky.

Buy your tickets today and let the countdown to Serious Fun begin!

ARTISTS

Lakeview Orchestra

PROGRAM

Dmitri Shostakovich

Festive Overture

Immerse yourself in the exhilarating brass fanfares, driving rhythms, and sense of celebration reflected in Shostakovich's evocation of grandeur and festivity.

Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky

Variations on a Rococo Theme, Polonaise from Eugene Onegin

Enjoy a double dip of Tchaikovsky, including a performance by Young Artist Concerto Competition-winning cellist Jan Vargas Nedvetsky.

Johann Strauss, Jr.

Éljen a Magyar!

Prepare to be transported to the lively streets of Hungary with this exhilarating piece, known for its infectious folk melodies and spirited rhythms.

Georges Bizet

Carmen Suite No. 1

Experience the passionate allure of Bizet's masterpiece, a mesmerizing journey through the iconic melodies of one of opera's most beloved works.

Ralph Vaughan Williams

English Folk Song Suite

Drawing from the rich tradition of British folk melodies, this enchanting suite weaves together timeless tunes with Vaughan Williams' signature lush harmonies and evocative orchestrations.

John Powell

How to Train Your Dragon

Embark on a breathtaking musical adventure capturing the whimsy, grandeur, and emotional depth of the beloved film score.

Johnny Richards

La Suerte de los Tontos

Inspired by Latin rhythms and infused with jazz influences, this exhilarating piece immerses listeners in a world of passion, excitement, and intrigue, from its pulsating percussion to its sultry brass melodies.

If you're all about Serious Fun at the Symphony, then you're in for a treat! Prepare to unravel the mysteries behind the melodies as we take you on a journey through the source material of some of the pieces on our April 14 program. Trust us, this isn't your average musicology lesson – grab your headphones and buckle up for a ride that'll leave you humming with delight. Click the videos below and let the Serious Fun begin!

Step back in time with the legends of jazz! Dive into this exclusive bonus video featuring the iconic Stan Kenton Orchestra, captured live on television in 1962. Witness the magic as these virtuosos deliver a masterclass in musical brilliance, bringing Serious Fun to jazz aficionados nationwide. On April 14, Lakeview Orchestra will perform La Seurte de los Tontos, another Kenton repertoire staple.

Violinist and showman Andre Rieu started his touring band in 1988, inspired by the Strauss family band. Click below for a dazzling performance of Eljen a Magyar that'll have you smiling from ear to ear. This audience is having some Serious Fun, and you will, too, at the Athenaeum Center on Sunday, April 14!

Revel in the grandeur of Wagner, bask in the alluring charm of Strauss, and be enchanted by the playful melodies of Beethoven's Symphony No. 8.

ARTISTS

Lakeview Orchestra

PROGRAM

Richard Wagner Prelude to Act 1 of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg

Richard Strauss Duet Concertino for Clarinet and Bassoon

Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 8

WHAT’S INTERESTING ABOUT THIS CONCERT

• Wagner incorporated a playful musical puzzle within the Prelude to Act 1. He included the Meistersinger theme in a sort of musical anagram. By reordering the notes of the theme, Wagner created a new motif that represents the character Beckmesser, a pedantic and somewhat comical figure in the opera. This clever musical wordplay adds a lighthearted element to the composition.

• Strauss composed the Duet Concertino, his final purely instrumental work, for a rather unique instrumental ensemble of clarinet, bassoon, strings, and harp, creating a distinctive and colorful timbre that allows for a variety of expressive possibilities.

• The shortest of Beethoven’s nine symphonies offers a more concise and compact musical experience. Often noted for its lighthearted and playful character, the Eighth Symphony exudes a sense of humor and charm. The second movement, in particular, is a whimsical minuet and trio that features unexpected pauses and musical jokes. Beethoven's ability to infuse his music with humor and wit is on full display in this symphony.

Conductor Ezra Calvino and Venezuelan violin virtuoso Gabriela Lara join Lakeview Orchestra for a winter-themed concert that will warm the hearts of all who attend. Delight in the holiday spirit with Coleridge-Taylor's Christmas Overture, an enchanting piece that captures the essence of the season. Then, experience the virtuosic brilliance of Glazunov's Violin Concerto, a dazzling masterpiece that will leave you in awe. Finally, immerse yourself in the wistful beauty of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 1, Winter Dreams.

