Discover the rich tapestry of American choral music with a program of soulful spirituals and contemporary masterpieces in this free concert.

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American Choral Masterworks with the Grant Park Chorus

South Shore Cultural Center

It's a farewell concert for the ages. The Grant Park Music Festival's Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Carlos Kalmar steps down after 25 storied years. And with his usual flair, Carlos marshals a massive cast of friends for Gustav Mahler's glorious "Symphony of a Thousand," including eight world-class soloists, the Grant Park Orchestra, the Gumpoldskirchner Spatzen children's chorus under the leadership of daughter Katja Kalmar and the Grant Park Chorus under Christopher Bell.

Mahler Symphony No. 8

Millennium Park

Wallow in the sweeping Romantic melodies of Rimsky-Korsakov's enchanting tribute to the heroine of The Arabian Nights, the clever young queen who saves her own life by spinning a tale for 1001 nights. Guest conductor Eric Jacobsen leads the Grant Park Orchestra in Lili Boulanger's portrait of springtime, and soprano Lindsey Reynolds joins the acclaimed Grant Park Chorus for Poulenc's Stabat Mater.

Scheherazade

Guest conductor Giancarlo Guerrero brings two stunning masterworks to the Grant Park Orchestra: Beethoven's monumental Emperor Concerto with soloist Stewart Goodyear and Maurice Duruflé's soul-stirring Requiem featuring the renowned Grant Park Chorus. Adding to the evening's gravitas, the concert opens with a world-premiere composition by Chicago composer Jim Stephenson.

Beethoven Emperor Concerto

Guest conductor Ludovic Morlot conducts Stravinsky's high-octane ballet score Petrushka, with dazzling instrumental effects and orchestral oomph. Also, the acclaimed Grant Park Chorus joins the orchestra for two marvelous choral rarities by Brahms and Kodály.

Stravinsky Petrushka

Harris Theater for Music and Dance

Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Carlos Kalmar and Chorus Director Christopher Bell bring the acclaimed Grant Park Chorus to the neighborhoods with a gorgeous program devoted to the wonders of the human voice.

Choral Masterworks

Columbus (Christopher) Park

Join us at the Grant Park Music Festival for a captivating evening as acclaimed violinist Christian Tetzlaff takes the stage at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. This special performance, "Tetzlaff Plays Elgar," is set to enchant audiences on Friday, June 14, 2024, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm, and again on Saturday, June 15, 2024, from 7:30 to 9:30 pm.

Christian Tetzlaff, a longtime friend of the Festival, will showcase his exceptional talent with a rendition of Sir Edward Elgar's poignant and technically challenging Violin Concerto. This masterpiece is renowned for its emotional depth and virtuosic demands, promising a performance of breathtaking intensity and beauty.

The evening will also feature "The Cloud Messenger" by Gustav Holst, performed by the Grant Park Chorus under the baton of Carlos Kalmar. This rarely performed work is celebrated for its ravishing beauty, offering a perfect complement to Elgar's concerto.

The concert will be under the musical direction of Carlos Kalmar, with Christopher Bell leading the Grant Park Chorus. The event will also highlight performances by mezzo-soprano Lauren Decker, alongside the talented musicians of the Grant Park Orchestra.

Don't miss this extraordinary opportunity to experience the brilliance of Christian Tetzlaff and the combined forces of the Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus in a stunning setting. Learn more about free seating options at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion and make plans to immerse yourself in a night of unforgettable music.

Tetzlaff Plays Elgar

Giancarlo Guerrero leads the Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus in Mozart’s soul-stirring Requiem, left incomplete at the time of the composer’s premature death at 35. Written during the height of the AIDS crisis, John Corigliano’s Symphony No. 1 is another requiem of sorts, memorializing friends and colleagues lost to the disease.

Grant Park Chorus

7 - 8 Aug, 2026

Mozart Requiem

Jul 2, 2026

American Choral Masterworks with the Grant Park Chorus

16 - 17 Aug, 2024

Mahler Symphony No. 8

Grant Park Chorus