ELGIN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA – HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR 2021

DECEMBER 10, 2021 @ 8p

@ RAUE CENTER FOR THE ARTS

HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR PROGRAM 2021 

Andrew Lewis, conductor
Elgin Master Chorale 

L ANDERSON
Christmas Festival

HERBERT
March of the Toys from Babes in Toyland

arr. Wachner
“Angels We Have Heard on High”

arr. Rutter
“Go, Tell It on the Mountain”
Elgin Master Chorale 

TCHAIKOVSKY
Selections from The Nutcracker
The Pine Forest in Winter
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy
Trepak
Tea
Waltz of the Flowers

PROKOFIEV
Troika from Lieutenant Kijé Suite

L ANDERSON
Sleigh Ride

        ———–INTERMISSION———–             

arr. Bass
Fanfare: Joy to the World

arr. Rutter
“We Three Kings of Orient Are”
Elgin Master Chorale 

arr. Smith
Jingle Bells Forever

arr. Hayman
“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”

arr. Custer
“Winter Wonderland”

arr. Rutter
Cantique de Noel (“O Holy Night”)

arr. Rutter
“Away in a Manger” 

arr. Rutter
“O Come All Ye Faithful”   
Elgin Master Chorale 

BERLIN
arr. Bennett
“White Christmas”

arr. Finnegan
Christmas Singalong

arr. Bass
“We Wish You a Merry Christmas” from A Feast of Carols
Elgin Master Chorale

Andrew Lewis, conductor

Recently profiled by John von Rhein in the Chicago Tribune as “the inspiring conductor, scholar, and educator,” Andrew Lewis is Artistic Director of Bella Voce and the Bella Voce Sinfonia, Music Director of the Elgin Master Chorale, Choirmaster at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Evanston, a member of the faculty at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and assistant conductor of the Chicago Symphony Chorus. He has been a guest lecturer at Concordia University Chicago, Loyola University Chicago, the Lectures in Church Music series, Garrett Theological Seminary, and formerly taught the conducting course at DePaul University. He has been a guest conductor with the Milwaukee Symphony Chorus and has appeared on several occasions as a guest conductor with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Lewis’s performances with Bella Voce, the Elgin Master Chorale & Elgin Symphony have been broadcast nationally on WFMT 98.7.

Mr. Lewis attended Northwestern University, receiving his Bachelor of Music degree in music theory. While a student at Northwestern he received a scholarship to observe the rehearsals of Daniel Barenboim and Asher Fisch at the Staatsoper-Unter-den-Linden, Berlin. After college he moved to California, worked as a church musician, and was an original member of the Philharmonia Baroque Chorale of San Francisco, having sung with Baroque specialists Nicholas McGegan and John Butt. He then attended the Eastman School of Music to study choral, orchestral, and operatic conducting with William Weinert and orchestral conducting with David Effron, receiving his Master of Music degree in 1998.

Mr. Lewis has also studied with conductors Helmuth Rilling, Robert Shaw, Robert Spano, James Paul, Gustav Meier, Stephen Cleobury, Duain Wolfe, and Dale Warland in the United States and Michel Tapachnik in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Mr. Lewis is married to singer and conductor Kirsten Hedegaard. He and Kirsten have three boys, all of whom sing with their dad at St. Luke’s.

ELGIN MASTER CHORALE

Elgin Master Chorale was formed in 1947, under the name Elgin Choral Union, when local musician Dean Chipman had a vision of a large-enough vocal ensemble to perform Brahms’ famed German Requiem. His dream became reality when 192 singers from over 15 local choirs joined together to give voice to this grand work. The premiere took place on May 7, 1948, at the First Congregational Church of Elgin. Frank Kratky directed the performance accompanied by two pianos. The house was full, the audience enthusiastic, and the largest vocal group in the Fox Valley was underway.

Incorporated as a not-for-profit in 1966, the organization changed its name to Elgin Master Chorale in 2014 to better reflect our mission emphasis on musical excellence. In-residence at Elgin Community College, Elgin Master Chorale presents several concerts per year at the renowned Blizzard Theatre at the college, as well as the Hemmens Cultural Arts Center and other locations in the Chicago area. Under the direction of Maestro Andrew Lewis, Elgin Master Chorale is comprised of approximately 85 adult volunteer singers from across the Fox Valley communities. 

