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Past Events

Alessandro Scarlatti (1660-1725) Justitiae Domini
Claudio Merulo (1533-1604) Qui manducat meam carnem
The Gregorian Chant Propers from Graduale Romanum

Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus
Carlos Kalmar, conductor
Christopher Bell, chorus director
Maeve Höglund, soprano
Hugh Russell, baritone

Joel Thompson: Seven Last Words of the Unarmed
Johannes Brahms: A German Requiem

Carlos Kalmar leads the Grant Park Orchestra with the acclaimed Grant Park Chorus and soloists in Johannes Brahms' choral masterpiece A German Requiem*, written for the bereaved after the death of the composer's mother. The concert opens with another choral tribute, Joel Thompson' chilling cantata Seven Last Words of the Unarmed. Each movement is a setting of the last words uttered by seven unarmed men who were killed by police officers or by vigilantes—Kenneth Chamberlain, Trayvon Martin, Amadou Diallo, Michael Brown, Oscar Grant, John Crawford, and Eric Garner. The Festival welcomes soloists Maeve Höglund and baritone Hugh Russell.

During the Brahms Requiem, members of the Grant Park Orchestra will play instruments provided by Violins of Hope, a private collection of violins, violas, and cellos that once belonged to Jewish musicians before and during the Holocaust. The presentation of these instruments is hosted by JCC Chicago.

Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus
Carlos Kalmar, conductor
Christopher Bell, chorus director
Maeve Höglund, soprano
Hugh Russell, baritone

Joel Thompson: Seven Last Words of the Unarmed
Johannes Brahms: A German Requiem

Carlos Kalmar leads the Grant Park Orchestra with the acclaimed Grant Park Chorus and soloists in Johannes Brahms' choral masterpiece A German Requiem*, written for the bereaved after the death of the composer's mother. The concert opens with another choral tribute, Joel Thompson' chilling cantata Seven Last Words of the Unarmed. Each movement is a setting of the last words uttered by seven unarmed men who were killed by police officers or by vigilantes—Kenneth Chamberlain, Trayvon Martin, Amadou Diallo, Michael Brown, Oscar Grant, John Crawford, and Eric Garner. The Festival welcomes soloists Maeve Höglund and baritone Hugh Russell.

During the Brahms Requiem, members of the Grant Park Orchestra will play instruments provided by Violins of Hope, a private collection of violins, violas, and cellos that once belonged to Jewish musicians before and during the Holocaust. The presentation of these instruments is hosted by JCC Chicago.

Johann Caspar Aiblinger (1779-1867) Ad te levavi
Félix-Alexandre Guilmant (1837-1911) Ave verum corpus
The Gregorian Chant Propers from Graduale Romanum

Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Chicago Symphony Chorus
Marin Alsop, conductor
Benjamin Rivera, guest chorus director
Janai Brugger, soprano
Ashley Dixon, mezzo-soprano
Paul Appleby, tenor
Ryan Speedo Green, bass-baritone
Adrian Dunn Singers
Ayodele Drum & Dance
Jim Gailloreto Trio
Senn High School Choir

Program:
Reena Esmail: See Me
Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 (with African percussion and jazz interludes; “Ode to Joy” text by Tracy K. Smith)

Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672) Der Herr ist groß und sehr löblich, SWV 286
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) Come unto him, from Messiah
The Gregorian Chant Propers from Graduale Romanum

Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus
Ludovic Morlot, conductor
Christopher Bell, chorus director
Lindsey Reynolds, soprano
Tai Murray, violin

Wynton Marsalis: Violin Concerto
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Ave verum corpus
Gabriel Fauré: Cantique de Jean Racine
Francis Poulenc: Gloria

Guest conductor Ludovic Morlot takes the reins of the Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus for a feast of choral masterpieces, including the achingly beautiful Ave verum corpus by Mozart, the evocative setting of the hymn Cantique de Jean Racine by Gabriel Fauré, and the spellbinding Gloria of Francis Poulenc. Also on the program, violin virtuoso and Chicago native Tai Murray plays the Festival premiere of the Violin Concerto by New Orleans jazz legend Wynton Marsalis. The Festival also welcomes the debut of another New Orleans native, soprano Lindsey Reynolds.

Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus
Ludovic Morlot, conductor
Christopher Bell, chorus director
Lindsey Reynolds, soprano
Tai Murray, violin

Wynton Marsalis: Violin Concerto
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Ave verum corpus
Gabriel Fauré: Cantique de Jean Racine
Francis Poulenc: Gloria

Guest conductor Ludovic Morlot takes the reins of the Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus for a feast of choral masterpieces, including the achingly beautiful Ave verum corpus by Mozart, the evocative setting of the hymn Cantique de Jean Racine by Gabriel Fauré, and the spellbinding Gloria of Francis Poulenc. Also on the program, violin virtuoso and Chicago native Tai Murray plays the Festival premiere of the Violin Concerto by New Orleans jazz legend Wynton Marsalis. The Festival also welcomes the debut of another New Orleans native, soprano Lindsey Reynolds.

Few mass settings pose more questions of listeners than Beethoven’s Missa solemnis. A fervent meditation on faith and doubt, the piece spans moments of ecstasy and angst, soaring beauty and near-operatic theatricality. Riccardo Muti leads this rarely performed score with a thrilling quartet of international singers and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Riccardo Muti conductor
Erin Morley soprano
Alisa Kolosova mezzo-soprano
Giovanni Sala tenor
Kyle Ketelsen bass-baritone
Chicago Symphony Chorus
Donald Palumbo guest chorus director

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c. 1525-1594) Perfice gressus meos à5
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) O death, where is thy sting and But thanks be to God, from Messiah
The Gregorian Chant Propers from Graduale Romanum

Few mass settings pose more questions of listeners than Beethoven’s Missa solemnis. A fervent meditation on faith and doubt, the piece spans moments of ecstasy and angst, soaring beauty and near-operatic theatricality. Riccardo Muti leads this rarely performed score with a thrilling quartet of international singers and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Riccardo Muti conductor
Erin Morley soprano
Alisa Kolosova mezzo-soprano
Giovanni Sala tenor
Kyle Ketelsen bass-baritone
Chicago Symphony Chorus
Donald Palumbo guest chorus director

Few mass settings pose more questions of listeners than Beethoven’s Missa solemnis. A fervent meditation on faith and doubt, the piece spans moments of ecstasy and angst, soaring beauty and near-operatic theatricality. Riccardo Muti leads this rarely performed score with a thrilling quartet of international singers and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Riccardo Muti conductor
Erin Morley soprano
Alisa Kolosova mezzo-soprano
Giovanni Sala tenor
Kyle Ketelsen bass-baritone
Chicago Symphony Chorus
Donald Palumbo guest chorus director

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) Jauchzet dem Herrn à8
William Byrd (c. 1540-1623) Venite comedite
The Gregorian Chant Propers from Graduale Romanum

Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus
Carlos Kalmar, conductor
Christopher Bell, chorus director
Olivia Boen, soprano
Siena Licht Miller, mezzo-soprano
John Matthew Myers, tenor
Joseph Beutel, bass-baritone

Program
Antonín Dvořák: Stabat Mater

Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus
Carlos Kalmar, conductor
Christopher Bell, chorus director
Olivia Boen, soprano
Siena Licht Miller, mezzo-soprano
John Matthew Myers, tenor
Joseph Beutel, bass-baritone

Program
Antonín Dvořák: Stabat Mater

Jonathan Dove (b. 1959) Missa brevis (2009)
Vytautas Miškinis (b. 1954) O sacrum convivium (2000)
Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921) Ave verum corpus in Eb
The Gregorian Chant Propers from Graduale Romanum

Herbert Howells (1892-1983) Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in G (1918)
John Stainer (1840-1901) I saw the Lord for double chorus
Ēriks Ešenvalds (b. 1977) O salutaris hostia (2009)
Anton Bruckner (1824-1896) Tantum ergo in D

Jean Langlais (1907-1991) Missa Misericordiae Domini (1958)
Hans Leo Hassler (1564-1612) Tibi laus, tibi gloria for double chorus
Tomás Luis de Victoria (c. 1548-1611) Te Deum laudamus
The Gregorian Chant Propers from Graduale Romanum

Émile Paladilhe (1844-1926) Messe Solennelle de la Pentecôte (1898)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Veni sancte spiritus, K. 47
Thomas Tallis (c. 1505-1585) If Ye Love Me
The Gregorian Chant Propers from Graduale Romanum