Jay Friedman’s 20th anniversary season as music director of the Symphony of Oak Park-River Forest is getting off to a fine start. Friedman won’t be leading tonight’s rehearsal in Dominican University’s Lund Auditorium (Sept. 23 at 7:30 p.m.), but he found a pretty good sub: Chicago Symphony Orchestra Maestro Riccardo Muti. This is the third time Muti has led an open rehearsal, in keeping with his emphasis on supporting community orchestras. It also helps that Friedman is the first trombone emeritus with the CSO, where he played for over 50 years.
At last year’s open rehearsal, Muti suggested that Friedman and his symphony do “Autumn” from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, as well as Verdi’s “Four Seasons” from his opera I Vespri Siciliani, both of which will be performed in the Symphony of OP-RF’s upcoming Oct. 18 concert.
Meanwhile, if you want to see the Maestro in action, head over to Dominican’s Lund Auditorium tonight, 7900 Division in River Forest. It’s free. No tickets needed.
You can’t beat that.
If you want tickets to the Oct. 18 concert, however, just visit SymphonyOPRF.com.
Ken Trainor