Lawrence “Larry” Block plans every season for the Highland Park Strings. It’s a labor of love that the founder, general manager, and co-principal cellist of the group just completed for the 47th time.
Block joked that when he started the group, not only did he not envision that the orchestra would be around for 47th seasons, “I didn’t envision I would be around.”
Not only is Block still around, but he is as enthusiastic as ever. He proudly noted that the Highland Park Strings, which holds four concerts per season, regularly attracts between 600 and 700 audience members.
He attributes that to several factors. “I think we fill a niche,” he said. “First of all, our concerts are free. When people come to our concerts, they’re blown away. We’re playing Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, and honestly, you couldn’t tell the difference from the Chicago Symphony. It’s the music that people want to hear. I encourage our audience to bring their children, their grandchildren. It is intended to be an event for the community, and it has turned out that way.”
“Larry (Block) has built a program I’m so proud to be part of,” said Allan Dennis, who is in his third year of conducting the Highland Park Strings. “He’s got excellent string players and he lets me hire the wind players, so I know we have excellent wind players. It’s very high-quality for a community-based orchestra. I have such great respect for him. He knows his audience; he knows his players.”
There are usually between 60 and 65 musicians in the orchestra.
Although he plans the programs, Block said that conductor Dennis has veto power.
Block reported that he likes to have a theme for every season. The theme for the 47th season is “300 Years of Great Music.”
“Since I get to do the programming, I do works that I love,” Block admitted.
The season begins at 3 p.m. on October 19 with “Bach, Beethoven and Barber.” The selections are “Suite No. 2 in B minor, BWV 1067” by Bach; Barber’s “Concerto for Violin, Op. 14,” featuring guest artist violinist Yang Liu; and Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21.”
“I try to build each concert around what the soloist is doing,” Block explained.
“Orchestras don’t play Bach enough,” Dennis said, noting he encouraged Block to include a work by Bach as an orchestra piece in the concert. “He loved the idea.”
Dennis reported that the flute soloist for the Bach piece will be orchestra member Claudia Cryer from Evanston.
The concert will be at the Highland Park Strings’ regular venue, Highland Park High School, 433 Vine Ave.
The second concert of the season at 3 p.m. on Dec. 7 at the high school is “All Brahms.” The concert will open with “Hungarian Dances,” followed by the “Concerto for Violin and Cello (Double Concerto) in A minor, Op. 102,” featuring violinist Ilya Kaler and his son cellist Daniel Kaler. The concert will conclude with “Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68.”
“The December concert is very special because it features Ilya Kaler,” Block said. “He was the violin professor at DePaul (University), but then moved to the Cleveland Institute of Music. He’s a world-class violinist and his son just joined the Cincinnati Symphony.”
Dennis noted that he told Block, “My favorite piece in the whole world is Brahms’ Symphony 1.’” So, Block added that selection to the program.
The Highland Park Strings does one benefit concert each year at Bennett Gordon Hall at Ravinia. This season that will be at 3 p.m. on Feb. 1, the “ All Mozart” concert will feature “Overture to The Marriage of Figaro, K. 492;” “Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550;” and “Concerto for 2 Pianos in E-flat major, K. 365,” featuring husband and wife pianists Susan Merdinger and Steven Greene.
Tickets for the benefit concert are $40 for general admission. Call 847-831-3622 for reservations.
The season concludes at 3 p.m. on May 17 with “A Rising Star—Bach to Garrop” at the High School.
The program features “Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 in B-flat major, BWV 1051” by Bach; Max Bruch’s “Concerto for Violin and Viola,” featuring Desiree Ruhstrat on violin and Callia Murray on Viola; “Krakatoa for Viola” by Stacy Garrop, featuring Murray; and Dvorak’s ”Serenade for Strings in D minor, Op. 44.”
“Krakatoa is a mountain that erupted five times,” Dennis said. “Stacy (Garrop) wrote this a couple of years ago, and it’s fantastic. There’s a lot of percussion in it.”
Block indicated that they have no trouble attracting these acclaimed soloists. “They love to play with us,” he revealed. “It’s low-key. I have a list. I can’t really get to all the soloists. We’ve had over 40 members of the Chicago Symphony play with us.”
For more information on the Highland Park Strings, visit highlandparkstrings.org.
Myrna Petlicki is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.