Chicago
Illinois
Chicago Sinfonietta
Our Mission
Chicago Sinfonietta champions diversity, equity, and inclusion by creating community through bold symphonic experiences.
Our History
Since 1987, Chicago Sinfonietta has been a defiantly different kind of orchestra. The orchestra was founded by Maestro Paul Freeman to address the disconnect between the utter lack of diversity in orchestras and the vibrant, nuanced, communities for which they play. For more than 30 years, we have made it our mission to represent the city of Chicago, reflecting that vibrancy on stage and in our programming, making classical music accessible for anyone.
In everything we do, we are inspired by our founder Paul Freeman (1936-2015). From humble roots in Richmond, Virginia, he grew to become a passionate musician and ultimately a brilliant conductor equally respected for his knowledge of music as he was for his natural leadership and charming sense of humor. He was the first African American conductor on the podium of more than 50 orchestras worldwide and conducted more than 100 orchestras in 28 countries over the course of his career. He served as chief conductor of the Czech National Symphony Orchestra in Prague (1996-2007) and the music director of the Victoria Symphony in Canada (1979-1989). He made more than 200 recordings in his career (on par with mega maestros such as von Karajan and Bernstein) and highlighted prominent, but under-recorded, diverse composers at every turn.
And, so it goes. The accomplishments of Paul Freeman are startling in their magnitude.
The orchestra’s 32 years have been highlighted by six European tours, two Kennedy Center performances, two Millennium Park concerts attended by over 19,000 people, and 15 recordings. For more than 30 years, diversity, inclusion and bold and dynamic programming has been at the center of what we do. Rarely performed music by composers of color are a Sinfonietta staple and often include almost entirely lost compositions that are carefully pieced together and preserved through recording and/or the production of sheet music. Unusual instruments and musical styles like the bagpipes, steel drums, sitar, Indian Ghazal music, hip hop, and yes, even cell phones have served as centerpieces for Sinfonietta programs - some of the most daring musical collaborations any orchestra is putting on stage.
In 2011, Maestro Mei-Ann Chen began her tenure with the orchestra (as only the second Music Director in the Sinfonietta’s history). In her first season, the Sinfonietta was named by ASCAP as the recipient of the 2011-12 Award for Adventurous Programming and in 2013 was dubbed, “The city’s hippest orchestra” by the Chicago Tribune. From a battle of the bands with Mucca Pazza to collaborations with Young Chicago Authors, FootworKINGZ, and bass virtuoso, Victor Wooten the Sinfonietta has embraced the daring programming that has always been part of its history. In turn, audience response over the last thirteen seasons has been unprecedented.
The legacy passed to Maestro Chen and all of us at the Sinfonietta goes far beyond what you see on stage. Maestro Freeman was, throughout his lifetime, a fierce advocate for early career, diverse musicians. Many of the musicians you see on stage (including our Concert Master since 1993, Paul Zafer) are the direct beneficiaries of this vision and personal investment that Maestro Freeman made in so many people. In 2008, this practice was formalized to create our Project Inclusion Fellowship Program. Since this program began in the 2007-08 season, Project Inclusion has served 45 fellows – more than all other similar fellowship programs in the country combined according to a 2016 League of American Orchestras study.
In 2016, Chicago Sinfonietta was one of just 14 organizations in the nation to receive the MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions – the “genius award” for non-profit organizations. Along with national recognition, this award came with a large, one-time investment of $625,000 establishing the organization's first ever reserve fund and quasi-endowment. On the tail of this recognition came our most successful annual Ball ever which raised more than $535,000 for the orchestra. Also in 2016, we awarded the Spirit of Innovation Award by the Chicago Innovation Awards.
As the orchestra looks ahead to our 34rd season, we do so with tremendous momentum and support for the work we are doing. We look forward to welcoming you back to the concert hall.
Upcoming Events at Chicago Sinfonietta
Special Performance - Holidays of Joy
MLK Tribute Concert: Black Being
MLK Tribute Concert: Black Being
Fundraising Concert: Love Letters
Fundraising Concert: Love Letters
Season Finale: Tonal Transformation
Season Finale: Tonal Transformation
Recent News
Chicago Sinfonietta Cadence Newsletter for July 2024
Introducing Our Extraordinary New English Horn Player, Kyungyeon Hong Hailing from Seoul, South Korea, Kyungyeon Hong brings a dynamic presence to the Sinfonietta. Trained under the esteemed Misung Lee at Yonsei University (South Korea) and…
Read More »Strike a Chord for Change: Support Chicago Sinfonietta Today
BOLD. INNOVATIVE. INCLUSIVE. YOU! Join Chicago Sinfonietta's mission to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion, by creating community through bold symphonic experiences. Support us today through your generous contribution. As a nonprofit, Chicago…
Read More »Support the Future of Music with the Chicago Sinfonietta!
