Chicago Symphony Orchestra

“My most vivid memory of Maestro Boulez was at my audition for CSO in 2008,” recounts violinist Ni Mei, on the occasion of his centennial. Boulez had selected a particularly difficult passage of Ravel’s Daphnis and Chloe Suite for her to sightread. “Afterward, he looked at me without a trace of a smile but a twinkle in his eye and said, ‘I know it’s hard; that’s why I chose it.’”

This week on #CSOradio: The Chicago Symphony Orchestra family celebrates the centenary of the birth of composer and conductor Pierre Boulez, who served as principal guest conductor and conductor emeritus.?Tune in to hear Boulez leading the CSO in works by Stravinsky, Scriabin, Varèse, Schoenberg and Bartók. In between, the CSO’s Ninth Music Director Daniel Barenboim conducts Boulez’?Notations?VII. Tune in tonight on WFMT! Listen on demand starting tomorrow on?https://lnkd.in/gpXwz369

CSO violist Max Raimi shares three humorous tales of Pierre Boulez in honor of the composer and conductor’s centennial — including a comical mishap during a recording session for Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle. “We all laughed, of course, but Boulez most of all.?He was in utter hysterics at his own joke,” Raimi recalls.

Last month, three CSO-affiliated artists were honored with the Crescendo Award for Black Excellence in Music at a special postconcert event on February 21 hosted by the CSO African American Network. Look back at this momentous evening and read more about the honorees: CSO trumpet Tage Larsen, former Mead Composer-in-Residence Jessie Montgomery, and composer and AAN Artistic Consultant Renée Baker.

In the fall, mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato will begin a stint as the CSO’s Artist-in-Residence for the 2025/26 Season. "I’ve been very moved to see how strong this goal is to really impact and engage the audience," she said. "It feels like the perfect time to align forces!" Hear a few more words from DiDonato about her new role and insights into her concert appearances during the 2025/26 Season.

J.S. Bach’s birth was first recorded as March 21, 1685, using the Julian calendar, but at the time of his death in 1750, most of Europe had started using the Gregorian calendar, making his birthday jump to March 31 and launching a longstanding debate about which date is more accurate. No matter which you recognize, celebrate with a Grammy-winning recording of the composer’s Mass in B Minor, performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus under the direction of Sir Georg Solti, with the Chorus prepared by Margaret Hillis! ??

Leyla and Charlie escape the chaos of family life with three young boys by returning to Symphony Center to hear the Chicago Symphony Orchestra — an evening reminiscent of one of their first dates. "There is no replacement for live music," Charlie declares. Leyla adds, "It makes you stay in the moment." Explore the rest of the video series at cso.org/belong

This month, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra family honors the centennial of composer and former principal guest conductor and conductor emeritus Pierre Boulez, whose extraordinary relationship with the CSO spanned four decades. Assistant Principal Clarinet and E-flat Clarinet John Bruce Yeh fondly remembers working with Boulez on his "kaleidoscopic" Dialogue de l’ombre double (Dialogue of the Double Shadow). At the upcoming March 23 CSO MusicNOW concert, Yeh will perform another of Boulez's groundbreaking works: Domaines for solo clarinet.

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is thrilled to return to its summer home at Ravinia Festival starting July 11! ??

Celebrating the 150th birthday of beloved French composer and pianist Maurice Ravel! ?? Music by Ravel has remained a staple in Chicago Symphony Orchestra programming over the years, and it has recorded many of his orchestral works — from La valse and Ma mère l'Oye with Jean Martinon to Le Tombeau de Couperin and the famous Boléro under Sir Georg Solti. Enjoy a selection of those recordings in a curated playlist on Apple Music.