ESO postpones February 13 concert

Due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns, the Evanston Symphony Orchestra has announced that it has postponed its February 13 signature show. The new date is June 19th.

The program will feature Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony, Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23 with soloist Hyejin Joo and Beethoven’s Egmont Overture. The rescheduled show will be held at the Evanston Township High School Auditorium. All tickets will be honored. The Auditorium has open seating and will open at 2:00 pm for a 2:30 pm presentation.

William Grant Still’s Festive Overture, originally scheduled for February, will now be included in the April 10 program with Beethoven’s Symphony No. The May 22 program will remain as scheduled. Both the April and May concerts will be held at Pick-Staiger Hall on the Northwestern campus as originally planned. For full program details, see the ESO website.

All individual subscriptions and tickets will be honored at the rescheduled show. The orchestra will closely monitor the state of the pandemic and keep its patrons informed.

“We are deeply disappointed to have to make this decision,” said ESO Music Director Lawrence Eckerling, “but we recognize that the safety of our audience and orchestra members is paramount. I’m thrilled that we were able to reschedule the concert to June this year, so those who wanted to hear Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony will only have to wait a few more months.”

During the hiatus, ESO will revive its special newsletter Observationvaluable. This will include updates on developments and plans, as well as access to new videos and special resources about ESO.

“While we are all saddened to have to make this difficult choice,” said Margaret Gergen, Chair of the ESO Board, “we appreciate the need to do so for the overall health of our organization. Once again, we appreciate the resilience of our musicians and conductor Eckerling in meeting the challenges posed by the pandemic and adapting to the situation with grace and creativity.”

You can also subscribe to the season at evanstonsymphony.org or by calling General Manger David Ellis at 847-864-8804. Donations can also be made through the website and by phone.