Volunteer Q&A: Kristin Jaburek

Kristin Jaburek has been a member of the CSO Overture Council (OC) since the 2016/17 season and served as the Soundpost co-chair with OC member Elliot Callighan during the 2017/18 and 2018/19 seasons. She works in technology consulting, helping retailers to better serve their customers by aligning technology with business strategy. Kristin played the flute throughout university while studying engineering and geography. She also loves to spend as much time as possible each year in Hawaii pursuing her passions for longboard surfing and hiking.

What inspires your love of music?

I started playing the flute when I was in fifth grade and loved it so much that I played all the way through college. When I play music, the passage of time speeds up. Five hours feels like five minutes, and that makes playing a great escape from my daily life. I still play in the Buffalo Grove Symphonic Band and have played in a lot of different community bands in Florida, Boston and Hawaii.

How did you first get involved with the Overture Council?

I recently stopped traveling for work and was looking for a way to meet new people who had the common interest of the love of classical music. I looked on cso.org, found the Overture Council and joined! I really like the Overture Council. The members all have a common interest, and I have made some great friends. There are social events, educational events and unique opportunities to get a view of the inner workings of the CSO. The calendar includes events on different days of the week, offering everyone a chance to participate.

Tell us about Soundpost and your work as co-chair this season. What do did you hope to achieve?

I became the Soundpost co-chair in July 2017 with Elliot Callighan. My work is very enjoyable, because it gives me the opportunity to help produce something creative and help bring young professionals to the Orchestra. It’s important to bring in a young audience to the Orchestra to get them excited about classical music. I’m nervous about the future of classical music and want to draw young people in to hear the Orchestra and inspire them to love classical music for the rest of their lives.

Are there any particular concerts you are looking forward to this season (2017/18)?

I love holiday concerts! I have tickets to Home Alone and Merry, Merry Chicago! I also have tickets to the John Williams program in April and the Yo-Yo Ma concert in June. I’m looking forward to Lincoln Portrait by Copland and several other concerts to be determined. My favorite composer, however, is a band composer — Percy Grainger. I enjoy how he incorporates common folk tunes into his works.

What is your advice for first-time concertgoers?

People think they have to enjoy classical music in a certain way. That is not true! I encourage people to enjoy it in their own way. If you want to learn a bit more about the music before you attend a concert, Soundpost is a great way to enjoy the CSO. Soundpost explores the role of classical music in today’s world and includes a preconcert lecture, light bites and mingling with others who share an interest in exploring classical music. The programming ties to the music you’re about to hear, so you can walk into the hall with a bit of knowledge and something to consider as you listen to the concert. And it’s a great deal at $35.