“The Chicago Sinfonietta hosted a stellar Martin Luther King Jr. tribute concert at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra On Monday, Jan. 18 Music director Mei-Ann Chen was brilliant as she conducted the Sinfonietta with her signature charismatic style.”

Read more about our 2016 Martin Luther King Tribute Concert in Rollingout’s full review!

“I see Dr. King’s dream personified in the mission and vision of the Chicago Sinfonietta,  the country’s most diverse symphonic orchestra, which hosted their annual MLK Concert on yesterday. It was more than serendipity that Maestro Paul Freeman, the Sinfonietta’s founder, met Dr. King in an airport and the idea to form the organization was born. Maestro Freeman’s work has been hailed both nationally and internationally since the organization’s founding in 1987.

“…I wonder if Dr. King could even, in his wildest imaginings, see how his legacy grows and continues to yield amazing fruit.”

Read more about our annual tribute concert to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Chicago Now’s review!

“Like the great religious works of Bach or Handel, great gospel music transcends belief because it is a sublime worldly manifestation of human gifts performing in service to a belief in the spiritual. The soloists and the choir were marvelous artists, whose performance inspired some in the audience to clap with the music, or even rise up and sing at the top of their lungs, as has been the practice for many decades in African-American churches.

“…Again, it is difficult to doubt or criticize the sincerity of the people who helped patch this program together. Rather than preaching to the audience, the mission of the program was to use the inspiration from a great American to communicate to the audience using their artistic gifts. Dr. King was not necessarily at the center of this program; the musicians were, and that was a far more prudent choice.”

Read more from Splash Magazine here about our 2014 tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.!