Rachmaninov’s majestic First Symphony churns with youthful romantic fervor and ethereal mystery — perfect for a December outing. Grieg’s Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, inspired by Norway’s national folk hero, includes the instantly familiar dream-like fantasy of “The Hall of the Mountain King.” Johannes Moser brings his “remarkably visceral and vivid playing” (Gramophone) to Lutosławski’s wild and enchanting Cello Concerto.

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Grieg & Rachmaninov

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

General rehearsal of the wind symphony

Merit School of Music

General rehearsal of the Symphonic Band

Embark on a seafaring journey as Tchaikovsky summons Shakespeare’s magical island and storm-tossed seas in The Tempest. Korngold evokes the swashbuckling sailors of the 1940 Hollywood epic The Sea Hawk, and Britten portrays the coastal village of his opera Peter Grimes. The voyage concludes as Konstantin Krimmel presents Mahler’s song cycle about a traveling journeyman.

The Tempest & The Sea Hawk

The world’s most celebrated orchestral brass section takes center stage in this annual December extravaganza. Experience traditional brass works and arrangements packed with virtuosity, warmth and splendor.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Brass

Brimming with wry wit and affectionate warmth, Shostakovich’s Second Piano Concerto was a gift for his teenage son. Here, it’s a showcase for the brilliant Lahav Shani, who conducts from the keyboard. Beethoven’s powerful Egmont Overture captures the brave struggle for freedom and justice, while Brahms’ stormy and heroic First Symphony is the culmination of years of labor by the composer.

Shani, Shostakovich & Brahms

Conservatory of Music Chamber Orchestra Concert

Renowned French conductor Marc Minkowski makes his Music of the Baroque debut with music by three orchestral gods—Handel, Rameau, and Mozart. Handel’s concerto grosso originally belonged to a lost “magic opera,” while the Greek god Apollo is the hero in Rameau’s Suite from Les Boréades. And the sheer power of Mozart’s Jupiter Symphony—his final orchestral work—prompted the connection to the Roman god of the sky.

Minkowski Conducts

Harris Theater for Music and Dance

Revel in the sonic splendor of the CSO with two of its signature works: Strauss’ brash symphonic portrait of the infamous libertine Don Juan and Bartók’s exhilarating Concerto for Orchestra, a virtuosic tour de force for every instrument. The organ in Salonen’s “boldly cinematic” (Los Angeles Times) Sinfonia concertante adds another thrilling aural dimension.

Bartók Concerto for Orchestra

A taut and gripping thriller, Bartók’s one-act opera follows Duke Bluebeard and his newest wife Judith as she opens the seven doors of his castle and discovers increasingly disturbing sights. Opera stars Christian Van Horn and Ekaterina Gubanova bring to life these ill-fated characters. Juxtaposed with this macabre folktale is Beethoven’s joyful Second Symphony.

Salonen Conducts Bluebeard’s Castle

The rugged, windswept beauty of Sibelius’ Violin Concerto is a perfect showcase for Christian Tetzlaff, whose “fiery and compelling” 2022 CSO performance was named one of the year’s 10 best by Chicago Classical Review. Schoenberg’s Pelleas and Melisande is a lush, quintessentially romantic orchestral portrait of Maeterlinck’s mysterious, symbolist play, while Wagner’s prelude delivers a thrilling opener.

Tetzlaff Plays Sibelius

Tchaikovsky 6

Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture

Mixing ceremonial pomp with pastoral splendor, this survey of British classics features Haydn’s last and grandest symphonic statement, the London Symphony; exquisite gems by Elgar and Britten, and the soaring beauty of Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending with soloist CSO Concertmaster Robert Chen. Marking the 150th anniversary of Ravel’s birth, the program crosses the English Channel for the composer’s beguiling Tzigane.

