Classical, Music, Reviews

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 […]

Louis Harris /
Music

Review: Chicago Philharmonic’s Aretha Rising Paid (and Played) Respect  

Chicago Philharmonic focused most of its 2021-22 season on great composers—such as Mozart, Copland, Brahms, Dvorak and Respighi—featured by most classical ensembles.   But more than most orchestras, Chicago Philharmonic […]

Bob Benenson /
Music, Reviews

Review: Makaya McCraven’s Avant-Garde Jazz Transports Lincoln Hall

Makaya McCraven

The crowd at Makaya McCraven’s Friday night show at Lincoln Hall was as varied as the hometown artist’s take on jazz. The first of a two-night stint at the venue […]

Jessica Mlinaric /
Music, Reviews

Review: A Well Spent Evening with the Mountain Goats and Will Sheff

I think no matter how you try to measure it, the Mountains Goats’ success over the past few decades is undeniable. Originally the solo project of John Darnielle, the Mountain […]

Julian Ramirez /
Classical, Music, Reviews

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 […]

Louis Harris /
Classical, Music, Reviews, Today

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 […]

Louis Harris /
Front page, Music

Poem: The Voice

June Sawyers wrote this poem—as a way to record her experience— after listening to a musician named Andrew perform in Printers Row. It came out of nowhereAt first we barely […]

June Sawyers /
Classical, Festivals, Music, Previews

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 […]

Louis Harris /
Music, Reviews

Review: Destroyer and Rosali’s Unique Voices Captivate Thalia Hall

Last Thursday was undoubtedly a treat. The middle of some blisteringly warm days with temps in the 90s, the sun out and shining bright, and of course and amazing lineup […]

Julian Ramirez /
Classical, Music, Reviews

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 […]

Louis Harris /
Classical, Music, Reviews

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 […]

Louis Harris /
Classical, Music, Reviews

Review: Third Coast Percussion Releases Their CD Perspectives With an Excellent Performance

No musical techniques benefit more from visual performance than percussion. The number of ways that percussionists can produce sounds is limited only by the number of objects humans and nature […]

Louis Harris /