What a difference a day makes. The snow finally stopped and the sun is out. The winter storm yesterday left us a big pile of crisp, white beautiful snow today.
The grounds here at Ravinia look as breathtaking as ever. That doesn't mean we don't miss seeing the green grass and colorful flowers, though!
We can't wait for the warm weather and great music under the stars. Until then, enjoy some photos of the snow-covered park by clicking here.
On Monday, January 25th the Ravinia Women’s Board launched a new youth orchestra, called REACH at Hibbard Elementary. "What a wonderful feeling it was to watch as 72 students received their instruments and started to make music for the first time. It was like Christmas with no wrapping paper!" said Caroline Huebner.
The Women’s Board of Ravinia Festival, in conjunction with Ravinia’s professional education staff and the People’s Music School of Chicago, has created a new student orchestra for children 8 to 12 years old at the William G. Hibbard Elementary School in the Albany Park neighborhood of Chicago. The students selected their instruments, which were funded by a grant from Fifth Third Bank, and played them for the first time. WGN News was there to capture the event. You can watch the video here. The program is modeled on the successful “El Sistema” orchestral education plan devised in Venezuela. It is a system of total immersion in music study. The Women’s Board continues a instrument drive, please contact Agatha Hwong at 847-266-5045 or Agatha@ravinia.org.
Photo by Patrick Gipson. Special thanks to Caroline Huebner & Patty McGrath, Co-chairs of the Reach*Teach*Play Task Force.
Is there a better time of year to celebrate than summer? Could there be a better event to have a celebration then the Women's Board Gala Benefit Evening? I think not and this year's ultimate party will be on July 31, 2010. Don't miss it!
Honoring the 80th birthday of the great American composer Stephen Sondheim with a program featuring an incredible lineup of soloists who have been featured in Ravinia’s Sondheim celebrations since they began in 2001.
The evening of Sondheim’s “greatest hits,” will star Patti LuPone, Audra McDonald, George Hearn and Michael Cerveris. Conductor Paul Gemignani will lead the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Lonny Price will direct. The program will include highlights from past Ravinia Festival presentations of Sondheim shows including Sweeney Todd, A Little Night Music, Passion, Sunday in the Park with George, Anyone Can Whistle, West Side Story and Gypsy.
Fourth graders at Sherwood Elementary learned to play world rhythms on percussion instruments as part of their 10 week residency with internationally acclaimed world percussionist Doug Brush. Ravinia Festival partners with the District 112 Education Foundation to bring high quality music programs to Highland Park’s elementary and middle schools.
This photo was provided by Isaac Sinnett. He is a project manager for the Education & Community Partners department at Ravinia Festival.
Check out the new gloves that are available at Ravinia Gifts. They are so warm and cozy but you can still use your fingers for small tasks (like typing when you are still trying to thaw out from the cold). The inside is lined in a snuggly fleece and the outside is 100% wool. Look at all of the colors and patterns. (These photos were taken on my phone.)
I don't want to sound like an infomercial here but I really do love these gloves. They are so practical, fun and warm, which is kind of weird considering that your fingers are exposed.
Anyway, it's hard to do them justice online. Just imagine yourself keeping warm while easily finding the right key to open your front door instead of fumbling around with your big gloves and dropping them in the snow because you can't tell what you're doing (not that this has ever happened to me).
Stay warm!
Adriana McClintock
Marketing Manager (and winter clutz)