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2021Recap-header.jpg

2021 Recap— All Together Now: A Place, A Purpose, Performers, And People

September 29, 2021 in Park News, RaviniaNews

The 2021 Ravinia season has been unforgettable and, in typical fashion, packed full of numerous memorable musical moments. Yet with so much happening in the park—between 70 different events over three months—it’s easy to have missed something amazing along the way. We invite you to take a look back at the incomparable 2021 season with us through the video recap and image galleries below, and remember that while you were making these indelible summer memories, you were also helping make our year-round music education programs possible. Thank you for joining us this season!

A place …

Ravinia is summer distilled into a 36-acre space: family and friends, picnics, enjoying the weather, reconnecting with the great outdoors, and, of course, music. After a season spent apart, we not only gathered to rekindle the communal joy we had missed, we gathered and experienced a comforting, familiar place in a whole new way.

View fullsize  Ravinia CEO Jeff Haydon and staff were thrilled to reopen the festival’s main gate for the season on July 1.
View fullsize  From the start of the 2021 season, audiences enjoyed a new Lawn experience featuring physically distanced reserved spaces, a view of the performance from a video screen, and delivery of concessions from the Ravinia Market.
View fullsize  BMO Rooftop offered a prime destination to meet up and drink in both gorgeous views of the park and an array of beverages.
View fullsize  The Ravinia Music Box offered audiences a new way to engage with music before the night’s performers took the Pavilion stage.
View fullsize  The video screen facing the South Lawn was positioned to also offer fans just outside the Pavilion a larger-than-life view.
View fullsize  The 2021 season introduced a stage in the Carousel, giving audiences a brand-new way to enjoy the longtime landmark in the park.
View fullsize  Before Laurie Berkner’s performance on the Kids Concert Series and select Chicago Symphony concerts, the KidsLawn space on the North Lawn featured several family activities in addition to the host of interactive, large-scale percussion instruments.
View fullsize  On August 7, former Ravinia CEO Welz Kauffman returned to cut the ceremonial ribbon to open the Ravinia Music Box, joined by (R to L) Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering, Ravinia CEO Jeff Haydon, Jamie Bernstein, and members of the creative team behi
View fullsize  The Infamous Stringdusters put on a brilliant show headlining the new Carousel Stage for rapt fans on the North Lawn.
View fullsize  Live lucha libre wrestling captivated Fiesta Ravinia guests all afternoon, and the BMO Rooftop offered a bird’s-eye view of the action.
View fullsize  The glowing nighttime view of the park  from the drink rail at BMO Rooftop
View fullsize  The South Lawn got dressed up for the 2021 Music Matters benefit hosted by the Ravinia Associates Board, held at the park for just the second time ever.

A purpose …

Even though the pandemic forced Ravinia’s 2020 summer season to be canceled, our Reach Teach Play music education and engagement programs have been running continuously, and they were a key part of our return to live music in 2021.

View fullsize  Conductor Jonathan Rush led a workshop for an orchestra of Sistema Ravinia students at the park before he made his Chicago Symphony debut in the Pavilion.
View fullsize  Ravinia Jazz Scholars performed at the annual Magic of Music golf benefit hosted by the Ravinia Trustees to support Reach Teach Play.
View fullsize  All summer, Reach Teach Play staff welcomed the communities served by the programs to attend performances at the park.
View fullsize  A Sistema Ravinia instructor helps a string student tune up before the workshop with Jonathan Rush.
View fullsize  The gallery space in the Ravinia Music Box featured an exhibit showcasing Reach Teach Play’s impact on over 75,000 people in our community.
View fullsize  Our Reach Teach Play programs help our community members engage with the broad spectrum of music heard across Ravinia’s stages and all around them.
View fullsize  During post-concert bows at the Gala Benefit Concert supporting Ravinia and Reach Teach Play, two students present flowers to guest soloist Cynthia Erivo and Ravinia Chief Conductor and Curator Marin Alsop.
View fullsize  Before her Chicago Symphony debut at Ravinia, classical singer Julia Bullock met with Reach Teach Play community members.
View fullsize  The Ravinia Jazz Scholars performed a set on the Carousel Stage for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra audience on July 25.
View fullsize  Students met with members of the guest baroque orchestra Apollo’s Fire before the August 3 concert.
View fullsize  Sistema Ravinia students with Apollo’s Fire members
View fullsize  Families enjoyed a pop-up performance at KidsLawn.
View fullsize  Kids also received a kit of take-home musical crafts on dates with additional family activities at KidsLawn.
View fullsize  Special KidsLawn activities also included a string instrument “petting zoo” where Ravinia instructors introduced little ones to violins and more.
View fullsize  Like in Sistema Ravinia, the students also pitched in with some top tips!
View fullsize  Ravinia’s Kids Concert series ensured children enjoyed the return of live music this summer, too!

Performers …

New acquaintances and old friends were among the artists making memorable stops on our stage. Their presence reminded us how much we missed live performances, and the magnificent music they played expressed as well as any words how much they missed their audiences in return.

View fullsize  Jonathan Rush conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
View fullsize  Ravinia favorites The Beach Boys returned for two nights.
View fullsize  John Stamos joined The Beach Boys for their two performances.
View fullsize  Kevin Griffin of Better Than Ezra shredded a classic riff during the Ravinia stop of the band’s tour with Collective Soul and Tonic.
View fullsize  Pat Monahan fronted two nights with his band Train.
View fullsize  Black Thought and Questlove of The Roots
View fullsize  Rachel Barton Pine gave a stellar performance of Prokofiev filling in for Midori with the Chicago Symphony on July 16.
View fullsize  Adam Duritz of Counting Crows
View fullsize  RSMI fellow Joey Archie warms up in a dressing room before the Jazz Grandstand livestream on June 11.
View fullsize  The South Shore Drill Team at the special day of music for frontline workers, first responders, and community members on July 3
View fullsize  Mucca Pazza added to the festivities on the Lawn and in the Pavilion at the July 3 day of performances featuring all Chicago-based artists.
View fullsize  Ravinia Chief Conductor and Curator Marin Alsop and guest conductor Jonathan Rush review a score backstage for a rehearsal with the Chicago Symphony.
View fullsize  Marin Alsop led three weeks of performances with the Chicago Symphony in her first residency as Ravinia Chief Conductor and Curator.
View fullsize  Chicago native  Anthony McGill (currently principal clarinet on the New York Philharmonic) made his Chicago Symphony debut with Marin Alsop, helping conclude her three-week stay on a high note.
View fullsize  Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with special guest Branford Marsalis
View fullsize  Star singers Betsy Wolfe and Matt Doyle (not pictured) joined conductor Steven Reineke and the CSO for an evening of current and all-time Broadway hits.
View fullsize  Brett Dennen
View fullsize  Rachael Price of Lake Street Dive
View fullsize  John Legend
View fullsize  John Legend brought a glamorous stage setup as part of the two-night Ravinia stop on his “Bigger Love” tour.
View fullsize  The Joffrey Ballet returned to Ravinia for the first time in more than a decade.
View fullsize  Black Violin
View fullsize  Ana Bárbara headlined the fifth annual Fiesta Ravinia.
View fullsize  Willie Nelson

People …

Without the amazing patrons who come through our gates, Ravinia is simply not Ravinia. Every night was an instant pop-up community bound by musical kinship and the desire to share something special together.

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Tags: 2021 Season, Recap, Photos
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