We are proud of our rich history, dedicated singers, and drive to excel; we have grown from our valued roots as a ‘union’ of church choirs, and are dedicated to our mission of being the premiere vocal ensemble in the Fox Valley.

Elgin Master Chorale Roster:

ALTOS
Dina Ackermann
Tricia Aurand
Samantha Beckmann
Belina Bermea
Alison Bleick
Karen Brhel
Elizabeth Dooley
Barbara Franquelli
Marcia Harran
Sarah Henry
Gwen Holst
Sandra Magana
Lisa Michnick
Linda Mueller
Kaitlyn Pacchini
Carolyn Raber
Carol Rechtoris
Christine Ross
Kathy Rubino
Carole Ruby
Diane Schael
Laurie Stivers
Dorothy Voigt
Luann Zanzola

TENORS
Deb Anderson
Kimberly Bianchi
Christine Dalphy
Ted Hall
Robert Lake
Lisa Michnick
Wain Parham
Frederick Peterbark
Josh Pritchett

BASSES
Bob Acker
Mark Clemens
Richard Grieger
Will Hayes
Chris Johnson
Larry Klemm
Richard Leasure
Alberto Mantovano
Robert Martin
Dennis Rossow
John Ruby
Dan Spike

VIOLA

Amanda Grimm – Principal

Loretta Gillespie – Assistant Principal

Rebecca Swan

Susan Posner

CELLO

Matthew Agnew – Principal

Sally Lee – Chair

Nazar Dzhuryn – Assistant Principal

Kerena Moeller

Mark Kuntz

Robert Weber

Elizabeth Start

Sara Sitzer

BASS

Timothy Shaffer – Principal

Jeremy Attanaseo

Susan Sullivan*

Gregory Heintz

Jason Niehoff

John Floeter

FLUTE

Jean Bishop – Principal

Scott Metlicka

FLUTE/PICCOLO

Julia Richter

OBOE

Erik Andrusyak* – Principal

OBOE/ENGLISH HORN

Joseph Claude

CLARINET

Gene Collerd – Principal

Trevor O’Riordan

BASSOON

Vincent Disantis – Principal

Collin Anderson

HARP

Lilian Lau

PIANO

Pat Lee

FRENCH HORN

Greg Flin t- Principal

Sharon Jones

Steven Replogle

Mary Buscanics-Jones

TRUMPET

Ross Beacraft – Principal

Michael Brozik

David Gauger – Assistant Principal

TROMBONE

Reed Capshaw – Principal

Adam Moen

BASS TROMBONE

Mark Fry

TUBA

Charles Schuchat – Principal

TIMPANI

Robert Everson – Principal

PERCUSSION

Brian Oriente – Principal

Michael Folker

George Blanchet

*Leave of Absence 2021-22

This event is supported by

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Tim Paul, board president

John Jacobsen, vice president

Chuck Stevens, treasurer

Luanne Flavin, secretary

John Green
Mike Johnson
Richard Kuranda
Stacey McInerney
Jack Minsley
Rich Naponelli
Michelle Nowland

Sandra Pierce
Williams Schmiel
Regan Shepley
Steven Szalaj
Jerry Trachsler

RAUE CENTER STAFF

Richard Kuranda, executive director/founding artistic director (CEO)

Kyle Schneider, producing & operations manager

Jarrod Bainter, director of production

Meredith Schaefer, director of marketing & institutional advancement

Michele V. Knight, marketing manager

James Knight, economic development manager

Billy Seger, institutional advancement associate

Maribeth Ling, institutional advancement assistant/box office lead

Alayna DeVar, education coordinator/lead instructor

Jess Urban, RCSA education coordinator & producer/WSRep equity stage manager**

Caro Arana, assistant director of production

Commedore Clark, audio supervisor/ production coordinator

Savannah Thomas, box office associate

About Raue Center For The Arts

Raue Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of all through the arts. For 20 years, they have provided quality programming – striving to make it pertinent, available, and affordable to all. As a painstakingly restored, 1920s regional showcase theatre named for its benefactor—Lucile Raue—Raue Center has attracted the finest stars, Broadway shows, musicians and artists. Named on the League of Historic American Theatres, Raue Center is one of the finest examples of restored art and decor in the nation. The 750-seat theatre, located in historic downtown Crystal Lake, Illinois, is a gathering place for our region’s citizens and has become a true destination. 

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