Chicago Sinfonietta

Looking for something to do this weekend? Look no further than "The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat," penned by Sinfonietta cellist Edward Kelsey Moore, author, with a fresh soundtrack by Kathryn Bostic, the Sinfonietta's first Artist-in-Residence!

Tell us about your favorite scenes, in the comments!

Stream on Hulu, and read more about Kathryn's movie experience here:

KATHRYN BOSTIC dines on the emotionally tasty score of THE SUPREMES AT EARL’S ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT - ON THE SCORE   Emmy-nominated for American Masters’ “Amy Tan Unintended Memoir,” the notably elegant Bostic has created soundtracks that traverse a wide range of films, shows and documentaries that often deal with […]

🎶 Exciting News! 🎶The Sinfonietta is thrilled to welcome back Mexican-American composer Juan Pablo Contreras for our "Culture Chronicles" concerts on Nov. 21 & 22!

After hosting Juan Pablo last season with his mariachi-inspired Mariachitlán, JPC returns to the CS stage with the Chicago premiere of Alma Monarca (Monarch Soul), a powerful co-commissioned piece celebrating family and tradition via Día de los Mu***os.

Recently nominated for his third Latin GRAMMY, Juan Pablo's "La Minerva," recorded with Orquesta Latino Mexicana and soloist Angélica Olivo, was released by Universal Music Mexico in 2023. His past nominations include Lucha Libre! (2023) and Mariachitlán (2019).

Tune in for the Latin GRAMMYs on November 14, and join us for an unforgettable night of music on Nov. 21 & 22!

Happy Friday! Our 21/22 Fellow Taichi Fukumura, Conductor leads the Colorado Springs Philharmonic in their Season Opener this weekend, September 28 and 29 at the Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts in a program featuring violinist Randall Goosby performing the Barber Violin Concerto, and Bernstein's "Three Dance Episodes" from On the Town and Beethoven's Symphony No. 7.

Taichi opens his own orchestral season with our neighbor the Illinois Symphony Orchestra on October 18.

Join us in congratulating Taichi on his achievements!

Celebrate 🌍 with CS through the universal language of music! On Nov. 21 & 22, we perform Czech composer Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8, a masterpiece full of languages—let’s explore this tuneful homage to his Bohemian homeland.

🌿Sym. 8 features many “languages”: Bohemian folk melodies, peasant dances, birdsong, and pastoral scenes.

Dvořák stated his eighth symphony was “different from the other symphonies, with individual thoughts worked out in a new way.” I.e. – in a new language!

🎻The music’s direct, and seemingly simple approach masks a complex, sophisticated style, being the composer’s most ambitious work structurally – much like the way that languages are very complex.

Join us Nov. 21 and 22 for this masterful work, along with works by global composers Gabriela Lena Frank and Juan Pablo Contreras!

🎶 Support the Future of Classical Music! 🎶

Join us in transforming the world of symphonic music by donating to the Chicago Sinfonietta, the nation's most diverse orchestra! Your generous contribution helps champion exciting school music programs and community outreach, plus, innovative concerts that showcase women and BIPOC composers, musicians, and conductors!

🎻 Be the change. Support diversity in music today!

🌐 Donate now: https://chicagosinfonietta.org/give/

🎶 TODAY at 4 PM! The CS Brass Quintet returns to ChicagoLive! at Navy Pier! 🎶

Join us today from 4-4:30 PM on the East Stage to soak up the sun and the bold and brassy tones of trumpets Matt Lee and John Burson, along with horn player Mary Jo Neher, trombonist Robyn and tubist Charlie Schuchat.🎺

Their selections from the PROPEL season include music by women, BIPOC, and classical favorites like Dvořák and Bernstein.

This free event is a great way to sample local arts, come out and say hello to our friendly Brass Quintet. Let us know what song and instrument resonated with you in the comments for a chance to win free concert tickets to November 21/22 with "Culture Chronicles"!

Happy Friday! Our Fellows continue to share our mission far and wide!

Roger Kalia (Class of 2015-16) has been Music Director of Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra since 2020. Beginning tomorrow, September 21 in their season opening concert, he leads the Indiana-based orchestra in a 90th Anniversary celebration.

This event prominently features women musicians, women composers, and works of inspiration, including esteemed violinist Anne Akiko Meyers playing Adam Schoenberg's "Orchard in Fog" Concerto, plus perennial audience favorite, Tchaik 4.

Happy 90th Anniversary to the Evansville Phil, and congratulations Roger!

Learn more about our Freeman Fellowship programs at https://chicagosinfonietta.org/education/project-inclusion-ff/

This week, falls on . Here at the Sinfonietta, every day is an Equal 🎶 PLAY 🎶 Day!

For 37 years, we’ve been elevating women as artists, composers , and conductors. Last season, 58% of the music we performed was composed by a woman, and 66% of our soloists were female 👩‍🎤.

How do we compare to other orchestras? 🎻
Across 21 top US ensembles, only 22% of 2023/24 concerts programmed pieces by women or non-binary composers. Nationally, just 10.5% of all performed works in 23/24 were composed by women 👩‍💼.

Most women-forward concerts were single events 🎟️rather than the repeat performances typical of male-forward concerts. For context, just the combined music of Beethoven and Mozart played in 23/24 makes up this 10.5% figure.

