New members sought for Senior Suburban Orchestra

The Senior Suburban Orchestra will open its ninth season with a rehearsal Tuesday afternoon, Sept. 2. The orchestra is composed mostly of retirees, and performs 15 concerts a year at schools, retirement communities and other public venues.

SOS rehearsals and concerts are always scheduled during daylight hours on weekdays. There are no weekend or evening performances. For several years, the orchestra has numbered about 40 players. Not all the musicians are seniors and ages range from people in their 30s to 80s, said Ron Baumgardner of Brookfield.

The orchestra plays a variety of music, from classical literature through Sousa marches to music from Broadway and Hollywood. This season will feature several pieces by Leroy Anderson, born 100 years ago. Most concerts include an audience sing-along. Music director and conductor is Dan Pasquale D’Andrea.

Rehearsals are held from 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesdays at Fairview Village in Downers Grove. Musicians come from a variety of communities to participate, from Oak Park to Joliet to Wheaton. Orchestral musicians who might like to participate can learn more by contacting Lori Davis at (630) 530-2910 or LSD542000@yahoo.com. There are openings for oboe, bassoon, bass clarinet, trumpet, trombone, percussion, violin, viola, cello and double bass.

The SSO receives support from the Illinois Arts Council, DuPage Community Foundation, the village of Downers Grove and corporate and private contributions.

Sundays extended for piano bar’s opera, Broadway favorites

Music lovers and fans of Italian food are invited to hear members of Elgin OPERA and the Elgin Opera Training Ensemble in “A Festival of Singers,” which has been extended through September.

They will perform classics from opera and Broadway from 6 to 8 p.m. each Sunday at the newest Villa Verone, sister to the Geneva location. Elgin OPERA said the restaurant has an upscale, but friendly piano bar setting at 13 Douglas Ave. in downtown Elgin.

For reservations, call Villa Verone at (847) 742-0263 or visit www.villaverone.net. No cover is charged. And for more information on Elgin OPERA, whose artistic director is Solange Sior, call (847) 214-8340.

Youth cast to star in ‘Les Misérables’

The Broadway musical “Les Misérables” will be presented by a cast of young adults from across the region. 

Victor Hugo’s story is set in early 19th century France, and follows the intertwining lives of characters struggling for redemption and revolution. “Les Misérables (School Edition),” a musical by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schoenberg, will be a joint production of Fox Valley Theatre Company and Children’s Theater of Elgin. It will be performed by students ages 10 to 19 in Elgin Community College’s Visual and Performing Arts Center, 1700 Spartan Drive.

Area faces in lead roles include Kirsten Schulenburg of Wheaton, and Val Zawada, Matt Kuyawa and Corbin McGhee, all of Geneva.

Curtain is at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, Sept. 5, 6, 12 and 13, and at 3 p.m. Sundays, Sept. 7 and 14. Tickets can be purchased online at www.elgin.edu/community.aspx?id=2220, by calling the ECC Box Office at (847) 622-0300 or in person.

Visit cteelgin@hotmail.com or www.cteelgin.com. Both nonprofit troupes are in residence at the ECC Arts Center.


Welsh festival coming to Oak Brook

The North American Festival of Wales is coming to Oak Brook as a four-day event featuring up-and-coming Welsh musical talent, prominent Welsh guest speakers, a Welsh film festival and other festivities.

Billed as the largest Welsh gathering in North America, it takes place from Thursday through Sunday, Aug. 28 to 31, at The Doubletree Hotel Oakbrook, 1909 Spring Road, Oak Brook.

For further information, visit www.wngga.org.

The organization notes that Kelly Clarkson, Frank Lloyd Wright, Robin Williams and Tom Hanks are among the 2.5 million Americans of Welsh ancestry. Common surnames are Evans, Davies, Jones, Morgan, Price, Parry, Roberts or Williams.