Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra

About Us

Engage with the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra in its mission to ignite lifelong engagement with music through high-caliber performance, innovative programming and community collaboration.


The Elmhurst community has a long and proud tradition of coming together to enjoy well-performed symphonic music. The encouragement and generous financial support of the community has allowed the symphony to provide quality concerts for 60 years. In the 1940’s the Elmhurst Community Theatre Orchestra provided music between sets of summer plays at the Elmhurst Community Theatre. They also performed at schools, churches, parks and other civic functions. From 1959 to 1961 the Theatre Orchestra transitioned into the current organization led by its first Music Director John Lazich. The first performance of the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra was on November 19, 1961.

The last thirty years has seen the successful accomplishment of more diverse and complex musical challenges and more and more talented professional musicians becoming a part of our rich symphonic traditions. We are especially proud of the contributions of Music Director Dale Clevenger (1981-1995) to the growth of the ESO. The growing reputation of the Elmhurst Symphony has expanded enormously with the nationally renowned leadership of Dr. Stephen Alltop who has been the Music Director since 1995.