And best of all, the series offers music lovers the chance to hear “an impressive lineup, by any standard,” (Chicago Tribune) of world-stage stars at a fraction of the ticket price commanded elsewhere.
Artist News
Jackson Browne Has Given His Music A Personal Touch for Over 40 Years
The list of renowned musicians with whom Browne has collaborated in some form could fill a whole page. His early brushes with Nico, Buckley, Frey, and Crosby were just the beginning; in the years to come, he toured with such icons as Linda Ronstadt and Joni Mitchell, and he made music with everyone from Warren Zevon to Bonnie Raitt to Bruce Springsteen. So it’s hard not to wonder, from such an embarrassment of riches, do any of those collaborations stand out for him as favorites?
Frank Fernández Brings Cuban Flavor to Ravinia
in Artist News
I fear that for many Baby Boomers, our unfortunate introduction to Cuban music while growing up was seeing Desi Arnaz singing "Babalu" on the classic I Love Lucy sitcom.
How Ravinia Books Its Artists
in Classical, Opinion, Park News, Artist News
Perhaps the question I’m asked most frequently is, how far in advance does Ravinia book its artists? This one came up twice this week; oddly enough, on the Ravinia grounds. The answer is...
Sugar Ray's Mark McGrath Continues To Find Excitement in His Multifaceted Career
“Once you put a little distance between the ’90s and what is being done right now, those times start becoming cool again,” claims McGrath, who believes that Sugar Ray might have another hit in their future.
Ramsey Lewis Joins A New "In" Crowd with His First Classical Concerto
The traditions of jazz and classical music have enjoyed parallel histories but relatively few intersections. Yet players from Benny Goodman to Wynton Marsalis have famously commuted between the two realms, and composers from George Gershwin to Duke Ellington to Leonard Bernstein have negotiated areas of artistic agreement that have linked certain of their traditions in often exciting ways, creating the bedrock of symphonic jazz.
New Works Are The Passion of Five Ravinia Stars
But music is a living art. And no matter how glorious its past, in order to be fully alive, it must be constantly replenished by sounds that reflect the world as it is today, not as it was 300 or even 75 years ago. This season’s Ravinia schedule includes a range of artists who will be playing the music of the here and now as well as masters of the past.
Ravinia Mixtape: Running Playlist
Everyone knows that the key to a good run is a good playlist. Our newest mixtape mirrors your workout by starting off slow, like a warm-up, and slowly building into a full sprint of great tracks by this season’s artists. It will be sure to keep you moving while simultaneously enjoying the Ravinia summer sound.
Seth MacFarlane Imbues The American Songbook With His Tireless Spirit
Seth MacFarlane is jazzed.
Hollywood’s most prolific hyphenate (animator–director–writer–voice artist–actor–producer) is taking time this summer to indulge in another of his passions—
Brandi Carlile fires up her music with familial fondness
“When you make a record on a major label, especially if you’re not a huge artist, you end up having to make demos. A lot of demos. When you record a song more than once, it loses something every time. I really loved getting to make a record where those moments—albeit less refined than if we’d worked them out—those moments sound like the songs still had control over us, as opposed to the other way around.”
The Plain White T’s take the reins of their Midwestern roots
in Artist News
There is something about growing up and living in the Midwest. There is something about the mentality of the people that live here, the passion in which they live their lives, and the consistent way in which they continue to plow on as the world around them changes and evolves.
There is something about the Plain White T’s that make them awfully like us.
Ravinia Mixtape: The Hits by 2015 Artists
Our newest Mixtape contains hit songs by artists appearing at Ravinia this summer, from such classics as Chicago’s “Saturday in the Park” to newer hits like Kelsea Ballerini’s “Love Me Like You Mean It.” Almost all of the songs on this list have ranked highly on Billboard’s
Just Added! Lenny Kravitz Makes Ravinia Debut September 3
in Park News, Artist News
Superstar rocker and actor Lenny Kravitz will make his Ravinia debut on Thursday, September 3. Tickets will go on sale to the public beginning at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 10, at Ravinia.org. Kravitz won the
Music means everything to Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
He’s been putting a masterful spin on the Great American Songbook since the 1950s, earning the unparalleled distinction of landing albums on the Billboard charts in every decade from then through the present, selling over 50 million titles, and scooping up 18 Grammy Awards, a pair of Emmy Awards, plus a plethora of other esteemed distinctions too numerous to mention. She’s been one of the most provocative and creative presences in pop music since
Ravinia Mixtape: Cover Songs by 2015 Artists
They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and in the music world, a hit is bound to be covered. When an artist creates their version of a well-known song, they get to recreate it while putting their own stamp on it. Our 2015 Artists Covers Mix contains a wealth of these worthwhile covers by artists performing in our 2015 season. To start, check out Aretha Franklin’s cover of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep,” and listen to how the Gipsy Kings add a flamenco flavor to The Eagles’ “Hotel California.” The playlist is organized so that similar genres of music are presented together. It starts off with pop and rock and then settles into calming classical and jazz towards the end.
Igudesman and Joo are in the vanguard of growing an audience through YouTube
There are two current trends in classical music presentation that are driven by a desire to connect with younger audiences, a reflection of the fear among many that the graying of contemporary audiences bodes ill for the future of the genre. There is ever-increasing adoption of visual media like YouTube to extend lines of communication beyond the live concert experience or traditional audio-only, hard-copy studio recordings. Another is
Bobby McFerrin hears the history behind the Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
Some years ago I was browsing through bins of CDs at a music superstore and one album virtually jumped off the rack and yelled, “Buy me!” The album was entitled Hush, and pictured on the cover were two smiling gentlemen I admired very much: cellist Yo-Yo Ma and the inimitable, multiple Grammy Award–winning singer and conductor Bobby McFerrin.
Jazz Fans Can't Miss This 11-Year-Old Piano Prodigy
in Artist News
The New York Times calls him “a thoughtful musician as well as a natural one, with a sophisticated harmonic palette and a dynamic sensitivity.” Amazingly, he is only 11 years old. Ravinia has just booked international piano sensation Joey Alexander for his
A Video is Worth 1000 Words For These Unique Concerts
in Opinion, Artist News
For the adventurous concertgoer, we’ve compiled a list of a handful of our unique attractions, complete with videos that encapsulate these events better than any words could.
Our Staff Can’t Wait To See These 2015 Artists
in Opinion, Artist News
With over 120 different concerts to choose from this summer at Ravinia, you might be interested in some help finding the perfect fit. We asked our eclectic and knowledgeable staff which concerts they are most excited to see this season in order to give you the inside scoop and perhaps introduce you to some quality concerts you may have overlooked.