Award-Winning Violinist Among Ravinia Debuts On $10 BGH Classics

Violinist Benjamin Beilman, who received both an Avery Fisher Career Grant and a London Music Masters Award in 2012, makes his Ravinia debut on the $10 BGH Classics series on Nov. 2 with a program that includes works by Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, Schumann and Brahms. Beilman’s “sweet, warm, slightly throaty tone gave considerable pleasure,” said a recent Washington Post review. As the series title suggests, reserved-seat tickets are only $10 each, but a complete evening can be had for $40, which includes dinner in the Freehling Room by City Park Grill and free parking adjacent to the theater. Tickets and complete dining packages are also available for A Far Cry (Nov. 16); Broadway and television star Jonathan Groff (Glee, Spring Awakening) in his Ravinia debut (Dec. 7); “Sounds of the Season” with Chicago Children’s Choir (Dec. 14) and Boston Brass (Dec. 21); Musicians from Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute (RSMI) (March 22) reprising David Ludwig’s Aria Fantasy, which Ravinia commissioned this summer to celebrate the 25th anniversary of RSMI; the a cappella ensemble Roomful of Teeth performing the Midwest premiere of Caroline Shaw’s Partita for Eight Voices (March 29); and Ravinia's own Marquis Hill with his ensemble, celebrating the release of his new album (April 12).

Welz Kauffman Honored At Kohl Children's Museum Gala

Ravinia President and CEO Welz Kauffman was honored Saturday night by the Kohl Children’s Museum at its annual gala. In an unusual twist, Kauffman performed a new arrangement of Brubeck’s classic “Take Five” with an ensemble of alumni and current players from Ravinia’s Jazz Scholars education program. They reprised their performance on the WCIU TV show You and Me This Morning. He was also surprised with performances by two Ravinia audience favorites, Sylvia McNair and Chicago Children’s Choir, led by Josephine Lee.  Kauffman had spearheaded the Ravinia Festival Music Makers interactive exhibit at the museum.

Calling All Artists For Your Chance to Win $1,000!

Here is your chance to become part of Ravinia history! The Ravinia Festival Women's Board is hosting their annual poster design contest, inviting artists to submit their creative, imaginative and colorful poster design for the 2014 season. This year the theme is "Season of Stars, Summer of Love." Work that features original drawings, paintings or graphic designs will be favorably regarded. Interested? We have provided guidelines below, but for the entire entry packet, please visit Ravinia.org/poster2014.aspx or email at postercompetition@ravinia.org.

THEME/DIRECTION

• Ideal themes:
  • "Season of Stars, Summer of Love"
  • Descriptive images of the Festival experience conveying the pleasure of listening to all types of music in a beautiful park, under the stars during the summer.
• Highland Park is a suburb of Chicago, so designs should NOT include Chicago city skyline or other iconic Chicago landmarks

GENERAL INFORMATION

Participants may submit only one entry. Entries due no later than Wednesday, November 27, 2013. Judging is on the basis of graphics and design quality and will take place in early December. All winners receiving monetary compensation must submit a W-9 form in order to receive cash reward. Participants must attach their personal information on the reverse side of their entry using the information form found at ravinia.org. REQUIREMENTS/SPECIFICATIONS

• Entry design should be 9” X 13.5” vertical format printed on 11” X 17” paper and mounted for possible public display.
• May be a multicolor rendering to print in six colors total:  four-color process + PMS + varnish or five flat colors + varnish; no foil stamping or engraving; may have bleed edges.
• NOTE! Final output size of poster is 24” x 36.”  Please keep in mind that original art will need to be high-resolution (at least 300 dpi) in order to scale up to final size.
• Ravinia name or logo included as part of design
• Final color determination and details are subject to review and possible modification by a representative of the Women’s Board.

Cheap Trick Live in Studio on NPR's Sound Opinions

Ravinia 2013 artist Cheap Trick has had one heck of a wild career. They had a rocky start breaking into the top 100 in the U.S., but little did they know they were quickly approaching legendary status in Japan. Sound Opinions hosts Greg Kot and Jim DeRogatis sit down with Cheap Trick in the studio to celebrate the 35th anniversary of their landmark live album, At Budokan. Listen below for a unique look at the rise of one of rock’s most iconic bands.

