Orchestra

The Glenbrook Symphony Orchestra is the Northfield, Illinois District 225 Orchestra, combining students from both Glenbrook North and Glenbrook South High Schools. Members of both schools first joined forces in 1980, under the direction of Mr. Frank Winkler. In 1981, Mr. Carl J. Meyer became the Director of Orchestras and founded the "Glenbrook Symphony Orchestra" in 1994. Dedicated to bringing large-scale orchestral works to high school students and members of the community, the GSO performs two major concerts each year. Along with the fall and spring concerts, the GSO performs at school assemblies and other events. The top three soloists from the annual GSO Concerto Competition perform in the spring concert. Auditions for the orchestra are held each August and rehearsals are held on Wednesday nights during the school year. The GSO has toured throughout the United States and Europe, and has performed at the Pentagon in Washington D.C. the United Nations and Lincoln Center in New York City, The Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference, Disneyland, Disneyworld, San Marco Basilica in Venice, Italy, The Votivkirche in Vienna, Austria, The Medici Chapel in Florence, Italy and Orchestra Hall at Symphony Center in Chicago. Through an international exchange program with the CAVMS music school in Wales, the orchestra has also performed at the Coal Exchange in Cardiff. In 2008, the Glenbrook Symphony Orchestra was the first high school orchestra to be featured on WFMT/98.7's radio program, Introductions, and is included on The Best of Introductions CD.