Chicago Sinfonietta to Present POLITICAL AWAKENINGS in April

The Chicago Sinfonietta presents Political Awakenings, a concert that examines how the struggle for freedom expressed during the Arab Spring finds its counterpart with similar awakenings throughout human history. Both Shaheen and Dawson wrote their works with an eye and ear toward the traditional music of their culture. Sinfonietta Music Director Mei-Ann Chen conducts.

The concert marks the Chicago premiere of the Oud Concerto in D Minor played by its composer, Simon Shaheen. The composition draws upon Arabic melodies and themes and combines them with Western classical instrumentation and touches of jazz. Similarly, African-American composer Dawson drew upon 19th Century spirituals to compose his Negro Folk Symphony in 1934.

Setting the tone for these larger works will be Mozart's overture from his opera Abduction from the Seraglio, a Turkish-inflected work that tells a tale of freedom from bondage.

Title: Chicago Sinfonietta presents Political Awakenings

Dates: Friday, April 19, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. at Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Drive, Chicago, IL 60601

Saturday, April 20, 2013 at 8 p.m. at Wentz Concert Hall of North Central College, 171 E. Chicago Avenue, Naperville, IL, 60540

Tickets: Single tickets range from $40-$50 for concerts at Wentz Concert Hall and $26-$50 for concerts at Harris Theater, with special $10 pricing available for students. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Chicago Sinfonietta at 312-236-3681 ext. 2 or online at www.chicagosinfonietta.org.

For 25 years, the Chicago Sinfonietta has pushed artistic and social boundaries to provide an alternative way of hearing, seeing and thinking about a symphony orchestra. Each concert experience blends inventive new works with classical masterworks, each from a diverse array of voices, to entertain, transform and inspire. For more information please visit www.chicagosinfonietta.org.