Review: Amy Wurtz Goes Hybrid–In an Intimate Way
The joys of live music in an intimate setting! Composer/pianist Amy Wurtz hosted American Woman, a livestream, solo recital on YouTube featuring music composed by American women on Sunday night. […]
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: Cuarteto Latinoamericano Plays a Wide Variety of Styles from South of Rio Bravo
Cuarteto Latinoamericano gave a lively performance at Nichols Concert Hall in Evanston on Saturday night. Part of the Music Institute of Chicago’s 2022-23 concert season, this ensemble from Mexico City […]
Review: Evren Ozel Wows with Refined Restraint
In listening to Evren Ozel’s excellent piano recital Wednesday afternoon, two words came to mind over and over: refined restraint. That is how this young artist approached each of the […]
Review: Grant Park Festival Closes with a Great Performance of Haydn’s The Creation
There are few pieces of music that satisfy me more thoroughly than Franz Josef Haydn’s oratorio, The Creation. Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus performed it for a rousing sendoff to […]
Preview: Music Institute of Chicago to Host 34th Duo Piano Festival
The 34th installment of the Music Institute of Chicago’s Duo Piano Festival will take place in person at Nichols Concert Hall in Evanston. Starting this Friday evening, July 8, and […]
Review: Anne-Sophie Mutter and Lina González-Granados Exhibit Brilliance With the CSO
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra succeeded in a tall order on Thursday night: turning a major work that has often left me wanting into a thing of abject beauty. To accomplish […]
Review: Kontras Quartet’s Premier of Amy Wurtz’ Third String Quartet Is Worth the COVID-19 Wait
The Chicago-based Kontras Quartet performed several string quartets by American composers at Roosevelt University’s Ganz Hall yesterday. Hosted by the American Music Project, the program included works by five contemporary […]
Review: Grossman Ensemble Gives a Dull Performance
One of the leading incubators of new music in Chicago is housed at the Chicago Center of Contemporary Composition at the University of Chicago in Hyde Park. The 13-member Grossman […]
Review: The CSO Under the Baton of Karina Canellakis Delivers the Goods
What kind of concert starts with an 11-minute introductory piece that ends up getting two ovations? A Chicago Symphony Orchestra concert that opens with Brio by Chicago-based composer Augusta Read […]
Preview: Chicago’s New Nevermore Performance Space Hosts a Chamber Music Festival This Weekend
Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood has a new performance space, and a four-day chamber music festival will take place there this weekend. Described as “a sleek, minimalist space offer[ing] luscious acoustics […]
Review: The Aznavoorian Duo Perform Gems From Armenia in a Marvelous Concert
The Aznavoorian Duo gave a marvelous performance at the Music Institute of Chicago’s Nichols Concert Hall in Evanston on Sunday afternoon. The concert was a celebration of their excellent new […]
Review: Augusta Read Thomas’ New Release Captures the Breadth of Her Musical Palette with a Regular Dose of Sunshine
Chicago-based composer Augusta Read Thomas has issued a new release comprised of several recent compositions. Bell Illuminations has a wide variety of ensemble configurations and illustrates the breadth of her […]