Acclaimed pianist Orion Weiss will join the award-winning Elgin Symphony Orchestra to open its 76th Season Saturday, Oct. 11 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 12 at 2:30 p.m. at The Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin. The season opener features George Gershwin’s Concerto in F, Howard Hanson’s Symphony No. 2 (“Romantic”), and Carlos Simon’s bold and energetic Motherboxx Connection.”
Hailed for his lyrical intensity and dazzling technique, Orion Weiss is one of the most sought-after American pianists of his generation. His deeply expressive performances have led to solo engagements with major orchestras across the country, including the Chicago Symphony, Boston Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and San Francisco Symphony. A graduate of the Juilliard School, Weiss has been praised by The Washington Post for his “powerful virtuosity and penetrating sensitivity.” He has also received the Classical Recording Foundation’s Young Artist of the Year Award and performed alongside violinists Joshua Bell and Hilary Hahn, cellist Alisa Weilerstein, and the Ariel and Pacifica String Quartets.
The program opens with Motherboxx Connection by Grammy-nominated composer Carlos Simon, known for works that blend gospel, jazz, and contemporary classical influences. It is followed byHoward Hanson’s richly romantic Symphony No. 2, which was composed for the 50th anniversary of the Boston Symphony. Gershwin’s Concerto in F fuses classical form with jazz energy, brimming with rhythmic drive, memorable melodies, and a distinctly American voice.
Weiss’ performances with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra take place at The Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin. A Pre-Concert Talk by ESO Music Director Chad Goodman will take place one-hour prior to each concert.
Tickets are available at ElginSymphony.org. Tickets start at $20. Continuing its commitment to making performances affordable and accessible to the community, the ESO offers discounted student tickets for $10 for those with a valid student ID, and free youth tickets for children age 17 and under with a paid adult ticket. Call the ESO Box Office at 847-888-4000 for more information and to include free youth tickets in your order. The ESO Box Office is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m..
—Elgin Symphony Orchestra