“The band members talk about the Beatlemania they experienced in Japan and why they'll steal your guitar, but never your girlfriend.”

Willie Pickens and Welz Kauffman Play Open Jazz Master Class At UIC

Chicago jazz legend pianist Willie Pickens will serve as teacher and Ravinia President and CEO (and pianist) Welz Kauffman will be one of his students—joining an ensemble of the best high-school jazz players from Chicago Public Schools—in a jazz master class open to the public at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19, in Room L060 of the Chicago Performing Arts Building on the UIC campus at 1040 W. Harrison St. The ensemble will also include alumni of Ravinia’s Jazz Scholars program, including one who is now a CPS band director. The entertaining Pickens will publicly critique the ensemble and hone their performance as they work their way through a song. Every year Ravinia selects the best high school players to form the Jazz Scholars, an ensemble that studies and plays real gigs with jazz professionals as part of Ravinia’s REACH*TEACH*PLAY education programs.

Ravinia Hosts Steinway & Sons Piano Clearance Event Sept 20 - 22

Each year Steinway & Sons provides Ravinia with dozens of Steinway and Steinway-designed pianos for use throughout the year. Steinway is now taking a limited number of appointments to sell used Steinway, Boston and Essex pianos at Bennett Gordon Hall on Sept. 20 and 21. The sale will be open to the public on Sept. 22. Steinway-designed pianos are rarely discounted. Many of these pianos were taken in on trade, rental returns, or have been retired from Ravinia and Steinway’s concert inventory. There will even be a small number of new pianos from 2011/2012 that are being priced to find homes. Check here for appointments and details.

Ravinia Goes Back To School With It's Reach*Teach*Play Programs

Ravinia’s latest initiative, Sistema Ravinia, which puts musical instruments in the hands of young students, will begin its second year of daily afterschool instrumental instruction with 40 Circle Rockets orchestra students. 

The Jazz Scholars program matches talented high school students with Chicago’s finest jazz musicians, providing training and mentorship. These students meet with and rehearse over 50 times per year with our Jazz Mentors.

The Music Discovery program enhances the musical skills of thousands of K-3rd grade Chicago Public School students in over 140 classrooms by providing resident teaching artists and interactive music learning activities. 

The Ravinia Lawndale Family Music School begins its free music classes in general music, voice, violin, guitar and piano for children and adults who reside in this underserved community. 

Many artists from the $10 BGH Classics series and other renowned ensembles and musicians will perform in schools through Ravinia’s Guest Artists in the Classroom.

RSMI Alumna Sings In Tanglewood Finale Before Returning For Ravinia Closer

Mezzo-soprano Tamara Mumford, an alumna of Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute, just earned great notices for helping to close the 2013 Tanglewood season with its traditional finale, Beethoven’s Ninth.

She returns to Ravinia Saturday, Sept. 7 to help close Ravinia's season with the Midwest premiere of the acclaimed John Adams Passion, The Gospel According to the Other Mary. Mumford will reprise the role she originated along with fellow original cast members mezzo Kelley O’Connor, tenor Russell Thomas and countertenors Daniel Bubeck, Brian Cummings and Nathan Medley. Grant Gershon conducts the Chicago Philharmonic and Los Angeles Master Chorale.

Morgan Park High School Wins Cash Prize for CSO Attendance

The Ravinia Student Advisory Board and the Ravinia Associates congratulate Morgan Park High School, the winner of Ravinia’s third annual high school attendance contest for Chicago Symphony Orchestra concerts. More than 100 Chicago area high schools participated in the contest, which awards students points when they attend CSO concerts at Ravinia.

Morgan Park edged out last year’s winner, Central Burlington. Rounding out the top five schools this year, 2011 winner Highland Park High School took third, New Trier High School took fourth, and Libertyville High School took fifth.

