2021
4th QUARTER NEWSLETTER
CELEBRATING A RETURN TO LIVE PERFORMANCE!
Michèle Lekas, violin; Eric Pidluski, violin; Karl Rzaza, bassoon; Karena Moeller, cello | Photo credit: Ethan Zentz
On September 22, RSO hosted it’s first in-person concert of the Fall at Rockford Art Museum for a beautiful evening of music and art. Concertmaster Michèle Lekas was invited to share her voice as artistic coordinator on this first of a two-part series of concerts. In partnership with the curatorial staff of RAM, the concert was a unique event featuring musical selections inspired by art from the RAM permanent collection. A silver lining of our time away from the concert hall has been the incorporation of more intimate musical experiences into our concert offerings. We tested a chamber concert with audience last fall and presented numerous chamber performances on the ComEd Digital Stage this past spring. Feedback from our patrons has been tremendous. Chamber music opens a whole new world of repertoire and allows us to showcase our musicians in a new way. Chamber music concerts can complement the full RSO experience by giving patrons an opportunity to see RSO musicians in an intimate setting—close enough to see the music on their stands and observe non-verbal communication among the players.
Michèle Lekas, RSO Concertmaster
Michèle Lekas has been the concertmaster of the RSO since 1994. When living and traveling through Europe as a performer, Ms. Lekas spent time in many of the world’s greatest art museums, fostering a lifelong connection of music and art. Inspiration for this project stemmed from Ms. Lekas’s frequent practice of using a specific piece of art to help influence how she musically interprets chamber music.
Thank you to the Smith Charitable Foundation for their generous support of this program.