Friday, February 02, 2024

CBA Symphony Orchestra & Chorus Winter Concert tomorrow

The Chicago Bar Association Symphony Orchestra & Chorus will hold its Winter Concert (part of its ongoing Conductor Quest) tomorrow, Saturday, February 3, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., at St. James Episcopal Cathedral, 65 E. Huron.

The CBASO has been auditioning finalists for its new music director at recent concerts. Tomorrow's concert will feature two more finalists, Nicholas Koo and Jennifer Huang.

Koo is currently serves multiple orchestras across the United States including the Minnesota Orchestra, the Colorado Symphony Association, the San Diego Symphony, and Memphis Symphony. He has assisted a number of notable conductors including Donald Runnicles, Peter Oundjian, Fabien Gabel, and Marin Alsop and has worked alongside soloists such as Emanuel Ax, Hélène Grimaud, Joyce Yang, and Paul Huang. He has made a number of appearances conducting the Colorado Symphony Orchestra in their regular season and is active in the Chicago area both on and off the podium, additionally working with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association in artistic media and video production. Koo received the 2023 Career Assistance Award from The Solti Foundation U.S.

Huang currently serves as Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Northwestern Medical Orchestra. Her most recent engagements include Music Director of the Merit School of Music Chamber Orchestra, Music Director of Thompson Street Opera Co., and Associate Conductor of the Chicago City-Wide Symphony Orchestra. Before moving to Chicago in 2021, Huang worked with several ensembles in the Bay Area, serving as Resident Conductor of the UC Berkeley Symphony Orchestra, Music Director of the Santa Rosa Symphony Aspirante Youth Orchestra, Music Director of the UCB Summer and Chamber Orchestras, and Assistant Conductor and Chorus Director of West Edge Opera. An accomplished violinist, pianist, and vocalist, Huang has performed under the baton of world-class artists such as Riccardo Muti, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Gustavo Dudamel, and David Robertson.

Tomorrow's program is expected to include music by Brahms and Florence Price, Chabrier's España, Mussorgsky's Night on Bald Mountain, and (with Michael Poulos and Arthur Carvajal, soloists) Vivaldi's Double Trumpet Concerto. The CBA Chorus is also expected to provide choral selections by Mozart and Faure.

Tickets for tomorrow night's concert are $20 at the door ($15 for law students, or students 18 and under) and will be available after 7:00 p.m. Tickets are available today, however, at this Eventbrite link, at $15 each for adults and $10 for qualifying students.

The CBASO has its own website, too. Like FWIW, the CBASO site is hosted by Blogger; here is the link.

No comments: