For Immediate Release:
November 12, 2015
Press Contacts:
Rachelle Roe, 312-294-3090
Eileen Chambers, 312-294-3092
Photos Available By Request
[email protected]
February 2016 Calendar of Events
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Friday, February 5, 2016, 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 6, 2016, 8:00 p.m.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Gennady Rozhdestvensky, conductor
SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 1 in F minor, Op. 10
SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 15 in A Major, Op. 141
Tickets: $30-$217
One of Russia's greatest conductors, Gennady Rozhdestvensky brings a program that pairs Dmitri
Shostakovich's first and last symphonies. The lively First Symphony, written when Shostakovich was just
19 years old, reflects the young composer's optimism of the early years in the Soviet Union. His quirky
and profound Fifteenth Symphony, written 45 years later, includes references to all of his earlier
symphonies along with quotes from Rossini's William Tell and Wagner's Ring Cycle.
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Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Thursday, February 11, 2016, 8:00 p.m.
Friday, February 12, 2016, 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 13, 2016, 8:00 p.m.
Tuesday, February 16, 2016, 7:30 p.m.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Riccardo Muti, conductor
Stephen Williamson, clarinet
LIGETI
Ramifications
MOZART
Clarinet Concerto in A Major, K. 622
OGONEK
Lightenings (World premiere, CSO commission)
TCHAIKOVSKY Serenade for Strings in C Major, Op. 48
Tickets: $36-$260
Ligeti's eerie and evocative Ramifications opens a program featuring CSO Principal Clarinet Stephen
Williamson performing Mozart's beautiful Clarinet Concerto. A world premiere specially commissioned for
the CSO's 125th season is followed by Tchaikovsky's treasured Serenade for Strings, which spotlights the
Orchestra's brilliant string section.
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Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Family Matinee
Saturday, February 13, 2016, 11:00 a.m.
Saturday, Februrary 13, 2016, 12:45 p.m.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Edwin Outwater, conductor
Chicago Shakespeare Theater, guest artists
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
MENDELSSOHN
Incidental music to
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Tickets: $6-$57
Do dreams influence reality? Felix Mendelssohn takes us into the magical woods where a group of fairies
hilariously fumble in their attempts to manipulate the lives of ordinary people. This program celebrates the
legacy of William Shakespeare whose comedic masterpiece A Midsummer Night's Dream inspired
Mendelssohn's brilliant music.
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Symphony Center Presents
Powershares QQQ Piano
Sunday, February 14, 2016, 3:00 p.m.
Sir András Schiff, piano
The Last Sonatas: Part 3
HAYDN
BEETHOVEN
MOZART
SCHUBERT
Sonata in E-flat Major, Hob. XVI: 52
Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111
Sonata in D Major, K. 576
Sonata No. 18 in B-flat Major, D.960
Tickets: $35-$102
Sir András Schiff's project, The Last Sonatas comes to a close with a performance of the final piano
sonatas of Haydn, Beethoven, Mozart and Schubert. The program includes Haydn's Sonata in E-flat
Major, widely considered to be his greatest, and Schubert's nostalgic Sonata in B-flat Major, written
during the last months of the composer's life.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Thursday, February 18, 2016, 8:00 p.m.
Friday, February 19, 2016, 1:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 20, 2016, 8:00 p.m.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Riccardo Muti, conductor
Robert Chen, violin
RESPIGHI
RESPIGHI
CASELLA
Fountains of Rome
Concerto gregoriano
Symphony No. 3, Op. 63
Tickets: $34-$221
Riccardo Muti pays homage to his homeland with two enchanting Respighi scores: Fountains of Rome,
the vivid tone poem that established the Italian composer's reputation and his soaring Concerto
Gregoriano, spotlighting CSO Concertmaster Robert Chen. Casella's Third Symphony was
commissioned for the CSO's 50th anniversary by Frederick Stock, and was declared a "victory for the
arts in Italy" (Giornale d'Italia) after its enormously successful Italian premiere.
There is a Classic Encounter preconcert discussion on Thursday, February 18, 2016. Learn more and
purchase tickets here.
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Symphony Center Presents
Jazz
Friday, February 19, 2016, 8:00 p.m.
Christian McBride Trio:
Christian McBride, bass
Christian Sands, piano
Ulysses Owens, Jr., drums
Gary Burton, vibraphone
Tia Fuller, saxophone
Sean Jones, trumpet
Willie Pickens Trio:
Willie Pickens, piano
Larry Gary, bass
Greg Artry, drums
Christian McBride Trio with Special Guests
Gary Burton, Tia Fuller and Sean Jones:
A Mack Avenue Records Super Band
Tickets: $24-$76
Detroit jazz label Mack Avenue Records boasts a luminary roster of all-star talent. Brought together for an
unforgettable evening are all-time greats the Christian McBride Trio, along with jazz legend Gary Burton,
the show-stopping Tia Fuller and Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra virtuoso Sean Jones. Local piano
legend Willie Pickens opens the evening. "Those lucky enough to get in heard a jazz pianist at the
pinnacle of his abilities, Pickens summoning power without bombast and sophistication without
pretension—and all of it dispatched with a robust sense of swing" (Chicago Tribune).
Once Upon a Symphony
Saturday, February 20, 2016, 10:00 a.m.
Saturday, February 20, 2016, 11:45 a.m.
Members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Krithika Rajagopalan, storyteller
The King Elephant and the Mice
Tickets: $17
The largest animal in the forest, the mighty King Elephant, leads his elephant family to the lake to drink.
As the herd of elephants charge towards the water, the forest mice scurry away. But when the elephants
wade into the lake, they get stuck in the mud and are soon captured by hunters! Who will come to their
rescue? Originally from a collection of Indian fables passed down through centuries, this story teaches us
that we will find friends—and courage—in unexpected places.
The King Elephant and the Mice productions are presented in collaboration with Natya Dance Theatre.
Symphony Center Presents
Special Concert
Sunday, February 21, 2016, 3:00 p.m.
Chinese New Year
Tickets: $20-$75
Celebrate the Chinese New Year with an exhilarating concert that showcases the rich history of Chinese
music, from the traditional to the contemporary. Save the date for a special performances, part of
Chicago’s annual citywide Chinese New Year celebration. More details to be announced soon!
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Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Afterwork Masterworks
Wednesday, February 24, 2016, 6:30 p.m.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor
BEETHOVEN
LUTOSŁAWSKI
SALONEN
Overture to King Stephen, Op. 117
Symphony No. 3
Foreign Bodies
Tickets: $46-$98
Polish composer Witold Lutosławski wrote his Third Symphony for Sir Georg Solti and the Chicago
Symphony Orchestra, which gave its world premiere in September 1983. Esa-Pekka Salonen, who has a
particular affinity for the composer, leads the CSO in this compelling and powerful piece.
Each Afterwork Masterworks concert begins at 6:30 and has no intermission. All ticketholders enjoy
complimentary wine and an engaging Q&A session with the guest artists in the Grainger Ballroom after
the concert.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Thursday, February 25, 2016, 8:00 p.m.
Friday, February 26, 2016, 1:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 27, 2016, 8:00 p.m.
Tuesday, March 1, 2016, 7:30 p.m.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor
Yo-Yo Ma, cello
BEETHOVEN
LUTOSŁAWSKI
SALONEN
SHOSTAKOVICH
Overture to King Stephen, Op. 117
Symphony No. 3
Foreign Bodies
Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major,
Op. 107
Tickets: $36-$260
Polish composer Witold Lutosławski wrote his Third Symphony for Sir Georg Solti and the Chicago
Symphony Orchestra, which gave its world premiere in September 1983. Esa-Pekka Salonen, who has a
particular affinity for the composer, leads the CSO in this compelling and powerful piece. Yo-Yo Ma
lends his stellar talent and showmanship to Shostakovich's wryly playful Cello Concerto No. 1.
Symphony Center Presents
Jazz
Friday, February 26, 2016, 8:00 p.m.
Stefon Harris, vibes and marimba
Elena Pinderhughes, flute
Mike Moreno, guitar
James Francies, piano
Joshua Crumbly, bass
Jonathan Pinson, drums
Rudresh Mahanthappa, alto saxophone
Adam O’Farrill, trumpet
Joshua White, piano
François Moutin, bass
Rudy Royston, drums
Stefon Harris & Sonic Creed /
Rudresh Mahanthappa BirdCalls
Tickets: $24-$76
Grammy®-nominated vibraphonist and composer Stefon Harris dazzles audiences and critics alike with
his passionate artistry and energetic stage presence. He brings his new band Sonic Creed and their
"high-gloss, dizzyingly virtuosic blend of postbop, funk and R&B-informed groove" (Time Out New York).
Also featured on this remarkable program, world-class saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa pays homage
to Charlie Parker with a set of bluesy, soaring works influenced by jazz music's renowned titan of
improvisation.
Symphony Center Presents
Powershares QQQ Chamber Music
Sunday, February 28, 2016, 3:00 p.m.
