Elgin Youth Symphony Chamber Ensembles to Perform on Norris "Music in the Gallery" Series

St. Charles, Dec. 29 - The Maud Powell String Quartet and the Sterling Brass Quintet - two honors ensembles of the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra’s acclaimed Chamber Music Institute - will present the next ”Music in the Gallery” concert at the Norris Cultural Arts Center, Sunday, Jan. 17 at 3 p.m.

The Norris gallery will provide an intimate setting to enjoy the passion and precision of these young virtuosos playing timeless classical chamber works.

The concert is presented through the generous support of Sterling (Stu) Ainsworth and Family, and the St. Charles law firm of Meyers & Flowers, Trial Attorneys.

Maud Powell String Quartet

The Maud Powell String Quartet includes Aditi Prakash, violin, Lisle, Naperville North High School; Emma Mueller, violin, Clarendon Hills, Univ. of Chicago Lab School; Tracy Suppes, viola, Elburn, St. Charles North High School; and Darcey Pittman, cello, Aurora, Metea Valley High School

Named for Aurora native, Maud Powell (1867-1920), America’s first international violin superstar, this premier string quartet is coached by Gina DiBello, violinist in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Since the quartet was founded in 2007, it has worked with a star-studded list of guest artists and coaches, including Midori, Rachel Barton Pine, Jaime Laredo, Isabella Lippi, Roland Vamos, Brant Taylor and members of the Pacifica Quartet. With an active rehearsal and performance schedule, the quartet has in recent years explored the quartets of Beethoven, Mozart, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Dvořák, Ravel, and Shostakovich, and newer works, as well as String Quartet No. 3 by renowned composer Daniel Brewbaker, written for and premiered by the MPSQ.

Sterling Brass Quintet

The Sterling Brass Quintet includes Ben Van Wienen, trumpet, Sycamore, Sycamore High School; Sagar Biswas, trumpet, Aurora, Waubonsie Valley High School; Eliot Kmiec, horn, Cary, Cary Grove Community High School; Ella Rose Atkins, trombone, Sycamore, Sycamore High School; and Brad Geneser, tuba, Geneva, Geneva High School

Since 2007, the Sterling Brass Quintet has been wowing audiences with its signature sound. Coached by Matthew and Kari Lee of the acclaimed Millar Brass Ensemble, the quintet focuses on performance techniques unique to brass playing, and an eclectic mix of repertoire from the Renaissance to the 21st century. Its guest coaches are among the finest brass players in the world and have included former CSO trumpeter Will Scarlett, Stephen Burns of Fulcrum Point, tuba virtuosi Rex Martin, Floyd Cooley, Gail Williams, Barbara Butler, and members of the Wisconsin Brass Quintet. 

Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra Chamber Music Institute

The Sterling Brass Quintet and Maud Powell String Quartet, along with the Hanson String Quartet (named after EYSO founding conductor Robert Hanson), are the three honors ensembles that are part of EYSO’s distinguished Chamber Music Institute. These groups represent the pinnacle of chamber music in the EYSO; students are selected by competitive audition and participate on full scholarship. The groups offer students the opportunity to study with an impressive roster of some of Chicago’s most renowned artist teachers.

The institute provides special instruction for the nearly 25 quartets, trios and quintets of EYSO students who enhance their orchestra experience with the additional challenge of playing chamber music at a high level. As a chamber musician, each student plays as a soloist in the supportive environment of peers and gets to practice collaboration, problem-solving, critical thinking and the challenge of interpreting musical masterworks.