Our spooky opening concert on Hallowe’en eve is going to be frighteningly fun!
We encourage you to wear a costume, bring the kids, and get ready for some jump scares. With repertoire including John Mackey’s “Haunted Objects,” and the incredible musical telling of “Tam o’Shanter” we are sure you will have a fantastic evening.
We are very excited to welcome French horn soloist Emily Whittaker, for Dana Wilson’s very creepy, “Concerto for Horn and Wind Ensemble.”
Please read on for information on our guest soloist!
About Emily
Canadian French horn player Emily Whittaker is an active soloist, freelance musician, and educator currently residing in Chicago, Illinois. She has performed with many orchestras and ensembles, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Music of the Baroque, Omaha Symphony, Victoria Symphony Orchestra, San Antonio Opera, Windsor Symphony, and the Pacific Opera Victoria. Performing as a soloist both with ensembles and as a recitalist, this year’s highlights include solo performances with the Joliet Symphony Orchestra, Kankakee Valley Symphony Orchestra, and Summer Music Festival Winds in Port Elgin.
As an educator, Emily serves on the faculty as the Horn Instructor at Elgin Community College and is a guest lecturer for colleges and universities across the country presenting her research and benefits for Audition Data Tracking and leading masterclasses. She maintains a private studio and can be seen as a guest clinician and judicator for high school and middle school competitions and festivals in the Chicago metropolitan area. In 2021, Emily was the founding director of Sunshine Horn Camp, an annual summer horn camp dedicated to young horn players to instill knowledge and confidence in playing the horn.
Emily holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Toronto with a minor in Indigenous Studies, and a Master of Music from DePaul University.
