The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is known worldwide for its programs in Orchestra Hall at Symphony Center on Michigan Avenue in Chicago. It’s toured internationally as well.
And since 2010, it’s brought world class performances to Chicagoland venues somewhat removed from its home base, for free.
Organized by the Negaunee Music Institute as part of community engagement programs, the free concerts began during Riccardo Muti’s first season as music director. Now music director emeritus for life, Muti led community concerts in 2013 and 2022 at Morton East High School in Cicero.
“For him, it was very important to be able to reach out to all parts of the city and for conductors who are part of the CSO to be ambassadors of the orchestra throughout and find these places of congregation,” said Lina González-Granados, who was Muti’s assistant from 2020 to 2023.
“For me, it’s an honor to be able to continue his legacy because he has been an extremely good mentor, a fantastic role model. His legacy will always be my honor.”
One of the first opportunities to honor that legacy in 2025 will be a return to Morton East, when the acclaimed Colombian American conductor leads Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s third appearance at Morton East’s Chodl Auditorium, which seats approximately 2,500 people, on Jan. 8. Tickets, which are required for the free community concert, became available Dec. 6.
González-Granados & the CSO features former Mead composer-in-residence Jessie Montgomery’s “Starburst,” William Grant Still’s “Mother and Child” and German composer Johannes Brahms’ Second Symphony.
“We wanted pieces that the orchestra has championed,” said González-Granados, who became the first Latin American woman to lead the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 2022 when she filled in on two occasions for Muti after he withdrew due to illness.
“It’s pieces that the orchestra has known, has cherished, has enjoyed. On a purely musical and aesthetic level, they’re beautiful pieces. They bring so much joy. The main theme is joy and love, and what better way than to align that with something that is a gift for the community?
“It’s a program that we can enjoy thoroughly and it’s very satisfactory to conduct pieces by American composers.”
According to material published by the Negaunee Music Institute, Chicago Symphony Orchestra presents an annual free concert in a Chicago-area neighborhood venue to further the mission to provide broad access.
“When I was working with CSO, we did a community concert with the Civic Orchestra,” said González-Granados about a free 2022 program featuring the training ensemble at Kenwood Academy High School on Chicago’s South Side.
“It was very meaningful. It was packed with people, some people who were students, different kinds of audiences. It’s a fascinating event to see complete families come to these halls, to these venues and just enjoy family.
“There is hope, at least on my part, that people go to these high schools and feel cultural nourishment. The goal is to reach audiences. The goal is to give back something to the city that has given us so much.”
González-Granados has been resident conductor of the Los Angeles Opera since 2022 and previously was the inaugural conducting fellow of the Philadelphia Orchestra and conducting fellow of the Seattle Symphony.
She also won the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association’s fourth international Sir Georg Solti Conducting Competition in 2019.
“Maestro Muti always thought that it was important to nurture talent of today during his tenure. He had four apprentices in different times throughout his tenure. I was his last,” González-Granados said. “It became one of the best times in my life.”
She led the Chicago Youth in Music Festival Orchestra in 2022 and also stood at the podium for the CSO for Kids concert series.
“It’s a different kind of skill set that a conductor needs if they want to reach out to an audience like that. It’s important for young conductors to be able to foresee what is in the future and see if we can continue furthering more audiences,” said González-Granados, who lives in Philadelphia.
“Hopefully if young musicians see people like me – I want to consider myself a young person still – and they see people going to these concerts and joining them in performing that there is hope for them to come and perform early in their careers with CSO.
“Maybe if they come, they do things for their communities as well. We can serve as role models. They can see that it is possible for all of us to access this kind of music.”
González-Granados & the CSO will perform at 7 p.m. Jan. 8, at Morton East High School’s Chodl Auditorium, 2423 S. Austin Blvd., Cicero. Tickets are free but reservations are required at 312-294-3000 or cso.org.
Jessi Virtusio is a freelance reporter.