ARTISTS

Lakeview Orchestra

PROGRAM

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Christmas Overture

Alexander Glazunov Violin Concerto in A minor

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 1, Winter Dreams

WHAT’S INTERESTING ABOUT THIS CONCERT

• Coleridge-Taylor's Christmas Overture, a crowd-pleasing piece that captures the essence of the season with a symphonic embrace of Christmas joy. This rousing overture features well-known Christmas carols including God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen and Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, which are interwoven in a delightful and spirited manner.

• Glazunov's Violin Concerto in A minor is a Russian masterpiece dedicated to renowned violinist Leopold Auer, who performed its 1905 debut. Its three movements are performed without pause and showcase lyrical themes and challenging cadenzas, particularly in the first and third movements. While it fell into obscurity in the 20th century, it's now experiencing a revival.

• Composition of Tchaikovsky’s first symphony extended from March 1866 to spring 1874. The work portrays the moods of a wintry Russian landscape, as suggested by movement titles Daydreams of a Winter Journey and Land of Gloom, Land of Mist.

Lakeview Orchestra ushers in the season with acclaimed works that weave a tapestry of dance-inspired music, each composed by an artist who cultivated their early inspirations in Paris. Under the baton of conductor Gregory Hughes, this promises to be an enthralling afternoon of musical storytelling featuring three iconic masterpieces: the original version of Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring for 13 instruments, Igor Stravinsky's evocative Petrushka (1946/47 version), and the mesmerizing rhythms of Maurice Ravel's Boléro.

ARTISTS

Lakeview Orchestra
Gregory Hughes Conductor

PROGRAM

Aaron Copland Appalachian Spring (original version for 13 instruments)
Igor Stravinsky Petrushka (1946/47 version)
Maurice Ravel Boléro

WHAT’S INTERESTING ABOUT THIS CONCERT

• From 1921 -24, Copland studied with renowned composer and teacher Nadia Boulanger in Paris. His training with Boulanger played a role in shaping his unique American classical style, which can be heard in the incorporation of Shaker melodies into Appalachian Spring. The well-known Shaker tune Simple Gifts is prominently featured in the composition, serving as a recurring theme. The piece captures the sense of open landscapes and the resilience of the American people.

• Petrushka is considered one of the pioneering works of 20th-century music due to its revolutionary use of rhythm, harmony, and orchestration. Stravinsky's incorporation of irregular meters, shifting accents, and complex rhythmic patterns created a distinctive and dynamic sound world. Composed as a ballet score, Petrushka made its debut during the 1911 season of Ballets Russes in Paris.

• The insistent snare drum rhythm that underpins Ravel’s Bolero is inspired by the rhythm of the Spanish dance form called the seguidilla. Ravel became captivated by the Spanish culture during a trip to Spain, and this influence is evident in Boléro. The rhythm of the seguidilla serves as the foundation for the piece's hypnotic drive.

ARTISTS

Lakeview Orchestra
Gregory Hughes Conductor
Caitlin Edwards violin

PROGRAM

Aaron Copland An Outdoor Overture
Dr. Henry Panion III Dreams of Hope for Solo Violin and Orchestra
Traditional Yiddish Lullaby (Arr. by Dana DeBofsky, Alexandra Newman, and Greg Geary Oyfn veg shteyt a boym (On the Road Stands a Tree)
Felix Mendelssohn Symphony No. 5 (“Reformation”)

WHAT’S INTERESTING ABOUT THIS CONCERT?

• Lakeview Orchestra is proud to welcome Violins of Hope by Jewish Community Centers of Chicago (JCC Chicago). Violins of Hope is an initiative that showcases Jewish stories of resilience, resistance, and unity through their private collection of lovingly restored violins, violas, and cellos played by Jewish musicians before and during the Holocaust. Concertgoers will have the opportunity to view these instruments and hear the powerful stories behind them at an exhibition before, during intermission, and after the concert.

• Copland’s An Outdoor Overture was written as a request from a high school orchestra director for a composition to concentrate on “American music for American Youth.” While Copland kept in mind that he was writing for a high school orchestra, he did not underestimate the expertise of the student players. The piece is widely loved and performed by student and professional orchestras alike!

• Dr. Panion’s Dreams of Hope for Solo Violin & Orchestra is a statement of eternal hope and a musical reflection of what can happen when different people of different backgrounds and cultures come together on common ground and communicate with a common voice, recognizing yet celebrating our differences.

• Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 5 (“Reformation”) was written in 1830 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the Augsburg Confession—one of the most important documents of the Protestant Reformation. Luther’s chorale “Ein feste Burg,” is represented in the finale and briefly at the beginning of the symphony.

ARTISTS

Lakeview Orchestra
Eli Chen Guest Conductor
Kathleen Carter violin
Wendy Lin & Allie Deaver-Petchenik flute

PROGRAM

Dvorak: “My Home” Overture
Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 4
Brahms: Symphony No. 1

WHAT’S INTERESTING ABOUT THIS CONCERT

• Dvorak’s 1881 “My Home” develops two song-themes associated with famous Czech playwright Josef Kajatán Tyl, one of which (“Where My Home Is”) eventually became the Czech national anthem.

• The lightest and wittiest of the Brandenburgs, Concerto No. 4 has a mysterious notation of two flauti d’echo (“echo flutes”). It’s suggested that Bach might have been referring to the sopranino recorder, or the label may pertain to the second movement where the flute parts give an “echo” effect.

• A lot of pressure was placed on the already self-critical Brahms to continue “Beethoven’s inheritance” with his first symphony. As a result, from sketches to finishing touches, Brahms took 21 years to complete Symphony No. 1.

ARTISTS

Lakeview Orchestra
Anthony Krempa Guest Conductor
Maurice Neuman, Cello | Winner of the 2023 Young Artist Concerto Competition

PROGRAM

Gershwin: An American in Paris
Elgar: Cello Concerto
Hanson: Symphony No. 2 (“Romantic”)

WHAT’S INTERESTING ABOUT THIS CONCERT

• A year after the premiere of Hanson’s Symphony No. 2, Hanson gifted the piece to Interlochen Center for the Arts. A “lyrical and haunting” 80 second section of the second movement was adopted as Interlochen’s theme. To this day, it is still performed at the cnoclusion of every concert..

• Gershwin’s An American in Paris was inspired by the time that Gershwin had spent in Paris during the Années folles, a time rich in social, artistic, and cultural collaborations. This same time period is referred to as the “Roaring Twenties” in the United States.

• Recently featured in the film, ‘TÁR,’ Elgar’s Cello Concerto was considered a disaster at its premiere in 1920. This masterpiece of the modern cello repertoire wasn’t widely performed until British cellist Jacqueline Du Pré got hold of it in 1965. This year’s winner of the Young Artist Concerto Competition, Maurice Neuman, will perform this work with Lakeview Orchestra at this concert.

LISTEN

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED.

May 5, 2020 | 7:30PM
Athenaeum Theatre
SUBSCRIBER APPRECIATION NIGHT

What’s Interesting
About This Concert

• Anton Bruckner’s 8th Symphony clocks in at nearly eighty minutes in length — the same amount of time usually taken up by an overture, concerto, and symphony combined! The work is a full concert of music in and of itself.

• The premiere of the 8th Symphony was cancelled no less than three times because the work was deemed “too difficult” by Felix Weingartner, the young conductor charged with preparing the piece. In the end, Bruckner had to secure the far-more-experienced conductor Hans Richter and the venerable players of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra before the symphony was finally given its first public performance in 1892!

The Program

Gregory Hughes conductor
BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 8

This concert will last approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. There will be no intermission.

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED.

What’s Interesting
About This Concert

• Johannes Brahms’ Hungarian Dances are his most popular (and, in his lifetime, most profitable) compositions.

• Pulitzer- and Grammy-winner Jennifer Higdon regards her Oboe Concerto as one of her favorite compositions! She wrote: "I have always thought of the oboe as being a most majestic instrument, and it was a pleasure to be able to create a work that would highlight its beauty and grace."

• Music critics in early 20th-century Paris ended up having a pretty poor track record when it came to measuring the value of contemporary music (think the maligned premiere of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, for example). Claude Debussy’s La mer was premiered in 1905 and panned by the press as “lacking in grandeur” and “often unpleasant.” Now, La mer is regarded as “one of the supreme achievements in symphonic literature.”

The Program

Gregory Hughes conductor
Ricardo Castañeda oboe
BRAHMS: Hungarian Dances Nos. 1, 5, and 6
HIGDON: Oboe Concerto
DEBUSSY: La mer

This concert was last approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, with intermission.