The great gift that is Millennium Park, with its kaleidoscopic variety of free performances in the heart of the city during the (mostly) warm months of the year, continues to fulfill its promise as a place of musical discovery. No matter if you have neither money nor plans for an arts experience - there it is, for anyone walking in the area, daring you to experience sights and sounds that otherwise might not be part of your life.
I am not talking about veteran patrons who can parse out interpretive variations of gnarly warhorse repertoire or name everyone in the Grant Park Orchestra wind section from memory. It is all the others who have not yet had the opportunity, for whatever reason, to make proper contact with the excitement of live performances of unfamiliar music whether it is “classical”, jazz, Afro-pop, Tibetan monks, or a world of other great music that are the greatest beneficiaries. The connection is there to be made just by walking by Pritzker Pavilion, peeking over the wall, or sitting on the grass. No charge.
As part of this wonderful scenario, the School of Music at Northwestern University recently completed its third annual performance at Pritzker Pavilion. From a programming aspect, this is an interesting opportunity to stretch out and try things that we would not normally have the personnel or rehearsal time to attempt.
The first year featured a monster piano concert: 10 Steinway grands, 14,000 pounds of pianos, 880 keys, 2,300 strings, 5 piano tuners, and 300 tons of string tension. The second year was a very uplifting explosion of percussion including 28 marimbas celebrating Clair Musser’s (former School of Music faculty member) great marimba orchestra that performed at the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair.
This year – we upped the ante to three ensembles: an orchestra of 50 cellos (ah, the Barber Adagio never sounded more engaging; an orchestra of forty-five saxophones (complete with contra bass tubaxes) performing Rhapsody In Blue – Paul Whiteman must have been smiling; and a large brass ensemble performing an arrangement of Richard Struass’ Alpine Symphony.
What all of these have in common are audiences at the rehearsals that always exceed the capacity of our beloved Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. (1,000) No doubt about it, we are reaching the general public and it is a beautiful thing to see the look of amazement and hear enthusiastic applause even at rehearsals. (The official attendance estimates for the actual concerts have been around 9,000.)
It is our great privilege to be a small part of this incredible musical offering. Send your friends, and strangers as well, to experience and support these events. It makes the summertime in Chicago second to none. Most of all, let’s keep art alive in public places and avoid the moldy edges that insinuate themselves when things are left cloistered in the same place for too long. There is no better way to expand our base of support.
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