Diversity rules in Chen's first year with Sinfonietta

Diversity rules in Chen’s first year with Sinfonietta

Chicago Tribune
By John von Rhein
April 7, 2011
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A host of events during the 2011-12 season will introduce the Chicago Sinfonietta’s new music director, Mei-Ann Chen, to the local concert public. These include a free preseason concert at Millennium Park, a multimedia performance marking the centennial of Ravel’s “Daphnis et Chloe” and several world premieres.

For its 25th season, the orchestra will shift its west suburban home to Wentz Concert Hall at North Central College in Naperville. It will continue to perform in Orchestra Hall at Symphony Center as its primary Chicago venue.

The guest roster and repertory will further the Sinfonietta’s mission under founding director (now music director emeritus) Paul Freeman to showcase ethnic and cultural diversity.

Chen will share the podium with guest conductor Jeri Lynne Johnson for the annual tribute to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Jan. 15-16, which will include the premiere of Chicago jazz flutist Nicole Mitchell’s “Flight for Freedom.” Mezzo-soprano Christin-Marie Hill will join conductor Harvey Felder for a program April 19, 2012, honoring mezzo-soprano Grace Bumbry and featuring the premiere of Brent Michael Davids’ “Spirit Woman Song.”

Chen will take the orchestra to the Jay Pritzker Pavilion on Aug. 14 for a free program inspired by Chicago’s ethnic diversity; guest artists are the Sones de Mexico Ensemble Chicago and erhu (Chinese violin) soloist Betty Xiang. Harpist Ann Hobson Pilot will give the Chicago premiere of John Williams’ “On Willows and Birches” on the subscription opener, Sept. 24 and 26, with Chen also conducting Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony.

For a second year the ensemble will commemorate the Mexican Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) with a program of Mexican and Spanish works conducted by Hector Guzman, Nov. 1 at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance. The season will conclude June 16 and 18 with the premiere of a suite from Bernstein’s “West Side Story,” as arranged for string quartet and orchestra by Randall Fleischer.

For more information, call

312-236-3681, ext. 2, or visit chicagosinfonietta.org.