About the Ensemble

The Elgin Symphony and Elgin Choral Union after a performance of Beethoven's 9th (click to enlarge)

The Elgin Symphony Orchestra is a relatively small (their budget is about $3 million) suburban orchestra northwest of Chicago, yet they recently made a Copland recording for Naxos, the city of Elgin plans to build them a new hall, and they consistently operate with balanced budgets. What makes them so successful? The ESO appears to have been able to define who they are and what works for them, and to stick to that model, despite industry trends in different directions.

Polyphonic Senior Editor Ann Drinan spoke with three orchestra principals, Charlie Schuchat, tubist and chair of the players’ committee, Bob Hanson, music director, and Michael Pastreich, executive director. In addition, at Michael’s urging, Ann interviewed Sean Stegall, Assistant City Manager, to get the city of Elgin’s perception of the role the symphony plays in the community.

Founded in 1950 by Douglas Steensland, the Elgin Symphony began as a community orchestra performing at Elgin Community College. In 1971, the role of music director passed to Margaret Hillis, the legendary founder and conductor of the Chicago Symphony Chorus and an assistant to Robert Shaw. Ms. Hillis conducted the ESO for almost 15 years, and passed the baton to the ESO’s current music director, Robert Hanson, in 1985 after he served as co-music director with Ms. Hillis for two years.

The orchestra presents over 50 concerts annually, including 8 triples (quadruples next season) of the Classic series, 3 triples (4 next season) of the Pops series, Gala and Holiday concerts, and an American music festival. Most of the concerts are presented in the 1200-seat Hemmens Theatre in Elgin; the Friday night Pops and two of the Classic series concerts are presented at the 440-seat Prairie Arts Center in Schaumburg, a neighboring city.

In addition, the ESO offers several educational programs, including in-school ensemble performances, the Petite Musique and Kidz Konzert series held at the Hemmens Theatre, the more intimate ESO Encounters series held in the Hemmens Theatre balcony, and a new 4-concert series for home-schooled children.

In the late 1990s the ESO held an endowment drive whose primary purpose was to raise the pay offered to their musicians; they were successful and became Illinois’ highest paid orchestra outside of Chicago. Consequently, many free-lance musicians living in Chicago are attracted to the Elgin Symphony – some have even settled in Elgin – and the ESO has reached a new level of musical excellence.

The story of the Elgin Symphony’s relationship with the city of Elgin, and how it manages to thrive in the shadow of the Chicago Symphony, is a fascinating one and best left to those who know it best. Read on to find the secrets of their success.