Program Information
LIGETI | Lontano
MOZART | Symphony No. 31, “Paris”
HOLST | The Planets
Chad Goodman, conductor
Women of the Elgin Master Chorale
Ticket Information
Prices: Gold $65 / Red $42 / Green $20
Student tickets $10
Call and ask about our Free Youth Tickets for children ages 17 and under
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Chad Goodman has received widespread praise for thrilling conducting that combines “precision, agility and fervor” and for displaying the “pitch perfect combination of abandon and subtlety” (South Florida Classical Review).
The 2023/24 season marked Goodman’s inaugural year as Music Director of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra—only the fifth leader in the orchestra’s prestigious seven-decade history. Goodman also serves as Artistic Director of IlluminArts, Miami’s art song and chamber music concert series. In this role, he curates site-specific classical music programs in collaboration with the leading museums, art galleries, and historic venues of Miami.Goodman made his Minnesota Orchestra subscription debut in June 2024, stepping in on short notice to lead the season finale program featuring works by Smyth, Poulenc, and Tchaikovsky.
From 2019 to 2023, he was the Conducting Fellow of the New World Symphony, where he was the assistant conductor to Michael Tilson Thomas. In addition to leading the orchestra in more than fifty performances, Goodman created the educational program “SPARK: How Composers Find Inspiration,” which blended engaging audience participation with captivating light design and videography.
Goodman has served as an Assistant Conductor to the San Francisco Symphony, working alongside Michael Tilson Thomas, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Manfred Honeck, Daniel Harding, Elim Chan, Simone Young, and James Gaffigan, among others. He has recently made debuts with the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra, Greensboro Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, and Orquesta Sinfónica del Estado de Puebla (OSEP).
As Founder and Artistic Director of Elevate Ensemble, Goodman’s ambitious vision for concert programming resulted in the pairing of music from San Francisco Bay Area composers with underappreciated gems of the 20th and 21st centuries. Under his leadership, Elevate Ensemble established a Composer-in-Residence program and commissioned fifteen new works.
Goodman also leads workshops that teach young musicians the business skills needed to successfully navigate the music world. Forbes praised the conductor’s bold strides both on and off stage and hailed him as “An entrepreneur bringing innovation to classical music.” Last year, he published the book You Earned a Music Degree. Now What?
Goodman holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music and a Master of Music degree from San Francisco State University. His mentors include Michael Tilson Thomas and Alasdair Neale. -
The Elgin Master Chorale is a cultural cornerstone of Elgin and the Fox Valley creating a thrilling, emotional experience for audiences at each performance by achieving an overall level of excellence in singing, presentation and production. Elgin Master Chorale is comprised of approximately 85 adult singers – admitted by audition only – who share a passion for choral masterworks and other fine choral repertoire.
Far from a solitary organization, Elgin Master Chorale creates collaborations with performing arts organizations such as the Elgin Symphony Orchestra, the Maud Powell String Quartet, and others that elevate and energize the entire community.
We annually produce an educational outreach concert, with matinees free of charge created specifically for the engagement, education, and artistic enjoyment of young people. We are committed to educational outreach in performing for – and with – area students who learn to value the arts as an integral part of their growth and a path to achieving their full potential. You can attend an Elgin Master Chorale concert in the assured expectation of experiencing great choral music performed with passionate excellence. See for yourself why audiences are saying, “It’s my choir.” Make it yours, too.
Elgin Master Chorale was formed in 1947, under the name Elgin Choral Union, when local musician Dean Chipman had a vision of a large-enough vocal ensemble to perform Brahms’ famed German Requiem. His dream became reality when 192 singers from over 15 local choirs joined together to give voice to this grand work. The premiere took place on May 7, 1948 at the First Congregational Church of Elgin. Frank Kratky directed the performance accompanied by two pianos. The house was full, the audience enthusiastic, and the largest vocal group in the Fox Valley was underway.
Incorporated as a not-for-profit in 1966, the organization changed its name to Elgin Master Chorale in 2014 to better reflect our mission emphasis on musical excellence. In-residence at Elgin Community College, Elgin Master Chorale presents several concerts per year at the renowned Blizzard Theatre at the college, as well as the Hemmens Cultural Arts Center and other locations in the Chicago area. Under the direction of Maestro Andrew Lewis, Elgin Master Chorale is comprised of approximately 85 adult volunteer singers from across the Fox Valley communities. We are proud of our rich history, dedicated singers, and drive to excel; we have grown from our valued roots as a 'union' of church choirs, and are dedicated to our mission of being the premiere vocal ensemble in the Fox Valley.