General Sessions

Wednesday, June 10

4:15PM-6PM
Opening Session



Keynote Speech: Opportunities in Adversity
Alberto Ibargüen ( bio)
President & CEO
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

As orchestras – and newspapers – both face uncertain futures, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation President and CEO Alberto Ibargüen draws parallels between the two – and lends insight on how both can embrace the future.

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra: An Essential Partner in a Vibrant Community
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra shares how their enduring institution plays a central role in the cultural, social, and economic life of the city. 

Presenters: Deborah Rutter ( bio), President & CEO, Chicago Symphony Orchestra; Martha Gilmer ( bio), Vice President, Artistic Planning & Audience Development, Chicago Symphony Orchestra; James Cuno ( bio), Director, Art Institute of Chicago; Jim Vincent ( bio), Artistic Director, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago

From L-R: Deborah Rutter (photo: Todd Rosenberg), Martha Gilmer, James Cuno,
Jim Vincent
 
Performance by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Percussion Scholarship Group
Patricia Dash ( bio) and Douglas Waddell ( bio), co-directors

Marimba Spiritual – Minoru Miki
Arranged by Douglas Waddell & inspired by "Blast"
Featuring: Amanda Chow, Eric Goldberg, Shuya Gong, Joshua Jones, Lucia Leon, Eugene Mason, John Ringor, Marcelina Suchocka, Zuri Wells

Alborada del gracioso – Maurice Ravel
Arranged by the Safri Duo
Featuring: Joshua Jones and John Ringor, marimbas

About the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Percussion Scholarship Program:

Launched in 1995 under the direction of CSO percussionist Patricia Dash and Douglas Waddell, percussionist with Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Grant Park Symphony, the Percussion Scholarship Program offers intensive, individual, weekly percussion instruction on a full scholarship basis.  The 19 currently participating students, all Chicago residents in grades four through twelve, were selected for the group through a rigorous application and personal interview process, through which 5-10 new students are identified annually.  The standards of the program are unwaveringly high, with the intention of equipping young musicians – both as individual and ensemble players – with near-professional abilities.  Students who are successful in the program over the long term are those with exceptional promise and discipline as well as the family support necessary to develop their abilities with speed and consistency.   

As an ensemble, the Percussion Scholarship Group has had numerous compositions arranged especially for them by nationally known artists.  The group has performed at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, performs twice annually at Symphony Center and has appeared at Marshall Field’s Day of Music, DePaul University, the Chicago Cultural Center, on WTTW, on WGN and WFMT radio, and as soloists with members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as part of CSO Youth Concerts, the Kraft Family Matinee Series and Welcome, Yule! Concerts.

The ethnically diverse Chicago community is reflected in the students taking part in the Percussion Scholarship Program, with the following ethnic groups represented: African American, Asian American, Caucasian, Filipino, Polish, and Latino. 

Thursday, June 11 

7:45AM- 9AM
League Presentation and Awards Breakfast
Sponsored by ASCAP

Chairman’s Address and League of American Orchestras Annual Meeting
-Presentation of the Helen Thompson Award
-Orchestra Management Fellowship Program acknowledgement
-Volunteer Council Gold Book Online recognition
-Acknowledgement of ASCAP winners

Continental breakfast served

Beyond the Score ®
Sir Mark Elder, conductor
Gerard McBurney, narrator and creative director
Civic Orchestra of Chicago

From L-R: Sir Mark Elder, Gerard McBurney

• Paul Dukas            Fanfare from La péri
• Beyond the Score: Dvořák Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Op. 95 (From the New World)
• Antonín Dvořák            Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Op. 95 (From the New World)

Designed not only for classical music aficionados, but also for newcomers looking to delve deeper into the world of classical music, the first half of each Beyond the Score program offers a live multimedia documentary of the selected score—its context in history, how it fits into the composer’s output of works, the details of a composer’s life that influenced its creation—on the stage of Orchestra Hall, sharing the illuminating stories found “inside” the music.  Live musical examples by the Orchestra are called upon to illustrate the structure of each composition.  After an intermission, concertgoers return to the hall with newly discovered knowledge to hear a performance of the score, played in its entirety by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Today’s performance is part of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s three-week Dvořák Festival.

