The Renovo String Orchestra

verview The Renovo String Orchestra was incorporated in the State of Illinois on March 16, 2010, and it received IRS 501(c)(3) tax exempt status as a public charity on September 21 of the same year. Since its incorporation, it has presented 10 Main Series concerts, and 4 Chamber Series Concert, collaborated with over 16 other area organizations and ensembles, helped to present 8 concerts in 3 communities outside the Chicagoland area, and has brought live music to children in the school systems. 2010 Preview Concert It began artistic production with an initial concert, "An English Evening," on April 19, 2010 at the Music Institute Chicago in Evanston, Illinois and convened its Board of Directors for its first meeting on May 23, 2010. During the first nine month period, established itself as an organization member of Chamber Music America, secured endorsements for educational programs from the Chicago Federation of Musicians (CFM), and began artistic collaborations with several Chicago area and regional organizations. All programs were designed to provide excellent artistic experiences for all audiences through string orchestra performance. 2010-2011 In the 2010-2011 season, the Renovo String Orchestra convened area musicians for a successful first season, Tour of Nations, of both accessible, but seldom heard repertoire combined with familiar string music. With a diverse repertoire and a passion for audience engagement, the RSO included a variety of music in each concert leading audiences to understand the musical tradition and the process of musical evolution and innovation across many cultures. First, the RSO presented "An English Evening" featuring composers Elgar, Britten, Bridge, and Holst; "Viva Italia!," a program of Respighi, Rossini, Puccini, and Donizetti; "Northeasterly Sounds," music of Suk, Greig, Bartok, and Dvorak; and "The German School" highlighting Brahms, Mozart, and Mendelssohn. Through careful, somewhat traditional programming, the RSO began to build a following a core audience, developed continuity and cohesiveness in the ensemble, and increasingly has earned critical respect for excellence in performance. 2011-2012 The second season, Neo-Music, builds on the first season. While it presents the icons of the Baroque, Classical, Romantic styles, more importantly, it traces their influences to 20th-century contemporary composers (Creston, Simic, Corigliano) using Neo-period works