Issue link: http://saihq.uberflip.com/i/1544282
10 Spring 2026 • sai-national.org Wen In Music By Wendy Wiegers The Evanston Alumnae Chapter has a long history of supporting Ravinia. This programmatically diverse outdoor music festival, hosted in a Chicago suburb, opened in 1904, and is now the summer residency of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Ravinia's contributions by Evanston Alumnae members and SAI Distinguished Members have aided in both promoting young musicians and in programming American music there, especially that of women composers and conductors. PAST AND PRESENT In the 1980s, Cindy Pinkerton (Beta Chapter, 1960) joined the Ravinia Women's Board. She was the chair of educational outreach programs that has now evolved into the Board's "Reach Teach Play" programs, serving over 50,000 people in under-resourced Chicago-area communities and schools. These programs open doors for everyone to access and experience the positive impact of live music. Jen Luby (Beta Mu, 1999) now serves on the Women's Board as the Strategic Plan Chair, and also co-chaired the 2024 Gala that raised a million dollars! Each summer, Evanston Alumnae selects a Ravinia concert to attend for their annual picnic. In the summer of 2025, composer and SAI Friend of the Arts Jim Stephenson was spotted at a concert and joined Evanston for a picture. CSO clarinetist John Yeh has called Stephenson "The Concerto King." He has written for every symphonic instrument, as well as for the CSO and many other symphonies, plus other musical genres. Recently, Karen Griffin (Epsilon, 1973) orchestrated "From First Notes to Life Long Musicians" to honor Pat Sikorovsky, also a past Ravinia Women's Board President. Sikorovsky is founder of Bravo Waukegan, a nonprofit organization that supports music education in the Waukegan Public School District. Griffin's piece shines a spotlight on the Waukegan students whose lives are changed by Bravo's programs. She also arranged her composition "Bravo Waukegan Fanfare," performed by a middle school band. Jim Stephenson also honored Sikorovsky with his composition "Bravo," conducting its world premiere with the Lake Forest Civic Orchestra. The summer before she became Chief Conductor of the Ravinia Festival, SAI Honorary Member Marin Alsop was also spotted at a concert and asked if she could join Evanston for a picture. Since then, the chapter has presented her with a red rose in person or for her dressing room. Along with the rose is a note thanking Alsop for all she does for promoting diverse, living composers in her Ravinia programming. She is also creator and curator of Breaking Barriers, a weekend series of concerts and other events Ravinia Music Festival Ravinia, July 27, 2025. Standing: Terry-Ann Saurmann, Renée Brown, Karen Griffin, Cindy Pinkerton, Wendy Wiegers, Ravinia, July 27, 2025. Standing: Terry-Ann Saurmann, Renée Brown, Karen Griffin, Cindy Pinkerton, Wendy Wiegers, Friend of the Arts Jim Stephenson, Lori Neuman, Stephanie William, and Jackie Tilles. Friend of the Arts Jim Stephenson, Lori Neuman, Stephanie William, and Jackie Tilles. Seated: Mackenzie Voelcker, Gamma PO Tammy Hsu-Hartenstine, and Chicago Alumnae Chapter member Courtney Chatterton. Seated: Mackenzie Voelcker, Gamma PO Tammy Hsu-Hartenstine, and Chicago Alumnae Chapter member Courtney Chatterton.