`Free” might be the key word to describe the Highland Park Strings’ Family Concerts, but an even better one would be “quality.” The musicians in this North Shore string ensemble may not be professionals, but the caliber of their playing is such that critically acclaimed artists gladly come to perform with them.
A case in point: on Sunday, in a program for solo winds, several members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra will join the Strings. They are Larry Combs, CSO principal clarinet; Michael Henoch, CSO assistant principal oboe; Bruce Grainger, CSO assistant principal bassoon; and Gail Williams, CSO assistant principal horn. Admission, as usual, is free.
In 1979, however, when lawyer Larry Block founded the Strings ensemble, public performances were not part of his plan. He gathered the artists together, he says, “. . . because there was a group of chamber musicians living on the North Shore who wanted to perfect their skills and learn more about the vast string repertoire.”
Block recalls, “We soon learned that unless you are preparing for a performance of some kind it is hard to maintain your diligence, so we put on a little program at the Park District in 1979, and little by little that led to a three- and now a five-concert season.”
Concerts are free thanks to the support of the Highland Park Park District, corporate sponsors and proceeds from an annual benefit concert-and Block likes it that way. “Many community orchestras have become fully professional, and ticket prices are almost the same as those downtown,” he says. “But the fact that our concerts are free is important particularly for seniors and young people.”
And the young ones do come with their parents. “The setting is kind of informal because we take the music seriously but we don’t take ourselves too seriously and therefore I think people feel comfortable bringing children,” says Block. “No one is going to get excited if they only stay for half of the concert or if a child jumps up and runs around a little bit.” In fact, Block admits, “My own grandson started coming when he was 3 1/2 and he used to dart around, but now (at age 5) he loves it and sits quietly.”
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Highland Park Strings, 3 p.m. Sunday and April 24, Elm Place School, 2031 Sheridan Rd., Highland Park; 3 p.m. March 30, Highland Park High School, 433 Vine Ave., Highland Park; free. 708-831-3810.