The Fox Valley Orchestra created an endowment fund within the Community Foundation to provide income for its future charitable needs.
The orchestra is a not-for-profit cultural organization whose purpose is to provide fine musical performances for people of all ages and educational opportunities for youth.
The organization accomplishes its goals through enlisting widespread community support for a symphony orchestra of professional quality with a primary focus of bringing great music to the Fox Valley community.
Dr. Colin Holman was the conductor of the Fox Valley Orchestra for its first five seasons from summer 2010 – summer 2015. Dr. Holman is a graduate of the University of Birmingham, England. He holds a master’s degree in orchestral conducting and a Ph.D. in musicology from the University of Kansas.
Before moving to Chicago, Dr. Holman taught Japanese and American students for two years at Teikyo Westmar University.
He has lectured at both the undergraduate and graduate level at Northwestern University, Northern Illinois University, Wheaton College, and North Park University, and has been the orchestra director at Loyola University since 2007.
The Fox Valley Orchestra is currently in the midst of a search for a new music director. The new conductor will be chosen in March of 2017.
Many of the musicians offer music lessons or provide music for weddings, banquets, and other occasions.
The schedule for upcoming concerts is available on the Fox Valley Orchestra website.
Fox Valley El Sistema – bringing social change and opportunities to youth.
Fox Valley El Sistema, based on the Venezuelan program of the same name, is a system not only of music education and performance, but also of social change and community building.
It becomes a vehicle of reducing crime and poverty in any community where it is established.
The enrichment of the human spirit and the sense of identity that evolves in the children is invaluable to their intellectual development and social success.
By removing the economic barrier to entry that is common to the performing arts world, El Sistema opens the doors to those most in need of these opportunities.
Through free instruction and provided instruments, children are given a chance they would likely never receive or afford elsewhere.
The Fox Valley Orchestra is excited to partner with Communities In Schools, Smith Elementary School in Aurora, and our donors to bring the first El Sistema program to our own Fox Valley Community.
