Local Jeweler Commemorates Evanston Symphony 75th-Anniversary with A Remarkable Gift
EVANSTON, IL, USA: Seventy five years ago history was made when Evanston Symphony Orchestra opened its doors to celebrate fine art and music with the public. Commissioned by the symphony, Christopher Duquet, synonymous with the custom jewelry design and engagement rings, was honored when selected to create a commemorative baton for their 75th-anniversary event.
“In this design, it was important to capture the love of music in the fine arts community, and use meaningful symbols, precious metals, and of course diamonds - which are the traditional 75th-anniversary gift - to show the brilliance of composition,” said Christopher Duquet. “Jewelry tells a story, and this collaboration highlights our goal of telling the story of the music, and that can only be expressed in art and design working together.”
Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss and Christopher Duquet presented the commissioned baton to the ESO Music Director Lawrence Eckerling at a concert in early November.
Christopher Duquet brought simplicity and elegance to the commemorative baton. “To solve a creative challenge like this design, first I look at how the baton is functional. The bulb is designed to fit comfortably in the hand. Then I consider the story of the sculpture, its aesthetic as it captures the precious art of music, with diamonds laid into the design of a music score, and inscribed with the symphony’s logo.”
“While I have designed fine jewelry for over 25 years, this piece was an exciting challenge, since unlike other heirlooms like a lapel pin, a ring, or a sculpture displayed on a table, the baton would sit in someone’s hand. I had a blank canvas to add elements of a music score, visually capture the experience of a classical conductor, and reflect it in the design.”
Christopher Duquet is familiar with unique commissions as he has designed the inaugural pin of Chicago’s Mayor Laurie Lightfoot, and created an architectural sculpture of the David M. Rubenstein Forum at the University of Chicago, among other noteworthy collaborations supporting both the Evanston and Chicago art scenes.
