The Chicago Symphony Orchestra had a great impact on my life, starting in my youth. I grew up about 60 miles north of Milwaukee. In the late 70’s and early 80’s, when I was in my high school years, the CSO performed in Milwaukee for 10 Monday night concerts each year. Thanks to my band director at the time, I attended those concerts and sat in student seating in the very front row.
I already had an interest in classical music, but experiencing the talent of the Orchestra in person at such a young age has impacted me to this day. Our seats were in front of cellist Frank Miller (the CSO’s principal cello from 1959 until 1985), and I was able to watch the musicians and conductors, including Sir Georg Solti, from just feet away. I dreamed that, someday, I would regularly attend Chicago Symphony Orchestra concerts in their own concert hall.
My wife Cathy and I have always attended classical music concerts and programs. We still live in northern Wisconsin, and we retired two years ago. We now travel to Chicago four to seven times each season for the CSO subscription concert series.
Cathy and I love the Chicago Symphony Orchestra just as much as I did in my youth. Every concert is so inspirational. There’s something about experiencing classical music performed by the CSO’s top-notch musicians that is transforming and uplifting — so much so that it is hard to put into words.
By planning a future gift for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, we hope to keep the CSO on strong financial footing so that future generations can have the experiences that we’ve had. By contributing to the CSO’s legacy, we hope to honor the memories of those great musicians and conductors I enjoyed in my youth.