Mitsuko Uchida, piano
Musicians from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Stephen Williamson, clarinet
Keith Buncke, bassoon
Daniel Gingrich, horn
TBD, cello
With guest Nathan Hughes, oboe
SCHUMANN
SCHUMANN
SCHUMANN
MOZART
MOZART
Three Romances for Oboe and Piano, Op. 94
Three Fantasy Pieces for Clarinet and Piano,
Op. 73
Adagio and Allegro for Horn and Piano, Op. 70
Sonata for Bassoon and Cello in B-flat Major,
K. 292
Quintet in E-flat Major, K. 452
Tickets: $40-$116
Don't miss Mitsuko Uchida in her only 2015/16 appearance at Symphony Center. The sublime pianist
collaborates with musicians from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in delightful chamber music by Mozart
and Schumann. "With Mitsuko Uchida, even matters of sheer technique emerge as poetry" (The New
York Times).
Civic Orchestra of Chicago
Monday, February 29, 2016, 8:00 p.m.
Civic Orchestra of Chicago
Cliff Colnot, conductor
SHOSTAKOVICH
Symphony No. 9 in E-flat Major, Op. 70
THOMAS
EOS (Goddess of Dawn), a Ballet for
Orchestra
Free and open to the public; tickets are required.
Ignoring the public's expectations of a triumphant ode to Soviet victory, Shostakovich instead composed a
surprisingly playful and witty piece that made no political statement at all. Experience Shostakovich's
jaunty Ninth Symphony under the baton of Cliff Colnot in his final concert on the podium as Principal
Conductor of the Civic Orchestra. Also on the program is EOS (Goddess of Dawn), written by former CSO
Composer-in-Residence Augusta Read-Thomas in honor of Pierre Boulez.
Bank of America is the Global Sponsor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
The Symphony Center Presents PowerShares QQQ Piano and Chamber Series are sponsored by
PowerShares QQQ.
The Symphony Center Presents Jazz Series is sponsored by Exelon.
TICKETS for all 2015/16 Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Center Presents and Civic
Orchestra of Chicago concerts can be purchased by calling CSO ticketing services at 312-294-3000 or
800-223-7114, online at cso.org, or by visiting the Symphony Center box office at 220 S. Michigan Ave.,
Chicago, IL 60604. Discounted student tickets can be purchased, subject to availability, online in advance
or at the box office on the day of the concert. For group rates, please call 312-294-3040. Artists, programs
and ticket prices are subject to change.
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Press Contact: [email protected]
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The Chicago Symphony Orchestra: www.cso.org and www.csosoundsandstories.org
Founded in 1891, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is consistently hailed as one of the greatest
orchestras in the world. Since 2010, the preeminent conductor Riccardo Muti has served as its 10th
music director. Pierre Boulez is the CSO’s Helen Regenstein Conductor Emeritus, Yo-Yo Ma is its Judson
and Joyce Green Creative Consultant, and Samuel Adams and Elizabeth Ogonek are its Mead
Composers-in-Residence.
From baroque through contemporary music, the CSO commands a vast repertoire. Its renowned
musicians annually perform more than 150 concerts, most at Symphony Center in Chicago and, each
summer, at the suburban Ravinia Festival. They regularly tour nationally and internationally. Since 1892,
the CSO has made 58 international tours, performing in 29 countries on five continents.
People around the globe listen to weekly radio broadcasts of CSO concerts and recordings on the WFMT
radio network and online at cso.org/radio . Recordings by the CSO have earned 62 Grammy Awards,
including two in 2011 for Muti’s recording with the CSO and Chorus of Verdi's Messa da Requiem (Muti’s
first of four releases with the CSO to date). Find details on these and many other CSO recordings at
www.cso.org/resound.
The CSO is part of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association, which also includes the Chicago
Symphony Chorus (Duain Wolfe, Director and Conductor) and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, a training
ensemble for emerging professionals. Through its prestigious Symphony Center Presents series, the
CSOA presents guest artists and ensembles from a variety of genres—classical, jazz, world, and
contemporary.
The Negaunee Music Institute at the CSO offers community and education programs that annually
engage more than 200,000 people of diverse ages and backgrounds. Through the Institute and other
activities, including a free annual concert with Muti and the CSO, the CSO is committed to using the
power of music to create connections and build community.
The CSO is supported by thousands of patrons, volunteers and institutional and individual donors. Bank
of America is the Global Sponsor of the CSO. The CSO’s music director position is endowed in perpetuity
by a generous gift from the Zell Family Foundation. The Negaunee Foundation provides generous
support in perpetuity for the work of the Negaunee Music Institute.