The Wallace Foundation today announced the Chicago Sinfonietta as one of only 18
arts organizations founded by, with, and for communities of Color (and the sole
orchestra) to be part of the Foundation’s “first phase of a new five-year arts
initiative… to foster equitable improvements in the arts”.

Said President and Chief Executive Officer Blake-Anthony Johnson, “This
transformative gift is an investment in Chicago Sinfonietta, a national treasure, an
investment in the City of Chicago, and an investment not only in the national
symphonic music landscape but in the future of the field globally. This recognition
and support of our vision allows Chicago Sinfonietta to continue to learn, lead and
continue to expand our commitment to communities as America’s 21st century
orchestra.”

Selected from over 250 applicants, the other grantees of the national initiative are:
1Hood Media (Pittsburgh, Pa.); Arab American National Museum (Dearborn, Mich.);
BlackStar (Philadelphia, Pa.); EastSide Arts Alliance, Black Cultural Zone, and Artist
As First Responder (Oakland, Calif.); Esperanza Peace and Justice Center (San
Antonio, Texas); Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts +
Culture (Charlotte, N.C.); Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico (San Juan,
Puerto Rico); PHILADANCO!The Philadelphia Dance Company (Philadelphia, Pa.);
Pillsbury House + Theatre (Minneapolis, Minn.); Pregones/Puerto Rican Traveling
Theater (Manhattan and Bronx, N.Y.); Queer Women of Color Media Arts
Project (San Francisco, Calif.); Ragamala Dance Company (Minneapolis, Minn.);
Rebuild Foundation (Chicago, Ill.); Self Help Graphics & Art (Los Angeles, Calif.);
Theater Mu (Saint Paul, Minn.) The Laundromat Project (Brooklyn, N.Y.); and The
Union for Contemporary Art (Omaha, Neb.).

It’s finally here! Announcing our 2022-23 Season! This one is real special because it’s also our 35th Anniversary.

That’s right! For 35 years we’ve been trailblazers in classical music, and this upcoming season is our best yet!

Through our annual repertoire, Music Director Mei-Ann Chen carries on the legacy of our Founder, Maestro Paul Freeman, by celebrating the work of composers of color, women artists, new compositions, new music, and underperformed pieces.

This upcoming season will thrill you with special guests such as Julian Velasco, Rachel Barton Pine, and Inbal Segev, and exciting compositions  that range from contemporary (Carlos Simon’s Fate Now Conquers, Nkeiru Okoye’s Voices Shouting Out, and a new commission by our Artist-in-Residence Kathryn Bostic) to classic favorites (Respighi’s Pines of Rome and Beethoven’s 7th).

Plus, we are offering more than ever outside the concert hall. Sinfonietta in Your Neighborhood gives you double the opportunity to enjoy CS, in unique venues all around Chicagoland. From Ravinia to St. Peter’s Church, and beyond, CS is simply everywhere!

It’s our commitment to you that we will continue to be pioneers in this space, leading by example, and inspiring others to help create a more beautiful world.

Thank you for being part of this journey and here’s to the next 35! 

Get your tickets and renew subscriptions here!

The Wallace Foundation just published a follow up to their a follow-up to their 2020 report about Black American participation in the arts.  We think it’s a must read for anyone working in our industry. Click Read More to get the link!

A Place to be Heard; a Space to Feel Held: Black Perspectives on Creativity, Trustworthiness, Welcome and Well-Being–Finding | by the Wallace Foundation

#performingarts

Happy holidays from CS! We hope this fun mix of classical and popular tunes makes everything merry!

And enjoy our year-end Spotify wrapped! Thanks for all your support!

Our first playlist this summer was so popular we’re making this a regular occurrence!  Enjoy our team’s suggested music, and enjoy them on our Spotify page as well! Click the song titles to view on Youtube.

