RECOMMENDED
It isn’t often that the trombone gets the spotlight, but the world premiere of Christian Lindberg’s “Chick ‘a’ boom Checkout,” a special commission by the CSO for its longtime trombonist Charles Vernon, gives the instrument its due and then some by having Vernon move back and forth between alto, tenor and bass trombone during the piece, which the composer says is inspired by the poetry of Carl Sandburg and is a tribute to the city of Chicago. The composer and soloist will offer pre-concert talks one hour before each performance. Chicago organist David Schrader takes the spotlight in the Saint-Saens’ Third “Organ” Symphony, the rousing finale of which became extremely popular when it was freely used throughout the “Babe” movies to accompany the exploits of a talking pig, and Ravel’s colorful “La valse” rounds out the evening; Miguel Harth-Bedoya conducts. (Dennis Polkow)
September 28 at Orchestra Hall.
Related Stories
Chicago Symphony Conundrum: Why Does the Best Get Paid Like the Rest? Imagine if the Chicago Bulls of the Michael Jordan era that won six NBA championships were being paid at levels lower than mediocre teams and you have a sense of why the players of the CSO took a vote on February 13 to “overwhelmingly” authorize a strike on March 10, after nearly a year of fruitless contract negotiations and after…- Con Brio: Muti Brings Lightness and Lyricism to Chicago Symphony Brahms Cycle By Dennis Polkow In 1989, as then-Chicago Symphony Orchestra music director designate Daniel Barenboim was leading a complete cycle of Brahms symphonies, Riccardo Muti was recording a complete Brahms cycle as then-music director of the Philadelphia Orchestra. “It is still now, not a bad recording,” assesses Muti of his work from nearly thirty years ago. “But I have been doing…
- New Adventures: A Preview of Todd Rundgren's Utopia at The Chicago Theatre Playing a set that touches on most all of the group's albums—including those dauntingly difficult and complex early works—Utopia has proven that there's plenty of life left in the band's concept.
- Five Chicago Bands You're Not Listening To (But Should) Local talent gaining a following.
- Music 45: Who Keeps Chicago In Tune 2019 We devote this year’s Music 45 to those behind-the-scenes players who too infrequently get a chance to take a bow.
- Music 45: Who Keeps Chicago In Tune 2018 Most of the artists profiled here live and work in Chicago, but there are several who have left the city; some in fact who haven’t lived here for years. What they all share is a spiritual connection to this city that tethers them to our collective identity in ways that can’t be severed by time or distance. Call it a…
