Elgin News Digest: ESO, bandura ensemble performing at Elgin church; Hall of Famer Frank Thomas to sign autographs in Elgin

ESO, bandura ensemble to perform Sunday at Elgin church

Elgin Symphony Orchestra’s “Melodies of Resilience: A Concert Honoring Ukraine and Its Culture,” featuring The Chicago Bandura Ensemble, will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23, at Journey of Hope United Methodist Church in Elgin.

The bandura is a traditional Ukrainian stringed instrument that blends elements of the zither and the lute, according to the ESO website. All ensemble members sing and play the bandura.

The concert is in support of Ukraine and its ongoing war with Russia. The church is located at 37W040 W. Highland Ave.

For tickets and more information, go to www.elginsymphony.org/concert-and-event-schedule/chicago-bandura-ensemble.

Elgin library program to focus on ESO’s 75th anniversary

Retired educator Ann Chipman will speak about the Elgin Symphony Orchestra’s first 75 years in a program to be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, at the Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove Ave., Elgin.

Chipman will present archival photos and video interviews during the event, which will cover the history of the symphony from its beginning in the 1950s as a community orchestra to its current status as an award-winning professional orchestra, according to the library’s website.

To register to attend, go to attend.gailborden.info/event/12114780.

Hall of Famer Frank Thomas to sign autographs in Elgin

Former Chicago White Sox player Frank Thomas, a member of the MLB Hall of Fame, will sign autographs from 5 to 7 p.m Saturday, Feb. 22, at Top Shelf Sports Cards, 359 S. Randall Road, Elgin.

Tickets for the event range from $10 to $559, depending on options chosen, according to the Top Shelf Sports Cards website. Those options include authentication, photo ops, autographs and VIP packages.

Thomas, whose nickname was “The Big Hurt,” spent most of his major league career in the 1990s and early 2000s with the White Sox. During his career, he hit 521 home runs, drove in 1,704 runs, had 2,468 hits and achieved a .301 batting average, according to MLB.com.

For more information, go to topshelfsportscards.com/frank-thomas-appearance-signing.

Historian to talk about slavery in Illinois at Elgin museum

Historian and educator Caroline Kisiel will present, “Did Black Lives Matter in Early Illinois?: Voices from the Brink of Slavery and Freedom,” at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23, at the Elgin History Museum, 360 Park St.

Combining historical readings, visuals and audience engagement, the program will look at the legacy of slavery and freedom in Illinois, according to the museum’s website.

To attend the free event, register at elginhistory.org/event/carolinekisielblacklives.