Your donations make a powerful impact through our ENCORE program! ENCORE provides invaluable mentorship and instruction to high school students passionate about continuing their music education. Through a series of workshops and master classes…
Read More »Chicago Sinfonietta News - May 9, 2024
BOLD. INNOVATIVE. INCLUSIVE. YOU! Join Chicago Sinfonietta's mission to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion, by creating community through bold symphonic experiences. Support us today through your generous contribution. As a nonprofit,…
Read More »Chicago Sinfonietta Presents Season Closing Concerts 'Reverb' on May 10 and 11, 2024
Join us for a thrilling season finale, REVERB! Celebrate the power and dynamic energy of music! Don’t miss the Chicago Sinfonietta premiere of Carlos Simon’s Profiles and the Sinfonietta debut of internationally acclaimed pianist George…
Read More »Chicago Sinfonietta Cadence Newsletter for February 2024
Celebrate Women's History Month with our next hometown concert, ECHO. The program was specially curated to shine a spotlight on women's musical artistry. Witness the Chicago debut of legendary Florence Price's Concert Overture No 2. Then young…
Read More »Chicago Sinfonietta Cadence Newsletter for January 2024
CS on Tour: 2024 Homecoming Concert March 5, 2024 We're going on tour! Join us as we set off to Atlanta to celebrate the rich musical tradition and educational prowess of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). "We are…
Read More »Chicago Sinfonietta News - December 21, 2023
BOLD. INNOVATIVE. INCLUSIVE. YOU! Join Chicago Sinfonietta's mission to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion, by creating community through bold symphonic experiences. Support us today through your generous contribution. As a nonprofit,…
Read More »Wishing You an Inspired Holiday Season and Happy New Year!
Wishing You an Inspired Holiday Season & Happy New Year! As we approach the close of the year, we extend heartfelt wishes for an inspired holiday season and a happy new year! Reflecting on the past year, we are filled with gratitude for the…
Read More »We're Nominated for an Anthem Community Voice Award
Help us win an Anthem Community Voice Award! We’re in the running for an Anthem Community Voice Award. This honor celebrates purpose and mission-driven work from people, companies and organizations worldwide. SECTION Education, Art…
Read More »Chicago Sinfonietta News - November 25, 2023
Welcome back to Cadence. We have many exciting updates. On October 28, we held Soundscape, our annual gala. In addition to the evening of fun and dancing, it was a wonderful opportunity to raise funds to support our education and community…
Read More »Chicago Sinfonietta News - September 21, 2023
BOLD. INNOVATIVE. INCLUSIVE. YOU! It's time for our Fall Giving Campaign, and we need your help. As a nonprofit, Chicago Sinfonietta relies on people like you to fund our work. Your gift allows us to continue presenting innovative concerts, while…
Read More »Chicago Sinfonietta News - July 7, 2023
BOLD. INNOVATIVE. INCLUSIVE. YOU! Donate to our Summer Giving Campaign. As a non-profit, Chicago Sinfonietta relies on people like you to fund our work. Your gift allows us to continue presenting innovative concerts, while also: - Building…
Read More »Chicago Sinfonietta's Monthly Newsletter - June 2023
MARK YOUR CALENDARS SOUNDSCAPE, Chicago Sinfonietta's Annual Gala is coming October 28th. This immersive and experiential black-tie event is Sinfonietta's biggest fundraiser of the year. LEARN MORE and explore SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES \ CS…
Read More »Chicago Sinfonietta News - Open House Auditorium Theatre June 5th
YOU'RE INVITED: JUNE OPEN HOUSE AT AUDITORIUM THEATRE Friends! We are thrilled to be joining the Auditorium Theatre in 2023-24 as their orchestra in residence. To celebrate, we will be hosting a free Open House at our new venue. This exclusive…
Read More »Chicago Sinfonietta's Monthly Newsletter - May 2023
REFLECTIONS ON AN INCREDIBLE MAY AND EXCITING FUTURE What an exhilarating month at Chicago Sinfonietta! We're grateful for your support and want to share the highlights. Our season finale concert with Inbal Segev was spectacular. We bid…
Read More »Chicago Sinfonietta - $49 for a Full Season Subscription
WELCOME TO OUR 2023-24 SEASON, RESONATE! This season, the Chicago Sinfonietta orchestra is proud to present an electrifying lineup of fan-favorite works by legendary composers such as Mahler, Shostakovich, and Rachmaninoff, along with exciting…
Read More »Chicago Sinfonietta News - Hot Off The Press: Our 2023-24 Season!
