Chicago Philharmonic and Community Musicians Come Together for Free Concert

After a record number of participants and patrons attended the second concert in Chinatown in July, the Chicago Philharmonic travels to Humboldt Park for the third Side by Side with the Chicago Philharmonic. The annual program, presented as part of the Chicago Park District's Night Out in the Parks initiative, invites student and community musicians to play alongside the professional musicians of the Chicago Philharmonic in a series of four free concerts in stunning outdoor locations.

Playing a range of pieces from composers such as John Williams, Bizet, and Bernstein, the student and community musicians will rehearse with the orchestra at 3:30pm, followed by a concert at 6:00pm. Participation and audience attendance is free and open to the public, and audience members are welcome to bring a picnic to enjoy along with the performance.

This is the third and largest year of Side by Side with the Chicago Philharmonic, with the program expanding to four concerts for the first time. The final performance of summer 2017 will take place at the South Shore Cultural Center in August. The programs are a continuation of the Chicago Philharmonic's ongoing efforts to connect with wide ranging audiences and bring classical music opportunities to under-served neighborhoods in the city.

For the four performances, the musical program will be as follows:

Key - Star Spangled Banner

Suppé - Light Cavalry Overture

Copland - Hoe-Down

Anderson - Syncopated Clock

Bizet - Selections from Carmen Suite No. 1

Williams - Leia's Song

Holst - "Mars" from The Planets

Bernstein/Mason - WSS Medley

Lowden - Armed Forces Salute

Spots for community musicians will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, and registration is required at http://www.chicagophilharmonic.org/side-by-side-with-the-chicago-philharmonic/.

For a brief clip of last year's Ping Tom performance, click here: https://www.facebook.com/chicagophilharmonic/videos/10153813714496554/

For a video from this year's Columbus Park concert, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAUs_drTev0

Additional information and photographs are available upon request. Members of the press and media are welcome to join, and interviews can be arranged by request.

"Side by Side" is one of the Chicago Philharmonic's outreach programs, which include Chi Phil AMP (an in-school mentorship program for under-served schools), Families to the Phil (which underwrites hundreds of symphonic tickets for students and families), and Spotlight (a mentorship program that provides professional experiences for outstanding young musicians.)

The Chicago Philharmonic's Night Out in the Parks program is also supported by generous donations from the Chicago Park District, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Illinois Arts Council Agency, U.S. Bank, and the Music Performance Trust Fund.

Side by Side with the Chicago Philharmonic | Night Out in the Parks
Saturday August 5 2017
Humboldt Park Boathouse
1301 N. Sacramento Avenue
Rehearsal 3:30pm
Free concert 6:00pm

About The Chicago Philharmonic Society

The Chicago Philharmonic Society is a collaboration of 300 of the highest-level classical musicians performing in the Chicago metropolitan area. Governed under a groundbreaking structure of musician leadership, the Society presents concerts at venues throughout the Chicago area that cover the full spectrum of classical music, from Bach to Britten and beyond. The Society's orchestra, known simply as the Chicago Philharmonic, has been called "one of the country's finest symphonic orchestras" (Chicago Tribune), and its unique chamber music ensembles, which perform as the Chicago Philharmonic Chamber Players (cp2), draw from its vast pool of versatile musicians. The Society's outreach programs connect Chicago-area youth to classical music and provide performance opportunities for members of the community. Founded 26 years ago by principal musicians from the Lyric Opera Orchestra, the Chicago Philharmonic currently serves as the official orchestra of the Joffrey Ballet, continues its 21-year association with the Ravinia Festival, and presents symphonic concerts in Chicago's North Shore region and at Harris Theater in downtown Chicago.

About Night Out in the Parks

Side by Side with the Chicago Philharmonic is presented as part of the Chicago Park District's Night Out in the Parks series, supported by Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Arts programming in neighborhoods across the city advances the goals of the Chicago Park District and the Chicago Cultural Plan. Now in its fifth year, the 2017 Night Out in the Parks series will host over 1,000 cultural events and programs at more than 250 neighborhood parks throughout the city, making community parks a safe haven and hubs of activity. Projects will vary from traditional performances and concerts, to movies, peace rallies, community workshops, nature based programs, dance pieces, festivals, and more. The Chicago Park District has partnered with more than 100 arts and community organizations to expand and produce this successful initiative.

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