Bill Text: IL SR0826 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Mourns the passing of Samuel Magad, the former concertmaster of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO).

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Passed) 2026-06-01 - Resolution Adopted [SR0826 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-SR0826-Introduced.html

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SR0826 LRB104 22196 LAW 38482 r
SENATE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
to learn of the death of Samuel Magad, the former
concertmaster of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO), who
passed away on May 25, 2026; and
WHEREAS, Samuel Magad was born in Chicago on May 14, 1932;
he won the CSO Youth Auditions, and he subsequently made his
solo debut with the CSO at the age of 11; he received a
bachelor's degree from DePaul University as a student of Paul
Stassevitch, and he later served in the United States Army
Orchestra in Washington, D.C.; and
WHEREAS, Samuel Magad joined the CSO first violin section
at the invitation of Fritz Reiner in 1958, and he was promoted
to assistant concertmaster by Jean Martinon in 1966; he was
then appointed to concertmaster by Georg Solti in 1972, a
position he held for 35 years until his retirement in 2007;
during his tenure as concertmaster, he appeared as a soloist
with the CSO, first performing Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 5
in 1972, and his ensuing solos were captured on several CSO
recordings, including Strauss's Ein Heldenleben and Also
sprach Zarathustra, Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade, and
Beethoven's Missa solemnis; he also performed in numerous
chamber music concerts; and

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WHEREAS, Samuel Magad founded the Northbrook Symphony as a
community orchestra in 1980, serving as the orchestra's
artistic director and conductor for 20 years until 2001;
during his tenure, the Northbrook Symphony was named the 1997
Orchestra of the Year while he himself was named the 1998
Conductor of the Year by the Illinois Council of Orchestras;
he also served as concertmaster of the Grant Park Orchestra
and Aspen Festival Orchestra, where he performed as a soloist,
a chamber musician, and a conductor for more than a dozen
seasons; and
WHEREAS, Samuel Magad was the recipient of a number of
accolades, including receiving the Governor's Award from the
Recording Academy for a lifetime of outstanding service to the
art of music and being inducted into the North Shore Walk of
Fame in Skokie for his accomplishments as a violinist and a
conductor in 2000; from his alma mater, DePaul University, he
received the Distinguished Alumni Award, a Doctor of Humane
Letters in 2010, and the Pro Musica Award for his
extraordinary contributions to music and the arts in 2017; and
WHEREAS, Samuel Magad was a remarkable musician,
visionary, and cultural leader, and through his artistry and
dedication, he created not only an orchestra in Northbrook but
a lasting cultural institution that has enriched generations

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of audiences and musicians in the North Shore community; and
WHEREAS, Samuel Magad was preceded in death by his wife,
Miriam; and
WHEREAS, Samuel Magad is survived by two children, four
grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
Samuel Magad, the former concertmaster of the Chicago Symphony
Orchestra (CSO), and extend our sincere condolences to his
family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
presented to the family of Samuel Magad as an expression of our
deepest sympathy.