Welcome To Our New Season Chicago Sinfonietta's 2023-24 season is all about connecting to the world - and each other - through sound. It's about music that resonates - soundscapes of exploding colors and textures and frequencies that speak to us on…
Read More »Applause For Kathryn Bostic, Our First Artist-In-Residence
Chicago Sinfonietta would like to express our deepest appreciation for Kathryn Bostic’s invaluable contribution as our inaugural Artist-In-Residence for the past three years. We knew she was awesome, and that's why we invited her to join us:…
Read More »Chicago Sinfonietta News - An invitation from Conductor Mei-Ann Chen
Our 35th anniversary season has been fantastic! We celebrated everything our unique orchestra stands for - creativity, innovation, diversity, inclusion and more! With so many special memories - guest artists, world and Chicago premieres, the…
Read More »Chicago Sinfonietta Monthly Newsletter - April 2023
UPCOMING CONCERTS: Join us in May to celebrate our boundless momentum at the final concert of our 35th Anniversary Season! Kicking off the season finale is a piece by Molly Joyce, a fierce disability rights advocate. Called one of the…
Read More »Chicago Sinfonietta's Monthly Newsletter - March 2023
Join us and celebrate the UNAPOLOGETIC wonder of women this weekend! Celebrated artist Rachel Barton Pine joins Chicago Sinfonietta as guest soloist in the Chicago premiere of Florence Price's Violin Concerto No. 2. Tania Leon's Pulitzer…
Read More »Chicago Sinfonietta News - The Luck O' The Irish Is With You!
LUCKY YOU... Saturday night may be SOLD OUT, but there are a few seats left for our Monday night concert at Symphony Center. And EVEN BETTER: you can still take advantage of our Pay-What-You-Can program for $5 tickets! Just enter PWYC5MARCH…
Read More »Chicago Sinfonietta - It's Hard to Top Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade
Scheherazade. Special. Powerful. An epic piece, full of story and emotion that Music Director Mei-Ann Chen calls one of the "greatest works of the symphonic repertoire". March 18th - Wentz Concert Hall March 20th - Symphony Center Want…
Read More »Vote For Chicago Sinfonietta
Hey Friends! Chicago Sinfonietta has been nominated by Chicago Reader as Best Classical Ensemble in Chicago for 2022. You can vote for us via the link below as "Best Classical Ensemble" under Music & Nightlife - Just be sure to cast your…
Read More »Chicago Sinfonietta's Monthly Newsletter - February 2023
Upcoming Concerts Subscription Series Unapologetic Celebrated artist Rachel Barton Pine joins Chicago Sinfonietta as guest soloist in the Chicago premiere of Florence Price's Violin Concerto No. 2 in this concert celebrating the unapologetic…
Read More »Chicago Sinfonietta's Monthly Newsletter - January 2023
SUBSCRIPTION SERIES ANNUAL MLK TRIBUTE CONCERT: THUNDER The Sinfonietta’s beloved annual tradition takes place this January 15 and 16. Featuring Chicago Sinfonietta's commissioned world premiere by Artist in Residence Kathryn Bostic:…
Read More »Chicago Sinfonietta’s : CEO And President Blake-Anthony Johnson Chicago Tribune's Chicagoan of the Year 2022 in the Arts - Classical Music
The Chicago Tribune this morning announced its "Chicagoans of the Year 2022" and named Chicago Sinfonietta's own Blake-Anthony Johnson, CEO & President, as its Classical Music Chicagoan of the Year, with the title of his segment stating he…
Read More »Chicago Sinfonietta Newsletter - December 2022
UPCOMING CONCERTS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD SERIES MIDWEST CLINIC Join Chicago Sinfonietta at the annual Midwest Clinic. CS is proud to be the marquee orchestral performer, and tickets* are free for friends of CS! (*Limited supply only).Tuesday,…
Read More »Chicago Sinfonietta's Monthly Newsletter - November 2022
Our Big News In case you missed it, we recently shared some big news: Chicago Sinfonietta will be joining the Auditorium Theatre in 2023-24 as their Resident Orchestra! You can read all about it Here. Crains Chicago Our very own President and…
Read More »