Where are all the female conductors? Women led major ensembles just 20.8% of the time last year. Our dynamic Maestra Mei-Ann Chen Conductor leads 4 of 6 subscription concerts this 24/25 season, propelling women forward throughout!

💵 Consider donating to the Sinfonietta, where your dollars translate into equal representation and equal pay. Visit https://chicagosinfonietta.org/give/ to donate today!

(Want to read the facts for yourself? Here’s the study by the Women’s Philharmonic Society: https://wophil.org/2023-2024-season-by-the-numbers/?doing_wp_cron=1726512713.6144909858703613281250)

Bold. Innovative. Inclusive. YOU! Join the CS in our mission to foster diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging as we create community through imaginative symphonic experiences.

Your generous donation allows the CS to continue presenting innovative concerts, community outreach programs, and in-school music education support.

Play Your Part! Consider donating to the CS at https://chicagosinfonietta.org/give/

Happy 137th birthday to Nadia Boulanger!

Nadia Boulanger was one of the most influential figures in 20th-century classical music, celebrated not only for her compositions and conducting but primarily for her exceptional career as a music educator. Her importance from her pioneering work in shaping generations of composers, at a time when women were usually excluded from prominent roles in the industry.

Boulanger trained an extraordinary number of prominent composers to embrace their individual voices, including many black composers working to integrate their experiences into music. You may know:
• Aaron Copland 🇺🇸- Of "Appalachian Spring" and "Fanfare for the Common Man" fame.
• Leonard Bernstein 🇺🇸- Credited Boulanger with sharpening his analytical skills and admired her intellectual rigor.
• George Walker 🇺🇸- The first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music for his complex and emotionally powerful compositions. (Hear his music at our February 22 concert!)
• Julia Perry 🇺🇸- African American composer celebrated for her blend of classical with African American spirituals.
• Quincy Jones 🇺🇸 - Famed composer, conductor, and record producer, deeply influenced by classical music.
• Elliott Carter 🇺🇸- A complex modernist known for his intricate, multi-layered compositions.

Cheers to the pioneering career of Nadia Boulanger, teacher of a generation!

🎶 WOW! Last weekend’s "Screen & Stage" concert was a showstopper! LLaurin Talese Musicleft us breathless with her powerhouse vocals 🎤and stunningly personal interpretations of Broadway classics, while Maestra Mei-Ann Chen led the CS through an energetic and youth-inspired performance to kick off our 37th season! 🎻

✨ What was your favorite piece or moment from the night? Let us know in the comments below! 👇

And don’t forget to mark your calendars for "Culture Chronicles" on Nov 21 & 22—more surprises await! 🎉

🎶🎭

Bravo to Quinton Folks, Guest Conducting Assistant to Maestra Mei-Ann Chen Conductor for his electrifying Chicago Sinfonietta debut!👏

Quinton led the encore of Bernstein's high-energy 🎶 Mambo movement from "Symphonic Dances" during our Opening Night concerts this past weekend.

His confident, articulate, and dynamic conducting style brought the house down and left the audience buzzing!

🎉 Here's to many more exhilarating moments to come!

Photo credit: David Boi

🎶 Play Your Part in creating a more inclusive, equitable world through music! 🎶

By donating to Chicago Sinfonietta, you support bold, diverse programming that amplifies underrepresented voices in classical music. Every gift ensures we continue Maestro Paul Freeman's legacy of fostering opportunities for minority musicians, composers, and soloists.

🎼 Make a difference today: chicagosinfonietta.org/give

Shoutout to the phenomenal Laurin Talese for her breathtaking performance this weekend at Wentz Hall and Auditorium Theatre for Opening Night! 🎤 This woman has some pipes and sings like none other! 🌟 Thank you for sharing your extraordinary talent with us—we're still buzzing from your showstopping performance! 🙌🎶

Don't miss our second performance at 3 PM this afternoon!

Last-minute tickets just $5 with PROPEL5 at https://chicagosinfonietta.org/september-2024-screen-and-stage/

See you there!

Tonight is Opening Night! We'll see you at Wentz Concert Hall in downtown Naperville. PROPEL into our 37th Season with music inspired by youth, from the big screen to Broadway.

Tickets as low as $5 with our PROPEL5 and PROPEL10 Pay-What-You-Can discount tickets! Visit https://chicagosinfonietta.org/september-2024-screen-and-stage/

The Sinfonietta is more than just an orchestra, we are a musical force for positive change. When we donate, your dollars are used to:

• Break down barriers and amplify diverse voices in classical music.
• Present programs that reflect the rich cultural heritage of our community.
• Showcase emerging artists who are shaping the future of classical music.
• Provide access to high-quality performances and educational opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds.

Please consider making a donation to Chicago Sinfonietta today and play your part in building a more harmonious and just society.
https://buff.ly/3yTDuTQ

Just 4 days until our starlit opening night! We hope to see you there! Tix are as low as $5 with our Pay What You Can program! Just enter PROPEL5 or PROPEL10 at checkout.

Chicago Sinfonietta starts its new season with ‘Screen & Stage’ “Music, because of its specific and far-reaching metaphorical powers, can name the unnamable and communicate the unknowable,” said Leonard Bernstein. Chicago Sinfonietta, one of the most diverse...