Why the Lake County Symphony’s “Triumph and Tragedy” Feels Especially Timely This Winter

Winter in Lake County has a way of sharpening our awareness—shorter days, heavier news cycles, and a collective sense that many people are carrying more than usual.

On Saturday, February 7, the Lake County Symphony Orchestra offers a musical response to that shared experience with Triumph and Tragedy, a program that brings together three composers who transformed struggle into art.

Beethoven’s Egmont Overture opens the evening with music inspired by moral courage in the face of oppression. Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20 reveals a darker, more dramatic side of a composer often associated with elegance and ease. And Tchaikovsky’s Sixth Symphony, the Pathétique, closes the program with rare emotional honesty—ending not in victory, but in quiet reflection.

Renowned guest conductor Donald Schleicher, Director of Orchestras at Northwestern University, leads the orchestra, with rising pianist Hannah Zhang featured as soloist.

The concert takes place at the James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts in Grayslake and is designed to be welcoming to audience members at all levels of musical familiarity.

🎟️ Learn more and reserve tickets:
https://lcso.short.gy/Feb-Symphony