​Sadie Woods, Residents Orchestrate Project Manager

PHILIP GLASS Suite from Dracula: Excellent Mr. Renfield (with the Carducci String Quartet)

JACKIE WILSON Light My Fire

Noah Cline, Executive Assistant to the CEO

BRAHMS Symphony No. 4

TAYLOR SWIFT Holy Ground

Christine Janicki, Orchestra Personnel Manager

DEBUSSY Arabesque No. 1

BRAHMS Intermezzo in A Major, Op. 118, No. 2

MOZART “Der Hölle Rache” from The Magic Flute

Carolina Almeida, Designer

ARNOLD BAX November Woods

SHARON JONES & THE DAP-KINGS How Long Do I Have to Wait for You

Blake-Anthony Johnson, CEO

FRANCIS POULENC Les chemins de l’amour (sung by Jessye Norman)

CHANCE THE RAPPER (featuring Jay Electronica & my cousin Nicole). How great

Danielle Taylor, Project Inclusion Manager

ASTOR PIAZZOLLA Otoño Porteño (from Four Seasons in Buenos Aires)

SARAH VAUGHAN Autumn in New York

Emily Quist, Director of Marketing and Patron Services

STRAUSS Four Last Songs, “September”

BILL EVANS TRIO Autumn Leaves

Laura Grant, Publicist

IMOGEN HOLST The Fall of the Leaf (with cellist Steven Isserlis)

TAYLOR SWIFT All Too Well

Chicago Sinfonietta has a Spotify channel! You can hear past CS recordings, and enjoy our curated playlists from anywhere! Check out our LGBT History Month playlist, on the channel now!

Congratulations to PI Freeman Conducting Fellow and 2021 Chicago Sinfonietta’s Co-Assistant Conductor Kyle Dickson on being a recipient of Grant Park Music Festival’s 2021 Advocate for the Arts Award, presented to leading individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to Chicago’s arts and cultural landscape!

Project Inclusion is Chicago Sinfonietta’s groundbreaking program where talent and mentorship converge to develop diverse and emerging musicians, conductors, and administrators on and off-stage. Here’s our monthly summary of news from current and former fellows:

Antoine Clark (Former Conducting Fellow) was selected for the Assistant Conductor position at the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra.

Allison Lovera (Former Ensemble Fellow) received a new position with the Minnesota Orchestra.

In August, Kalena Bovell (Former Conducting Fellow) made her conducting debut at the BBC Proms with the Chineke! Orchestra.

Caitlin Edwards (Former Orchestral Fellow) was awarded a prestigious 3Arts award for 2021.

Kyle Dickson (Violin and Conducting Fellow) is in the newest class of Salonen Conducting Fellows as a student in the Negaunee Conducting Program at the Colburn School. As part of the fellowship, he also joins the conducting staff of the San Francisco Symphony, where he’ll join the roster as an Assistant Conductor to Esa-Pekka Salonen for this season.

Taichi Fukumura (Conducting Fellow) has been invited to the Karajan Academy’s conducting competition this month (Oct 22). The competition will take place at the Berlin Philharmonic.

Michelle DiRusso (Conducting Fellow) is in her first season as Assistant Conductor of the North Carolina Symphony.

@taichi_fukumara@kjdviolin@michelledirusso@silvursmiles
@allisonklovera@antoinetclarkconductor
Photo credit: Kyle Flubacker

Previous subscribers, we’ve saved your seats! Simply follow the instructions below to renew your subscription online. If you are new to CS or haven’t subscribed in a while, you can purchase a new subscription here!

How to Renew:

1. Log into your CS Account by clicking on the person icon in the top right corner of the CS website.

2. Click on the Subscriptions tab on your account page.

3. You will see your subscription seats on hold here. Click Buy Subscription.

(If you do not see a seat hold listed for you, please click here to purchase a new subscription or call the Box Office at 312-284-1554)

4. Here you can make any changes to the number of subscriptions you wish to purchase.

5. On the next screen, you can change the venue you wish to attend. (If you wish to change the venue of just one of the performances in your subscription package, please call the Box Office at 312-284-1554)

6. The next page is a seating map showing you where your held subscription seats are located. Your seats will already be populated in the system, and they will have a green ticket icon over them. If you do not wish to change seats, simply click Next.

(Note: The Upper and Lower Balconies at Symphony Center are now on a single screen labeled Balcony, with the upper and lower portions separated by a line.)

7. Review your cart, and click the View Details button next to each item to see your specific seat numbers. When you are happy with the contents of your cart, click Checkout to complete the transaction. You are now renewed for the 22-23 Season!

Have questions? Need help?

Please call the Box Office at 312-284-1554 or email boxoffice@chicagosinfonietta.org, M-F from 10am-4pm. We are happy to assist you!