Subscriptions to upcoming ESO concert series on sale
Subscriptions to the Elgin Symphony Orchestra’s 76th season Classics Series went on sale Friday, Feb. 21.
The cost starts at $98 for a set of six concerts to be presented October through May 2026 at The Hemmens Cultural Center in Elgin, a news release said. They can be purchased at the ESO Box Office, 20 DuPage Court, Elgin, or by phone at 847-888-4000 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays.
Scheduled performances will include:
- Saturday, Oct. 11 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 12 at 2:30 p.m.: Carlos Simon: ”Motherboxx Connection”; Howard Hanson: Symphony No. 2. “Romantic”; George Gershwin: Concerto in F, featuring guest pianist Orion Weiss.
- Saturday, Nov. 8, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 9, at 2:30 p.m.: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphony No. 13; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Horn Concerto No. 4, featuring ESO Principal Horn player Greg Flint; Clara Schumann/Benjamin de Murashkin: “Three Romances”; Felix Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4, “Italian.”
- Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, at 2:30 p.m.: Antonín Dvořák: “Othello”; Samuel Barber: Violin Concerto, featuring violinist Geneva Lewis; Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 3.
- Saturday, March 7, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 8, 2026, at 2:30 p.m. with Elgin Master Chorale as the special guest: Valerie Coleman: “Seven O’Clock Shout”; Edvard Grieg: Selections from Peer Gynt; Gabriel Fauré: Requiem.
- Saturday, April 11, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 12, 2026, at 2:30 p.m.: Quinn Mason: “A Joyous Trilogy”; Robert Schumann: Cello Concerto, featuring Oliver Herbert, cello; Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 5.
- Saturday, May 2, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 3, 2026, at 2:30 p.m.: Angélica Negrón: “Moriviví”; Richard Strauss: “Death and Transfiguration”; Modest Mussorgsky/Maurice Ravel “Pictures at an Exhibition.”
For more information, go to www.ElginSymphony.org.
Elgin Rotary offering college, trade school scholarships
The Rotary Club of Elgin is offering scholarships for high school seniors pursuing college or vocational training. They are:
Community Service Scholarships: Available to seniors attending Burlington Central, Elgin, Larkin, South Elgin, Harvest Christian Academy, St. Edward and Westminster Christian high schools with a minimum GPA of 2.5, applicants must be involved in their communities and submit a 250-word essay explaining how the Rotary Motto, “Service Above Self,” applies to them. The deadline to apply is Tuesday, March 25.
Vocational Scholarships: The Elgin Rotary Club also offers scholarships for high school seniors who want to obtain a two-year degree or take part in a vocational certification program. One is the Ralph Helm Memorial Scholarship, which is awarded to someone who will be studying small engine repair or a similar field. Applications must be submitted by Wednesday, March 5.
To apply for either scholarship, go to at www.rotary5000.org/scholarship.htm.
For more information, call 847-888-2555 or email ElginRotary@gmail.com.
Moeller to hold Library Stop and Talk event on March 3
State Rep. Anna Moeller, D-Elgin, will meet with local residents to discuss the ongoing legislative session and state and local issues on Monday, March 3, at Poplar Creek Library in Streamwood.
The Library Stop and Talk event is scheduled for 11 a.m. to noon in the library’s study room 1 on the lower level, a news release said.
Attendees are asked to “bring their concerns and questions to share with her and her team,” the release said. She will discuss legislation she is sponsoring this year, the recent State of the State and budget speech from Gov. JB Pritzker and other priorities topics.
For more information, call 847-841-7130 or email staterepmoeller@gmail.com.
LWV Elgin to hold Elgin City Council candidate forum
The League of Women Voters of the Elgin Area will hold a forum for candidates running for the Elgin City Council at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25, at the Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove Ave., Elgin.
All of the candidates on the ballot have been invited to attend. They include Maggie Beyer, Steven Thoren, Cecilia Ivana Brooks, Diana Alfaro, Dustin Good, Erik Bosque Peña, Mark Smith and Corey Dixon.
“Each candidate will briefly introduce themselves and expound on their views and policy priorities, focusing on issues vital to their respective roles,” a news release said.
A meet-and-greet event will follow at which attendees will be able to talk to the candidates and ask them questions, the release said.
The general election is scheduled for April 1. Voters will be asked to choose four people to fill four-year terms.
