Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Concerts - During the 2022/23 Season, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra presented 36 weeks of concerts in Chicago and toured to six states and Toronto. In his final season as Zell Music Director, Riccardo Muti conducted nine weeks of concerts at Symphony Center, led the CSO's tours and conducted the Concert for Chicago. The Orchestra gave the world premiere of a CSO commission by Mead Composer-in-Residence Jessie Montgomery and the U.S. premieres of co-commissions by Jimmy Lopez Bellido and Lera Auerbach. The CSO collaborated with The Joffrey Ballet and 49 guest conductors and soloists, such as cellist Yo-Yo Ma and composer/conductor John Williams. The Chicago Symphony Chorus joined the Orchestra to perform works by Mozart, Beethoven, Stravinsky and more.

Civic Orchestra of Chicago - The Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the CSO's prestigious training program for young professional musicians, presented 43 concerts in Orchestra Hall and community venues, including South Shore Cultural Center, Nicholas Senn High School, Kenwood Academy High School and Fourth Presbyterian Church. In addition to gaining performance experience, Civic musicians participated in coaching sessions and workshops with Principal Conductor Ken-David Masur, CSO musicians and guest artists. The 2022/23 Season marked the 10th anniversary of the Civic Fellowship program, which provides select Civic members with supplemental training in artistic planning, music education, social justice and project management.

Symphony Center Presents Concerts - The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association offers concerts by acclaimed guest artists in the fields of jazz, classical, world and folk music as part of the Symphony Center Presents series. The 2022/23 Season featured 34 concerts including sold-out performances by the Berliner Philharmoniker, soprano Renee Fleming with pianist Evgeny Kissin, tenor Juan Diego Florez, violinist Itzhak Perlman and R&B and civil rights icon Mavis Staples - a performance that was later broadcast nationally on PBS. Cuban pianist and composer Chucho Valdes performed The Creation, a Symphony Center Presents Jazz co-commission, and the CSO Brass gave the world premiere of Timothy Higgins' Concert Music for Brass, Timpani and Percussion, a CSO commission.

Retail Sales - Music-related merchandise is available for purchase at The Symphony Store and online.

Media and Royalty - Radio Broadcast series, in-house recording label, audio recordings in compact disc and digital download formats.

Rentals, Commissions, and Restaurant - Hall Rentals - Performance space provided to Chicagoland arts organizations.

Rentals, Commissions, and Restaurant - Parking Lot provided for audiences' convenience to attend concerts.

Rentals, Commissions, and Restaurant - A dining club and concessions are provided for audiences attending concerts and catering is provided for certain internal events.

Education Concerts and Activities - Across Chicago and around the world, the Negaunee Music Institute connects people to the extraordinary resources of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. In the 2022/23 Season, the NMI presented 36 CSO for Kids concerts at Symphony Center and 40 performances in schools. Training programs and performance opportunities for young musicians included the Crain-Maling Foundation CSO Young Artists Competition, Chicago Youth in Music Festival, Percussion Scholarship Program, Young Composers Initiative and partnerships with local schools and the Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative. The NMI continued to co-present Notes for Peace, a songwriting project that empowers parents who have lost children to gun violence to create original songs of tribute.

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