Celebrating over 35 Years of great concerts
Founded in 1990 by Music Director Philip Simmons, the Lincolnwood Chamber Orchestra (LCO) became part of American Music Festivals in 2002. Named Chamber Ensemble of the Year by the Illinois Council of Orchestras in 2000, the LCO has earned a reputation as one of the Chicago area's leading professional chamber orchestras. With its flexible instrumentation and innovative programming, the ensemble collaborates with cultural, educational, and civic organizations in a wide variety of concerts and special events throughout the Chicago region.
For more than 35 years, the Lincolnwood Chamber Orchestra has performed at many of the region's premier venues, including the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, the Chicago Cultural Center, and the Copernicus Center. In its home community, the orchestra regularly presents free performances at Lincoln Hall Middle School, the Lincolnwood Public Library, and the Lincolnwood Community Center. In 2026, the orchestra partnered with the Lincolnwood Chamber of Commerce to celebrate America's 250th anniversary with a special concert at Republic Bank. Many of the orchestra's community performances are generously sponsored by Loeber Motors Mercedes-Benz.
As the resident professional orchestra of American Music Festivals, the LCO plays a central role in advancing the organization's mission of cultural exchange through music. The orchestra has collaborated with diverse communities throughout Chicagoland, presenting performances at the South Shore Cultural Center, the DuSable Museum of African American History, the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center, the American Islamic College, Benito Juarez Community Academy, the Chinatown Branch of the Chicago Public Library, and Wayfarer Theaters in Highland Park. The ensemble has also appeared on numerous performing arts series, including those presented by Lincolnwood Jewish Congregation, the Chicago Silent Film Festival, the Skokie and Northbrook Public Libraries, and the Wilmette Fine Arts Commission, as well as performances at Northwestern University, the University of Chicago, and Northeastern Illinois University.
Artistic highlights include participation in the 2016 Sir Georg Solti Memorial Festival alongside Chicago Pro Musica and Chicago Symphony Orchestra musicians appointed by Maestro Solti, performances with the choir of the Bahá'í House of Worship, the U.S. premiere of Ignacy Jan Paderewski's Suite in G for Strings in collaboration with the Chicago Chopin Society, and an ongoing series of heritage concerts featuring the rich musical traditions of cultures and communities throughout Chicagoland.
The orchestra has performed with an impressive roster of distinguished guest artists, including William Warfield, Lukas Foss, Van Gilmer, Albert Igolnikov, John Bruce Yeh, Charles Pikler, Rachel Barton Pine, Wendy Warner, Dennis James, Denis Azabagić, Emir Nuhanović, and David Schrader.
The Lincolnwood Chamber Orchestra welcomes partnerships with cultural institutions, educational organizations, civic groups, presenters, and artists across all musical genres, continuing its commitment to artistic excellence, collaboration, and community engagement.
