University of Chicago Free Spring Concerts

 

Absorb the talents of a diverse line-up of musicians and orchestras during the University of Chicago’s Department of Music Performance Program, April 8, 2022-May 29, 2022.

All concerts are free and open to the public with locations at various venues on the University of Chicago campus. Here is the spring schedule:

Piano Recital with UChicago & NEIU

Friday, April 8 at 7 PM / Fulton Recital Hall, 1010 E. 59th St., 4th fl.

Pianists from UChicago and Northeastern Illinois University present a joint recital of lesser-known gems, including pieces by Florence Price, Margaret Bonds, Agustín Bardi, Valerie Capers, Levko Revutsky, Jiang Wenye, Lili Boulanger, and more.

University Symphony Orchestra: Brasileiras

Friday, April 22 at 7:30 PM / Logan Center Performance Hall, 915 E. 60th St.

Members of the University Symphony Orchestra and Performance Program faculty artists present a special concert showcasing lively and colorful music of Brazilian composers. The USO cello ensemble performs Heitor Villa-Lobos’ Bachianas Brasilieras No. 1 and No. 5, the latter featuring renowned soprano soloist Sarah Brailey, Director of Vocal Studies.

Visiting Director of the UChicago Jazz Ensemble and internationally acclaimed guitarist Fareed Haque performs selections from Villa-Lobos’ collections of Preludes and Etudes for solo guitar. 

South Asian Music Ensemble

Sunday, April 24 at 3 PM / Logan Center Penthouse, 915 E. 60th St.

The South Asian Music Ensemble presents an afternoon of music from the Indian Subcontinent, featuring rhythmic and stylistic explorations of a variety of musical genres.

Early Music Ensemble

Sunday, May 1 at 3 PM / Bond Chapel, 1025 E. 58th St.

The Early Music Ensemble transports you back in time with a program of historically informed music. This concert features works from as early as the fifteenth century and includes performances on historical instruments.

University Symphony Orchestra: Reflection and Hope

Saturday, May 7 at 8 PM / Mandel Hall, 1131 E. 57th St.

The University Symphony Orchestra culminates the 2021-22 concert season with two profoundly moving symphonic works: William Grant Still’s Symphony No. 2 in G minor, subtitled “Song of a New Race,” and Johannes Brahms’ deeply personal Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98. 

Ani Gogova, piano

Sunday, May 8 at 3 PM / Fulton Recital Hall, 1010 E. 59th St., 4th Fl.

Pianist Ani Gogova’s “dazzling artistic presence”, “masterful poetic expression”, “ravishing colors”, and “virtuoso technique beyond reproach” have been captivating audiences around the world for almost two decades. Gogova, a piano teacher at the University of Chicago, presents a recital of works for solo piano by composers Svetoslav Obretenov, George Gershwin, and Ludwig van Beethoven.

Jazz Ensemble: Celebrating Mwata Bowden’s Retirement

Thursday, May 12 at 8 PM / Logan Center Performance Hall, 915 E. 60th St.

The Department of Music and UChicago Jazz Ensemble presents a special concert in honor of Mwata Bowden, who retired as Director of the UChicago Jazz X-tet in 2021. Bowden established and nurtured the student jazz ensemble for 27 years, working with hundreds of student musicians on campus and greatly enhancing the jazz scene throughout the Chicago area. A reception will follow.

Women’s Ensemble

Friday, May 13 at 8 PM / Rockefeller Chapel, 5850 S. Woodlawn Ave.

Singers from the Women’s Ensemble present a spring concert of diverse repertoire from different time periods, including works in a variety of singing styles and songs from different traditions around the world.

University Chamber Orchestra

Saturday, May 14 at 8 PM / Logan Center Performance Hall, 915 E. 60th St.

The spring University Chamber Orchestra concert features music from the turn of the twentieth century written by three highly influential composers. The program includes selections from Elgar’s The Wand of Youth, selections from Coleridge-Taylor’s Othello Suite, and Dvořák’s Czech Suite, which highlights five different Slavic dance forms.

University Wind Ensemble

Sunday, May 15 at 3 PM / Logan Center Performance Hall, 915 E. 60th St.

The University Wind Ensemble performs a varied program featuring works by Ricardo Lorenz, Holly Harrison, Percy Grainger, Paul Hindemith, and more.

Chamber Music Celebration

Tuesday, May 17 at 7:30 PM / Logan Center Penthouse, 9^th floor, 915 E. 60th St.

Duos, trios, quartets, and mixed ensembles celebrate spring with an evening of chamber music, showcasing both familiar and lesser-known works.

Choral Showcase

Saturday, May 21 at 7:30 PM / Rockefeller Chapel, 5850 S. Woodlawn Ave.

Rockefeller Chapel Choir, Motet Choir, and University Chorus fill the vaulted heights of Rockefeller Chapel in a monumental performance of choral repertoire from across cultures and centuries.

Springtime Delights

Saturday, May 28 at 7:30 PM / Fulton Recital Hall, 1010 E. 59th St., 4th Fl.

Two graduate students in Music Composition — Justin Weiss, conductor, and Paul Novak, composer and flutist — present a short program of chamber ensemble works, including Copland’s Appalachian Spring (in the original chamber version) and the world premiere performance of Novak’s dialogues in color (after ellsworth kelly).

Middle East Music Ensemble: The Arab Concert

Sunday, May 29 at 3 PM / Logan Center Performance Hall, 915 E. 60th St.

The Middle East Music Ensemble, joined by special guest performers, concludes the 2021-22 season with a vibrant program of Arabic music.