Director keeps balance between new, familiar

The Elgin Symphony Orchestra's 2007-08 season follows the philosophy of music director Robert Hanson: a balance between familiar masterpieces of the orchestral repertoire and challenging works new to the orchestra and its audience.

Of this season's eight Classic Series programs, Hanson mentions three in particular: the Nov. 2-4 concerts in which guest soloist Alexander Korsantia will play Sergei Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2, with Hanson also conducting the ESO's first-ever performances of Bela Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra; the fourth annual "In Search of the American Voice" festival in April and May, built around the music of George Gershwin; and the June 13-15 Classic Series program featuring Mahler's Fifth Symphony.

"The Bartok is a huge step for our orchestra," Hanson said. "That piece is so difficult and so wonderful, and our musicians are very excited about the challenge of playing it."

The spring festival will be expanded to include not only the May Classic Series concerts, but the mid-April pops program. In the Classic Series program, pianist Pascal Rogé will play Gershwin's Concerto in F as well as another famous 20th century concerto, that by French composer Maurice Ravel. The pops concert will feature Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue," along with a new work commissioned by the ESO, both featuring pianist Rich Ridenour.

"The new work is being written by Peter Boyer, who composed 'Ellis Island, the Dream of America,' which we presented on our Classic Series two years ago," Hanson said. "It's supposed to be the 2007 version of 'Rhapsody in Blue.'"

The Mahler Fifth Symphony is also very important to Hanson because it is a work the ESO is revisiting after a short period of time.

"I have this philosophy that I actually like to repeat things at regular intervals; in that way, I can consider it part of our repertory," he said. "You learn a lot from playing a masterpiece like the Mahler Fifth a second or third time."

Hanson is also looking forward to collaborating with 19-year-old Rachel Lee, who is the soloist for the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in the opening Classic Series concerts of Oct. 5 (Schaumburg) 6 and 7 (Hemmens Theatre). Lee is taking over for the originally announced Nicola Benedetti, who has a schedule conflict.

"Rachel Lee is a protégé of Itzhak Perlman, and she studied with Dorothy DeLay at Juilliard," Hanson said. "But what's so interesting is that she's not a music major at Harvard. Interestingly, I heard her last season with the Chicago Symphony, playing Prokofiev's Second Concerto, and she was marvelous."

Speaking of Itzhak Perlman, the legendary violinist is returning for Saturday's annual gala concert at 6 p.m. at Hemmens Theatre. The event will be followed by the ESO's annual gala dinner and silent auction.

"This is Perlman's third visit to Elgin," Hanson said, "He first came here in 1992 to do a recital under the auspices of the orchestra, then he came back in 2000 for the gala concert, playing the Tchaikovsky Concerto. This time he's doing the Beethoven Concerto."

For a complete list of the ESO's 2007-08 concerts, visit www.elginsymphony.org. To purchase subscriptions or single tickets, including the Classic Series, expanded Pops Series and Holiday Showcase at the Sears Centre on Dec. 8, call the ESO box office at (837) 888-4000, or go to the ESO Web site.