News & Stories
Insights
Music in the Time of Need
Musicians make music—always—even in times of social upheaval. The musicians’ legacy is one of perseverance and a steadfast belief in the human spirit.
News
Staff Rallies from Home to Plan 2020 Festival
On the morning of March 13, under the threat of COVID-19, Festival CEO Paul Winberg decided to send everyone home. Festival staff sprang into action, grabbing hard drives, downloading files and procuring all the necessary equipment to launch a major music festival—by remote.
News
A Note to Chicago
These past few weeks have been a powerful reminder of just how connected we are . . .
Behind the Scenes
Chorus Auditions: "Next, Please!"
Pushing through winter weather, hectic schedules, and pre-audition jitters, singers line up for a chance to be part of the 2020 Grant Park Chorus.
Insights
Building Tomorrow's Orchestra
For the young musicians of the Grant Park Music Festival's Project Inclusion Fellowship, jam-packed summers lead to valuable life skills—and a deeper impact on the world.
Interviews
A Conversation with Composer Judith Weir
She is Master of the Queen's Music. The 65-year-old Judith Weir talks with the Grant Park Music Festival's Noel Morris about her work, Scottish tombstones, and the unlikely career path of a woman composer.
News
Carlos Kalmar Previews Summer 2020
Expect the unexpected and some classic favorites, too — that's according to Carlos Kalmar, who spoke to a gathering of Festival friends onstage at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion.
Insights
The Birth of Gospel: A Chicago Tradition
On July 1-2, the Grant Park Music Festival welcomes conductor Charles Floyd and the Soul Children of Chicago to honor one of the city's native art forms: gospel music.
History
Beethoven: A Musical Behemoth
2020 marks the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, a giant in music who continues to haunt, challenge and inspire composers, performers and audiences, alike. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, Ludwig van Beethoven is “widely regarded as the greatest composer who ever lived.
Insights
Chicago Proud: Inside the Year of Chicago Music
Classical. Blues. Gospel. House music. Jazz. Chicago is a heavy hitter within America's musical landscape. Now it's time to celebrate.