Find full standings on our website. Morgan Park will be awarded a $5,000 grant generously donated by the Ravinia Associates, a board of young professionals who support Ravinia by raising funds and increasing awareness of the festival’s REACH*TEACH*PLAY education programs.

Find out what’s new with the Classical Youth Initiative on Facebook and Instagram.

RSMI Alumni Claudia Huckle Wins Birgit Nilsson Prize

At Steans, the faculty and fellows both strive for excellence. When the fellows leave the institute at the end of the summer, we know they are going on the great things. We follow their careers and support them through every one of their milestones. We were happy to hear that 2005 RSMI alumna Claudia Huckle, a mezzo-soprano from England, recently won the Birgit Nilsson Prize at Plácido Domingo's Operalia competition. Congratulations, Claudia!

A Knight Alone: Gandelsman Goes Solo, Then Returns With Knights

Violinist Johnny Gandelsman, co-concertmaster of the extraordinarily popular and future-looking chamber orchestra The Knights, will make his Ravinia solo debut on the $10 BGH Classics series on Sunday,Sept. 1. His program will include Stravinsky’s Elégie, Philip Glass’s Strung Out and two of Bach’s works (one sonata and one partita) for unaccompanied violin. He returns to play with The Knights on Tuesday,Sept. 3, on a concert that features tenor Nicholas Phan, an alumnus of Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute. That program includes Copland’s Quiet City and, to mark the centennial of Benjamin Britten, his Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings. Gandelsman was here earlier this summer with the ensemble Brooklyn Rider.

Alabama Native Aaron Parker Signs On To Open For Alabama

Alabama native Aaron Parker, the hit-maker behind “Anything Alabama,” appropriately enough has signed on to open for the legendary rock bandAlabama in its Ravinia debut on Friday, Aug. 30.

The CD Alabama and Friends was released this week and features performances by Jason Aldean, Rascal Flatts, Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith, Trisha Yearwood and more.

Astronomers Share Telescopes On Lawn For Dark Side Of The Moon

The group Classic Albums Live recreates one of the most important recordings in rock history, track by track, when it performs Pink Floyd’s masterpiece The Dark Side of the Moon on Sunday, Sept. 8. Professional astronomers affiliated with NASA and The Adler Planetarium will share their equipment for all patrons to enjoy the night sky before and during the appropriately themed concert. The classic album was recently entered into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress.

The Bridge

When George “Buddy” Guy was born in Lettsworth, Louisiana he probably had no idea that someday he’d make it into Rolling Stone’s list of “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time”. Then again maybe he did. After all, Buddy got his start learning guitar on a two string diddley bow that he made himself.  His Chicago affiliation began when he moved here in the late 1950’s and met Muddy Waters—the ‘father of Chicago Blues’— and started recording for Cobra Records. 

His style is unparalleled; in one concert you will hear blues, rock, soul, jazz, and all the sub-genres in between. That’s why they named him the bridge from blues to rock and roll, from the historic Chicago sounds of Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf to the ever changing sound of modern blues rock (think Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Stevie Ray Vaughan and of course Jimi Hendrix).

Combined with his legendary voice and iconic showmanship, seeing Buddy Guy perform live is one of the most important things you can do. Lucky for you tickets are still available for his August 17 concert with George Thorogood & The Destroyers. Come hear why he was named a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2012 and why he continues to remind people everywhere that there is nothing like “Sweet Home Chicago”. 

Lutosławski Gets His Due, Too; Golka and 5 Browns Honor His Hundreth

Much has been made in 2013 about the bicentennials of Richard Wagner and Giuseppe Verdi and the centennial of Benjamin Britten, but another great composer also celebrates what would have been his hundredth birthday this year. Witold Lutosławaki was a major 20th-century composer and one of Poland’s finest musicians of the past several decades. His works, heavily influenced by Polish folk traditions, will be represented by pianist Adam Golka, who will play Lutosławski’s “Folk Melodies” on his Aug. 29 program, and by The 5 Browns, who will perform his Variations on a Theme by Paganini on their Sept. 5 Martin Theatre program.