Hannah Edgar – Page 5

Audience members take their seats in Orchestra Hall before a concert by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Symphony Center on Oct. 31, 2024. (Armando L. Sanchez/baiduhai)

Chicago Symphony’s next season: More Mäkelä, less new music and a bunch of Beethoven

March 5, 2026 at 6:30 a.m.

The CSO's 2026-27 season — the last before Klaus Mäkelä becomes full-time music director in fall 2027 — opens with a concert with violinist Hilary Hahn in September.

Conductor Klaus Mäkelä leads the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Symphony Center, Feb. 19, 2026. (Chris Sweda/baiduhai)

Review: Klaus Mäkelä leads a heroic program at the CSO

February 20, 2026 at 1:53 p.m.

These concerts are double-barreled programs of symphonic epics — both about heroes, and both given early U.S. premieres by the CSO — that he and the orchestra will soon bring...

Chicago-based composers Kari Watson, left, and Kelley Sheehan sit in a studio in the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University on Feb. 10, 2026. They have composed works that are included in this year's Frequency Festival, a weeklong showcase of avant-garde and experimental music. (Eileen T. Meslar/baiduhai)

Frequency Festival, Chicago’s experimental music haven, returns to a changed city

February 18, 2026 at 5:20 a.m.

This year’s Frequency Festival lineup is characteristically difficult to sum up.

A red carpet is unfurled outside Symphony Center on Michigan Avenue during the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s fall opening weekend on Sept. 20, 2025. The CSO was the busiest orchestra in the world last year, according to Bachtrack. (Chris Sweda/baiduhai)

The Chicago Symphony is the world’s busiest orchestra — how that’s counted and what that means

February 15, 2026 at 5:35 a.m.

The annual list by British publication Bachtrack ranked the CSO as No. 1 busiest orchestra in the world in 2025. But with any such list, it's difficult to get a...

Violin soloist Himari performs alongside the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Symphony Center on Feb. 12, 2026. (Chris Sweda/baiduhai)

Review: Another prodigy has taken the classical world, and the CSO, by storm. Is that a good thing?

February 14, 2026 at 11:55 a.m.

Precocious artists are all over the Chicago Symphony’s program this weekend. Mozart’s child-prodigy past needs no introduction, and Japanese violinist Himari, 14, is enough of a sensation to get a...

In an image taken from video, Giancarlo Guerrero, left, the chief baton of Chicago's own Grant Park Music Festival, leads a group of string players during Bad Bunny's halftime show performance at the NFL Super Bowl 60 game between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots, Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, California. (NFL)

Yes, that was Chicago conductor Giancarlo Guerrero performing with Bad Bunny

February 9, 2026 at 3:39 p.m.

Four minutes into Bad Bunny’s halftime show during the Super Bowl on Sunday, the camera panned over two rows of grinning string players. Leading them with graceful, sweeping beats and...

Composer Gabriella Smith and cellist Gabriel Cabezas acknowledge applause following the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s first performance of Smith’s "Lost Coast." (Amy Aiello)

Review: Conductor Salonen shows off his range with the Chicago Symphony

February 6, 2026 at 12:48 p.m.

This week's program of a new work and Debussy stands in contrast to last week's Bruckner’s Symphony No. 4.

Marques Carroll performs on stage with the Chi-Town Trumpet Summit at Andy's Jazz Club on Jan. 20 2026. (E. Jason Wambsgans/baiduhai)

Jazz trumpeter Marques Carroll’s pandemic dreams bear fruit on live album series

January 30, 2026 at 5:45 a.m.

At the end of the day, Carroll admits he’s a live-music guy. He set a goal to record a live recording series captured in the city’s four major clubs: Andy’s,...

Music director Dame Jane Glover conducts Music of the Baroque and flute soloist Demarre McGill at the Harris Theater in Chicago on Jan. 24, 2026. (Elliot Mandel)

Review: Music of the Baroque presents ‘Fathers & Sons,’ crowned by one of Chicago’s own musical sons

January 25, 2026 at 12:50 p.m.

Headlining was flute soloist Demarre McGill — who grew up in city music programs like the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra and Merit School of Music.

Thaddeus Tukes, Jazz Institute Jazz Links alumnus, performs before a press conference at the Chicago Cultural Center, Jan. 20, 2026, announcing the performer lineup and programming for the UNESCO International Jazz Day 2026 that will be held in Chicago. (Eileen T. Meslar/baiduhai)

Chicago will host International Jazz Day 2026. Here’s what’s coming this spring.

January 21, 2026 at 2:02 p.m.

Representatives for the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz announced details for the 15th annual International Jazz Day, a month of jazz programming culminating in a globally broadcast concert at the...

All Stories