Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra welcomes two members to leadership team

DeKALB – The Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors has elected a new president and selected a new general manager for the string ensemble, citing both individuals’ strong roots in DeKalb music programs.

Kenneth Olson, new president of the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra, has been on the organization’s board since 2018 and is the president, co-owner and a physical therapist at Northern Rehab Physical Therapy Specialists in DeKalb, according to a news release.

Orchestra officials said Olson is known as a music education advocate in northern Illinois. Olson also serves on the advisory committee for the DeKalb County Community Foundation’s Farny R. Wurlitzer Foundation Fund – a service that provides grants for music education programs throughout the northern portion of the state.

“The KSO has a collection of very passionate, talented musicians and board members, and I’d like to see how we can leverage this passion and talent to most positively impact our community to inspire future musicians and music education advocates,” Olson, a Sycamore resident, said in the release.

The other addition to the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra’s leadership team is General Manager Courtney Hanna-McNamara.

Hanna-McNamara teaches violin in the Suzuki Strings program with the Northern Illinois University Community School of Arts, according to the release. The string group is a program that helped two Sycamore High School students start a stint in musical performance. Hanna-McNamara also has performed as a violinist with the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra since 2016.

Now a DeKalb resident, Hannah-McNamara studied violin performance, as well as English, at Lawrence University. Since 2003, she’s worked as a classroom teacher, interventionist and instructional coach in school districts in Wisconsin, Colorado, DeKalb and Sycamore.

Ann B. Tucker retired as president of the KSO Board of Directors at conclusion of the 2021–2022 concert season. Tucker joined the KSO Board as secretary in 2001, and maintained that position until 2008, when she was elected as president. A highlight of her tenure as president was receiving the Illinois Council of Orchestras Award for Board President of the Year in 2019. Tucker continues to serve as a KSO Board member and assist at concerts.

Tucker also is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Oak Crest DeKalb Area Retirement Center. She lives in Sycamore and is co-owner and operator of Sycamore Antiques with her husband, James.