Lincolnwood Chamber Orchestra Performs Moonlight and More

The
Lincolnwood Chamber Orchestra performs “Moonlight
and More” at the Skokie Theatre, 7924 N. Lincoln, on Friday, February 21, at 8PM. 
Philip Simmons conducts a concert of evening music with works by
Schumann, Mozart, Dvorak, and Vivaldi. 
The program features a showing of the short silent film Moonlight.  Filmmaker Michele McGovern performs as flute
soloist.  Reception will follow.  Tickets are $25, seniors and students $20.  Visit www.americanmusicfestivals.com or call
224-456-2399 for more information.

This will be the LCO’s second concert at the beautifully
remodeled Skokie Theatre.  “Moonlight and More” will explore the moods
and emotions evoked by the evening and darkness.  Robert Schumann’s bittersweet Evening Song,
Mozart’s charming Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Dvorak’s passionate Notturno, and
Vivaldi’s chilling Concerto for Flute “La Notte”  will “set the stage” for Chicago’s North Side
Premier of Moonlight, a film inspired
by Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata. 

Moonlight debuted at Chicago Symphony Center last June to great
acclaim, and has already been shown at a number of Festivals including the 10th
Annual Dam Short
Film Festival (Boulder City, Nevada) the 12th Annual Route 66 International
Film Festival (Springfield, Illinois), the International Film Festival of
Cinematic Arts (Los Angeles, California), the Lake Michigan Film Competition (East
Lansing, Michigan), and the Jaxson Film Festival (Jackson, Michigan).  A tragic love story, Moonlight reflects the
conflicting emotions of love and death in Beethoven’s enduring work. 

Filmmaker Michele McGovern created “Moonlight” as a memorial
to her long time friend and mentor, Melody Lord.  Michele performed with pianist Melody
throughout the Chicago area and in recital at Carnegie
Hall.  The music for the film is an
adaptation of the McGovern/Lord version, of Beethoven’s masterpiece, done in
collaboration with American Music Festivals.  The sound track includes
performances by pianist George Radosavljevic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra
cellist Gary Stucka, and Ms. McGovern on flute.

Moonlight is Michele McGovern’s first film,
and acting debut.  A flutist and arranger,
she earned a Bachelor of Music degree in performance in 1992 and a Master of
Music degree in performance in 1994 at the Chicago Musical College, Roosevelt University, awarded full scholarships for both
degree programs.  In 1994 she won the
Musicians Club of Women Award for musical excellence. In 1996 she won first
prize in The Society of American Musicians competition, Farwell competition and
the Union League Civic and Arts competition.

Ms.
McGovern has made a number of solo appearances with the Lincolnwood Chamber
Orchestra,  They include Mozart’s D Major
Concerto, Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 4, “For Toru” (with composer Lukas
Foss conducting) and the McGovern/Lord arrangement of Bizet’s Carmen.  Her teachers include Jean Berkenstock,
Alexander Murray, Donald Peck, and Mary Stolper.  Ms. McGovern is a board member of the Union
League of Chicago, Musician’s Club of Women, and an Artist-in-Residence with
American Music Festivals.

Tickets for
the Friday, February 21 Skokie Theatre performance by the Lincolnwood Chamber
Orchestra of “Moonlight and More” are
$25, $20 for students and seniors.  They
are available at the Theatre Box Office, phone 847-947-2155, or on line at
www.skokietheatre.org.