Glover Conducts English Classics

The cool of the Arctic meets the warmth of Italy. The brooding, majestic themes of Sibelius’ Fifth Symphony evoke the remote landscapes of conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali’s native Finland. Tchaikovsky transports listeners to a Roman carnival in his Capriccio Italien. Seong-Jin Cho, lauded for his “expert music-making … miraculous in its execution” (The New York Times), takes on Prokofiev’s incendiary Second Piano Concerto.

Seong-Jin Cho Plays Prokofiev

Wheaton College

Celebrating 30 years, Pink Martini has taken audiences around the world, sashaying between French café music, Brazilian sambas, Cuban rumbas and a dash of jazz. Featuring the multilingual vocals of China Forbes, the ensemble from Portland, Oregon, presents a mixture of recent songs and vintage favorites.

Pink Martini featuring China Forbes: 30th Anniversary Tour

Join us for a monumental celebration of Handel's "Theodora" presented by Music of the Baroque. This event marks a special occasion in honor of Principal Guest Conductor Nicholas Kraemer's 80th birthday. Experience the dramatic masterpiece that Handel himself regarded as his personal favorite, telling the poignant story of the virtuous martyr Theodora and her Roman protector Didymus.

Under the baton of Nicholas Kraemer, a world-renowned cast of soloists including Sherezade Panthaki (soprano), Iestyn Davies (tenor), Allyson McHardy (mezzo-soprano), David Portillo (tenor), and Jonathan Woody (bass-baritone), alongside the Music of the Baroque Chorus & Orchestra, will bring this epic work to life. The performances promise an unforgettable experience, showcasing the depth of Handel's musical genius.

Event Details:
- **Dates and Times**:
  - Sunday, March 2, 2025, at 7:30 PM at North Shore Center, Skokie
  - Monday, March 3, 2025, at 7:30 PM at Harris Theater, Chicago
  - Friday, March 7, 2025, at 5:00 PM available On Demand

Don't miss this opportunity to witness one of Handel's great dramatic masterpieces performed by an exceptional ensemble. Subscribe and save to ensure your spot at this must-see event.

Handel's Theodora

North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie

Hear why Ravel is a classical music master, whether capturing the sensuous allure of Spain in Rapsodie espagnole or summoning “the Greece of [his] dreams” in his ravishing suite from Daphnis and Chloe. Barber’s Second Essay reflects the turbulent emotions of wartime. CSO Principal Clarinet Stephen Williamson solos in the world premiere of Indigo Heaven, a work written for him by American composer Christopher Theofanidis.

Ravel Daphnis and Chloe

Discover how music can help us understand and share our feelings. Born of a life filled with joy and sorrow, love and pain, the music of Tchaikovsky pulses with strong emotions. Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser and members of the CSO present the Russian composer’s courageous journey and demonstrate how music helps all of us express our emotions.

School Concert: The Music of Our Emotions

Composed as Napoleon’s forces were threatening Austria, Haydn’s Mass in Time of War features an extraordinarily ominous use of timpani and ends with a plea for peace. Beethoven’s spirited First Symphony bears the influence of Haydn but also foreshadows the development of his own compositional style. MacMillan’s eloquent Larghetto is based on his choral setting of Psalm 51.

Haydn Mass in Time of War

Shostakovich’s Eleventh Symphony unfolds with the immediacy of a newsreel as it depicts the harrowing events of the 1905 Russian Revolution. Brimming with rebellious anthems and prisoners’ songs, the Cold War-era score is widely heard as a veiled critique of the Soviet regime. Rachmaninov’s First Piano Concerto, a farewell to Russia, features the captivating Simon Trpčeski.

Orchestral events in Chicago, IL

Grieg & Rachmaninov

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General rehearsal of the ...

Merit School of Music

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Conservatory of Music Cha...

Merit School of Music

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Tchaikovsky 6

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Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Pink Martini featuring Ch...

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Handel's Theodora

Music of the Baroque

Ravel Daphnis and Chloe

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School Concert: The Music...

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Haydn Mass in Time of War...

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Hrůša, Trpčeski & Rachman...

Chicago Symphony Orchestra