Festival links:

•  Dvořák Festival Program
• An overview of the Festival
• Conductor Mark Elder on Antonin Dvořák

The Dvořák Festival receives support from the following generous donors:  Mr. & Mrs. Joseph B. Glossberg • Chet Gougis and Shelley Ochab • Mr. & Mrs. Thomas C. Heagy • Judy and Verne Istock • The Kapnick Family • Nancy and Donald Kempf • Kirkland & Ellis, LLP • Robert Kohl and Clark Pellett   Jim and Kay Mabie • James and Susan Matson • Molex, Inc. • The Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust • National Endowment for the Arts • Mr. & Mrs. T. Paul B. O’Donovan • Cathy and Bill Osborn • Mr. & Mrs. Albert Pawlick • Jerry Rose • Mr. John Schmidt and Dr. Janet Gilboy • In honor and loving memory of Alice Welsh Skilling • And from a major challenge grant from The Jentes Family.

Major support for Beyond the Score is provided by The Davee Foundation.

4:15pm-5:30pm
Solutions for Our Time: Peer-to-Peer Roundtables focusing on proven ideas that have improved orchestras’ Endowments, Cash Flow, Marketing, Development, Programming, Cost Control, Planning and Communications as they address challenges during the downturn. The session will include orchestras that are thinking beyond today’s challenges and redefining innovation in the years ahead.

Presenters and Project list

Sponsored by the MetLife Foundation and InstantEncore.com

Friday, June 12 

9:00am

Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras
Allen Tinkham, Music Director
Orchestra Hall at Symphony Center
Sponsored by BMI, Inc.

L-R Allen Tinkham, Osvaldo Golijov

Golijov Last Round
               Movido,urgente- macho, cool and dangerous
Strauss Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche

President’s Address



Jesse Rosen, president and CEO
League of American Orchestras

Vicki Escarra, President & CEO, Feeding America will be in attendance to recognize the achievements of Orchestras Feeding America

10:00am
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Symphony Center Presents MusicNOW

Orchestra Hall at Symphony Center
Osvaldo Golijov, Host
Mark-Anthony Turnage, Host

• Brant Taylor, Cello
• Cynthia Yeh, Marimba
• Christina Courtin, Vocalist and Violin
• Ryan Scott, Dobro
• Jeremy Flower, Laptop
• Michael Ward-Bergeman, Hyper-accordion
• Members of the MusicNOW Ensemble

 L-R: Osvaldo Golijov (photo: Tanit Sakakini), Mark-Anthony Turnage, Jeremy Flower,
Michael Ward-Bergeman

Osvaldo Golijov            Mariel for Cello and Marimba
-Brant Taylor, Cello
-Cynthia Yeh, Marimba

Mark-Anthony Turnage        Out of Black Dust (CSO Commission)
Jeremy Flower            Self Destruct (CSO Commission)
Michael Ward-Bergeman     Three Roads
-Christina Courtin, Vocalist and Violin
-Ryan Scott, Dobro
-Jeremy Flower, Laptop
-Michael Ward-Bergeman, Hyper-accordion

MusicNOW, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s nationally recognized and critically acclaimed new music series, was created in 1998. The series provides a rare opportunity to experience concert programs completely dedicated to new music, offering works by some of today’s most prominent living composers, including Mark-Anthony Turnage, Osvaldo Golijov, Oliver Knussen, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Philip Glass and more. Each program is performed by musicians from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra alongside guest artists. Many of the composers whose works are presented attend the concert, make remarks to the audience, and mingle with concertgoers at receptions that follow each performance.

MusicNOW receives funding from a leadership grant from IRVING HARRIS FOUNDATION, Joan W. Harris.  Major support is also provided by Cindy Sargent and the late Sally Hands.