Neighbor News
Lake County Symphony Orchestra's Season Opener Marks a First for the Ensemble
On September 12, Jennifer Huang becomes the first woman to conduct the LCSO since the orchestra's founding in 2004
GRAYSLAKE, IL — When the Lake County Symphony Orchestra (LCSO) opens its 2026–27 season on September 12 at the James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts, guest conductor Jennifer Huang will lead the ensemble through a program of Beethoven, Louise Farrenc, and Mendelssohn — and in doing so, become the first woman to conduct LCSO since the orchestra's founding in 2004.
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Huang, a Taiwanese-American conductor, currently serves as Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Northwestern Medical Orchestra and Music Director of the Chicago Bar Association Symphony Orchestra. Her recent posts include Music Director of the Merit School of Music Chamber Orchestra and Music Director of Thompson Street Opera Co. Before moving to Chicago in 2021, she held conducting posts across the San Francisco Bay Area, including Resident Conductor of the UC Berkeley Symphony Orchestra.
An advocate for new music and an accomplished violinist, pianist, and vocalist, Huang has performed as an instrumentalist under conductors including Riccardo Muti, Esa-Pekka Salonen, and Gustavo Dudamel. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Molecular Cell Biology and Music from UC Berkeley and a Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting from Northwestern University's Bienen School of Music.
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LCSO's season-opening concert, New Worlds, takes place Saturday, September 12 at 7:30 PM at the James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts, 19351 W Washington St, Grayslake. Tickets start at $30, with season packages also available. More information and tickets are available at lakecountysymphonyorchestra.com/september-2026-concert.
