Preview: Ear Taxi Festival Is Back!!!
For the first time since 2021, the Ear Taxi Festival will give Chicago audiences an incredible opportunity to experience its deep and extensive contemporary classical art music scene. Starting this […]
A lover of music his whole life, Louis Harris has written extensively from the early days of punk and alternative rock. More recently he has focused on classical music, especially chamber ensembles. He has reviewed concerts, festivals, and recordings and has interviewed composers and performers. He has paid special attention to Chicago’s rich and robust contemporary art music scene. He occasionally writes poetry and has a published novel to his credit, 32 Variations on a Theme by Basil II in the Key of Washington, DC. He now lives on the north side of Chicago, which he considers to be the greatest city in the country, if not the world. Member of the Music Critics Association of North America.
Review: Palomar Ensemble Offers Wide Variety at the CheckOut
Continuing the CheckOut’s Opening Festival, the Palomar Ensemble performed an interesting program before a nearly full audience on Wednesday evening. Founded by Access Contemporary Music, the CheckOut is a new […]
Review: Orion Ensemble Offers Music of Mozart, Brahms, and Huydts at Pianoforte Studios
The Orion Ensemble continued their 33rd season in a charming way at Pianoforte Studios in the South Loop on Monday night. Comprised of the quartet formed by clarinetist Katheryne Pirtle, […]
Review: The Boromeo Quartet Demonstrate Beethoven’s Immortality at Guarneri Hall
On Thursday and Friday evenings, the Boromeo Quartet brought to Guarneri Hall an innovative performance of the music that, in my humble opinion, is the greatest ever written: the late […]
Review: Dame Jane Glover leads Music of the Baroque and Strong Voices Chorus Through Handel’s Water Music on the River
For the second year in a row, Music of the Baroque was blessed with wonderful weather as the orchestra and chorus, led by Dame Jane Glover, cruised down the Chicago […]
Preview: Chicago Welcomes The CheckOut, a New Performance Space for Contemporary Classical Music
This weekend, Chicago’s north side will welcome a new performance space intended for contemporary classical chamber music. Formed by Access Contemporary Music, The CheckOut is turning a long-vacant 7-Eleven into […]
Review: The American Chamber Music Society Shows Off its Inner Voices at PianoForte Studio
The American Chamber Music Society introduced its second season with a radiant concert at PianoForte Studio in the South Loop on Saturday night. Headed by Chicago-based violinist Eric Gratz, ACMS […]
Review: Giancarlo Guerrero, Clayton Stephenson, and the Grant Park Orchestra Are Excellent, Notwithstanding Sirens, Motorcycles, and a Red Helicopter
The Grant Park orchestra played an excellent concert at Jay Pritzker Pavillion on Wednesday evening. Unfortunately, the ambient noises were worse than ever, with several sirens blaring, motorcycles screaming, and […]
Review: Giancarlo Guerrero Conducts Joshua Bell and the Grant Park Orchestra Through an Outstanding Performance
With violin extraordinaire Joshua Bell headlining, the Grant Park Orchestra gave an outstanding performance at Jay Pritzker Pavillion on Wednesday evening. Giancarlo Guerrero conducted a program of works by 19th […]
Review: Grant Park Orchestra, Joseph Young, and Steven Osborne Overcome a Dark and Stormy Night
It was a dark and stormy night. … Well, it seemed like it was going to be, but the Grant Park Orchestra managed to perform its regularly scheduled concert at […]
Review: Marin Alsop, Stephen Williamson, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Give a Passionate Performance at Ravinia
With Marin Alsop conducting, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra continued its summer residency at Ravinia late Sunday afternoon with a passionate performance of two classical chestnuts, Felix Mendelssohn’s Italian Symphony, No. […]
Review: Marin Alsop, the CSO and Chorus, Janai Brugger, and Sasha Cooke Are Exhilarating at Ravinia
With Marin Alsop at the helm, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus gave a huge performance of a gargantuan symphony in the Pavilion at Ravinia on Friday night. The chorus […]