Celebrating the Legacy of Maestro Paul Freeman all Season Long
Chicago Sinfonietta dedicates our entire 2015-16 season to the memory and legacy of Founder and Music Director, Maestro Paul Freeman. Since his passing in July of this year, much has been written and shared about Maestro Freeman and his lifelong dedication to music and the rich diversity of human achievement. Throughout our season, we will continue to honor Paul through special events, the collection and sharing of 1,000 personal memories, stories, photographs and videos and of course through the Sinfonietta’s music, including the dedication of several of Maestro Freeman’s favorite pieces and two world premiere pieces composed in his honor.
Below you can learn more about the ways you can join us in celebrating Paul’s incredible contributions to music and our community. We encourage you to check back often as we will add and update this list of activities frequently and offer a variety of ways for you to share your memories and embrace a spirit of celebration around Maestro Freeman all season long!
Paul Freeman: The Global Maestro Remembered
Join us as we honor and remember Maestro Paul Freeman through music, special guest speakers and more. This event is free and open to the public and attendees will be invited to remember Paul through participation in our 1,000 Stories Project, contributing to a collaborative artwork made in Paul's memory and embracing the beauty of some of Paul's favorite pieces of music.
Paul Freeman: The Global Maestro Remembered
Community Memorial Event
Saturday, October 17th
@ 11AM-12:30PM
Lund Auditorium
Dominican University
7900 Division St.
River Forest, IL 60305
1,000 STORIES PROJECT
Starting in September and continuing through June 2016, our “1,000 Stories Project” will actively collect memories and stories about Maestro Freeman through video booths at our concerts, personal interviews with musicians, social media and more. There are lots of ways to share your memories with us to help us reach our goal of 1,000 stories by our Ball in June!
Chicago Sinfonietta
RE: Maestro Freeman Stories
70 E Lake St, Suite 1430
Chicago, IL 60601
Calendar of Events
Concert 1: Tap In. Turn Up.
Oct 3 @ 8:00 pm, Wentz Concert Hall
Oct 5 @ at 7:30 pm, Symphony Center
Share your memories in our first "1,000 Stories Project" video booth. We will also begin the concert with a special musical dedication to Maestro Freeman.
Concert 2: Día de los Muertos
Nov 1 @ 3:00 pm, Wentz Concert Hall
Nov 2 @ at 7:30 pm, Symphony Center
Featuring the world premiere of Ofrendas: Mictecacihuatl, Lady of the Underworld, a new work composed by Elbio Barilari in Paul’s memory. Attendees are also invited to contribute to an ofrenda created in Paul's honor.
Concert 3: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Tribute Concert
Jan 17 @ 3:00 pm, Wentz Concert Hall
Jan 18 @ at 7:30 pm, Symphony Center
Featuring the Apostolic Church of God Choir, with whom Maestro Freeman frequently collaborated, this concert will honor and celebrate Paul with moving performances tributes from our guest artists and of course Paul’s signature closing piece, We Shall Overcome.
Arts & Diversity Reception Celebrating Paul Freeman
January 18th, 2016 @ 5:30PM
Symphony Center
Our annual Arts & Diversity Reception will be dedicated to Paul's incredible legacy. At this event, we will bring together citywide leaders in the field of Diversity & Inclusion to honor Maestro Freeman’s dedication and commitment to creating an orchestra that represented the broad community it served.
Concert 4: BYOB: Bring Your Own Beat
Mar 12 @ 8:00 pm, Wentz Concert Hall
Mar 14 @ at 7:30 pm, Symphony Center
This concert will feature Pataruco: Concerto for Venezuelan Maracas and Orchestra, debuted by Paul, and Estancia Dances, one of his favorite works. We will shine a light on the history of Project Inclusion and Paul’s dedication to education and development for young musicians with Project Inclusion Conducting Fellow, Roger Kalia serving as a guest conductor for a piece at this concert.
Concert 5: Cosmic Convergence
May 21 @ 8:00 pm, Wentz Concert Hall
May 23 @ at 7:30 pm, Symphony Center
Featuring the world premiere of a new work composed by Michael Abels, inspired by, and dedicated to Paul. We will also premiere the result of our "1,000 Stories Project" and have a special surprise "astronomical" dedication.
2016 Chicago Sinfonietta Ball
June 4th, 2016
The culminating event in our Season of Celebration, our annual Ball will honor Maestro Freeman’s life, legacy and incredible contributions to our community and the larger landscape of orchestral music. The evening will include special performances led by Project Inclusion conductors as well as videos celebrating Paul’s life.