NewCity | Orchestrating Change: Chicago Sinfonietta Confronts Racial Bias In Classical Music

As in the wake of the MeToo movement, classical music is having to confront a legacy most organizations would prefer not to talk about—in this case, a long legacy of racial exclusion in nearly every area, from the stage to key administrative and management positions. Read more
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Chicago Sinfonietta Announces New CEO

BLAKE-ANTHONY JOHNSON APPOINTED CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER The first African American executive to guide a nationally renowned orchestra, in May 2020 Blake-Anthony Johnson was named Chief Executive Officer at the age of 29 of the award-winning Chicago Sinfonietta, an organization acclaimed as a cultural leader in the field and a powerful champion of diversity, equity and
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A Conversation With Jennifer Koh

  JENNIFER KOH IS A VIRTUOSO MUSICIAN, BUT THAT ONLY BEGINS TO TELL HER STORY. The Korean-American violinist is a force for change and diversity in classical music through her commissioning projects (The New American Concerto, Limitless, and Bridge to Beethoven, among others) and multimedia collaborations. She is also the Founder and Artistic Director of
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Joel Thompson’s “Seven Last Words of the Unarmed”

  In November of 2014, a Staten Island grand jury chose not to indict the officer whose actions led to the death of Eric Garner. To me, the message was clear.   Any doubts I had seemed to evaporate. If I were to be killed in some interaction with authority figures, my loved ones should
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A Conversation With Dr. L. Subramaniam

  Dr. L. Subramaniam is considered one of the most outstanding Indian classical violinists, but he has also established himself as one of the foremost Indian composers in the realm of orchestral music. He has recorded, played, and composed a variety of music including South Indian Carnatic, Western classical, jazz, world fusion, and world music.
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A World Endangered – Interview with Michelle Isaac and Clarice Assad

  At a moment in our history when conservation is crucial and time is of the essence, Chicago Sinfonietta seeks to illuminate environmental change through the power of symphonic music. Forces + Fates, the orchestra’s first conversation of the season, explores the volatility of our planet, and how its future rests solely in the hands of the
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Project Inclusion | Largest Project Inclusion Class to Date

Press Contact: Jim Hirsch Chicago Sinfonietta 312-284-1553 jhirsch@localhost   Chicago Sinfonietta Continues Its Commitment to Diversity With Largest Project Inclusion Class to Date CHICAGO (August 15, 2019) – In a continuation of its commitment to equity, inclusion, and changing the face of classical music, Chicago Sinfonietta has announced its incoming class for its groundbreaking Project
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Project Inclusion | A Brief History and Inside Perspective

CEO Jim Hirsch offers a historical deep dive and insider perspective in to the creation of Chicago Sinfonietta’s groundbreaking fellowship and education program.  “I just recently saw Hamilton for the second time and the song, “The Room Where It Happens,” has been running through my brain almost non-stop. But as I think about the very
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Chicago Sinfonietta & Project W: Why are Female Composers Underrepresented?

Reena Esmail and conductor Mei-Ann Chen at the end of the Chicago Sinfonietta’s ‘Hear Me Roar’ concert of works by female composers
“One US orchestra that has consistently championed diversity is the Chicago Sinfonietta. Music by women represented 42% of the repertoire it programmed for its 30th-anniversary season in 2017–18 and included four new commissions – from Brazilian–American composer Clarice Assad, African–American composer and violinist Jessie Montgomery, Indian–American composer Reena Esmail and the multi-award-winning Jennifer Higdon.”  
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The Woman at the Podium at the Chicago Sinfonietta

“Mei-Ann Chen, music director of Chicago Sinfonietta, which kicks off its 31st season Sept. 5 with a concert at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion at Millennium Park, wants to see more women in classical music.” Crain’s Chicago Business interviewed our music director about women in music. Read more here!
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