Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) launches the second half of their 2021-22 concert season with a program of Still, Bologne and Dvořák on Saturday, February 19 at the stunning 1,100 seat Ozinga Chapel at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights. The concert, conducted by IPO Music Director Stilian Kirov, features the added star power of Chicago artist and world-renowned violinist Rachel Barton Pine, who is poised to perform Bologne’s Violin Concerto in A major, Op. 5, No. 2 alongside an orchestra of 57 IPO musicians. Rounding out the program will be Still’s Mother and Child along with Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 “New World.” Tickets are available at www.ipomusic.org and range from $10-$57 with an additional Buy One / Get One Free offer now available for a limited time.
In addition to a magical night of music, Pine will receive IPO’s Ruth D. and Ken M. Davee Excellence in the Arts Award, an honor bestowed periodically to honor an individual, group, or organization whose exceptional commitment, vision, leadership, and achievements have resulted in major contributions to the arts and music. This is the most prestigious award given by the orchestra.
To celebrate the kickoff of the new year, IPO is offering a special Buy One / Get One Free ticket offer with promo code BOGOFEB. This offer is valid for the February 19 concert, along with all IPO concerts through May 14, 2022. Tickets can be purchased at www.ipomusic.org or by calling the IPO Box Office at (708) 481-7774.
Rachel Barton Pine’s guest artist performance is sponsored by Michuda Construction.
FEBRUARY 19 PROGRAM DETAILS:
William Grant Still: “Mother and Child”
Judith Anne Still, William Grant Still’s daughter, relates that “Mother and Child,” was not only one of her father’s favorite compositions but is most people’s favorite as well.
Joseph Bologne (Chevalier de Saint-Georges): Violin Concerto in A major, Op. 5, No. 2
In an age when slavery was endemic and slaves were regarded as objects, the mixed-race Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges was one of its most celebrated men. One of the first individual musicians of African ancestry to contribute to European musical traditions, Bologne was undoubtedly one of the most gifted of his contemporaries and has gone down in history as a composer of significant historical significance.
Antonín Dvořák: Symphony No. 9 “From The New World”
Commissioned by the New York Philharmonic, “From the New World” was composed in 1893 and premiered in New York City to great acclaim in December 1893.
ABOUT RACHEL BARTON PINE
Violinist Rachel Barton Pine has an extraordinary ability to connect with people. A leading interpreter of classic and contemporary works, her performances combine her gift for emotional communication and her fascination with research. She plays with passion and conviction, thrilling audiences with her dazzling technique, lustrous tone, and infectious joy in music-making.
This season Pine will offer the world premiere of “Violin Concerto No. 2,” written for her by Billy Childs and co-commissioned by the Grant Park Music Festival, the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra, and the Interlochen Orchestra. She’ll solo with the Chicago Symphony, the Mississippi Symphony, Orchestre Symphonique Quebec, the Tel Aviv Soloists, the Pacific Symphony, and Vancouver (WA) Symphony. She’ll perform with Lara Downes at Ravinia, with pianist Matthew Hagle, and harpsichordist Jory Vinikour.
She has appeared with prestigious ensembles including the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Camerata Salzburg, and the Vienna and Detroit Symphony Orchestras.
Her past chart-topping albums include Dvořák and Khachaturian Violin Concertos (Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Teddy Abrams); Mozart: Complete Violin Concertos, Sinfonia Concertante (Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner), and Bel Canto Paganini.
Pine has led the Rachel Barton Pine (RBP) Foundation which assists young artists since 2001. Over the last 20 years, the RBP Foundation’s Music by Black Composers (MBC) project has collected more than 900 works by 450+ Black composers from the 18th–21st centuries, curated free repertoire directories, and published print resources.
She performs on the 1742 “ex-Bazzini ex-Soldat” Guarnerius del Gesu. www.rachelbartonpine.com
About Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra
Named “Illinois Professional Orchestra of the Year” for the third time in 2020 by the Illinois Council of Orchestras, Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra celebrates its 44th Season in 2021-2022. From its community orchestra roots in Park Forest, the 69-member orchestra has grown into a critically acclaimed professional regional orchestra. Under the leadership of Music Director Stilian Kirov and Executive Director Christina Salerno, the mission of IPO is to provide concerts of compelling professional symphonic music, support music education, and expand audience awareness of musical excellence for the diverse communities of the greater Chicago region.
Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra is supported in part by: Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelly Foundation, Ozinga Foundation, Michuda Construction, the Illinois Arts Council Agency and National Endowment for the Arts.
For more information, visit www.ipomusic.org or call 708.481.7774.