The Ars Viva Symphony Orchestra has been named the 2003 Orchestra of the Year by the Illinois Council of Orchestras.
Founded in 1995 by Music Director Alan Heatherington as "a musical organization committed to performances characterized by variety and uncompromising standards of artistic excellence," Ars Viva quickly took its place among the finest orchestras in the Chicago metropolitan area and its name has become synonymous with excellence. Ars Viva concertmaster David Taylor of the Chicago Symphony is joined by other CSO and Lyric Opera Orchestra players as Maestro Heatherington hand picks the Ars Viva Orchestra, which according to Mr. Taylor, "can proudly take its place alongside such famous orchestras as the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields."
"Ars Viva is honored to be chosen Orchestra of the Year," said Mary Jo Deysach, Ars Viva's Executive Director. "We are very grateful to the Illinois Council of Orchestras for their excellent work in promoting classical music and supporting orchestras and orchestra personnel on every level throughout the state." The coveted title of Orchestra of the Year is awarded to the Illinois orchestra which excels in six specific categories established by the Council of Orchestras: programming, community involvement and outreach, opportunities for youth, audience growth, fiscal responsibility, and community support.
The Ars Viva philosophy of programming is embodied in its name: something old and something new, something tested and true from the treasures of musical art (Ars), juxtaposed with fresh creative statements of living composers (Viva). Now in its sixth season, Ars Viva has lived up to its name, providing creative programming which embraces the time-honored works of the standard classical repertoire as well as music by living composers. Lita Grier, Rami Levin, Robert Lombardo, Jon Polifrone, Dan Tucker, and Max Raimi are among those Illinois composers whose music has been featured by Maestro Heatherington and Ars Viva. Several works have been given their Midwest or World Premieres by Ars Viva.
One concert each season features a performance by the young pianist who has won the annual Steinway Society of Chicago Concerto Competition. Ars Viva is very pleased to offer this rare opportunity to a young musician to be soloist with a professional orchestra of such high quality, as well as to give our audiences the opportunity to hear performances by these extraordinarily talented young people. On February 2, Ars Viva featured 13-year-old Christina Naughton playing Saint-Saëns' Piano Concerto No. 2.
Ars Viva concerts are performed in the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie. A beautiful hall with excellent acoustics, it also offers a very convenient location and free parking. Audience members enjoy the verbal program notes given by Ars Viva's Music Director and raconteur Alan Heatherington, which give them insight into the works they are about to hear.
In fulfilling its mission "to reach out to the elderly, the disadvantaged, and the physically challenged," Ars Viva takes music into non-ambulatory senior citizens facilities in Chicago through a grant from the Rothschild Foundation. This year Ars Viva musicians will give 73 such performances.
With near capacity audiences and unique and beautiful programs planned by Alan Heatherington, Ars Viva looks forward to an exciting and lively future "making music come to life."