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October 31, 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



GRANT COMMUNICATIONS
Massachusetts - New York

Chicago Sinfonietta X Auditorium Theatre:

 

Orchestra announces its new home as Resident Orchestra of historic landmark at 35th Anniversary Ball

 

Exciting new relationship for the two renowned Chicago organizations continues the growth of Chicago Sinfonietta’s expansion of its innovative mission and commitment to Community

 

Auditorium Theatre, Chicago - Photo Credit: Auditorium Theatre


CHICAGO, IL - Chicago Sinfonietta proudly announced its new home Saturday evening at the organization’s 35th anniversary ball - the most successful ball in the organization's history. Held at the Fairmont Millennium. Hotel, and a stunning celebration of the orchestra’s storied past and its thrilling future, the announcement was a major highlight of the popular event.

 

President & Chief Executive Officer Blake-Anthony Johnson announced, “It is with immense gratitude and appreciation that I announce Chicago Sinfonietta's newest venture and role as the Resident Orchestra of Chicago’s historic Auditorium Theatre as we enter our 35th season. Auditorium Theatre was the brainchild of Ferninand Pak, and an historic collaboration between civic leaders who envisioned a building that would help to make the arts more accessible to all Chicagoans regardless of income bracket. Chicago Sinfonietta is the brainchild of the late Maestro Paul Freeman and is an internationally acclaimed, groundbreaking champion of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the genre of classical music that leads with daring musical collaborations, novel audience engagement and extensive education and community outreach programs.

 

“This new chapter among two Chicago pillars is a natural extension of our work. Our new home will not only be a magnificent venue on the historic downtown cultural mile but an addition to our current venues throughout Chicago, which will allow us to move forward with even more innovative program offerings, in a city that is known to be a metropolis of innovation! Half of the work we do is offstage directly with the community, and this new home expands our capacity to serve our community in incredible ways that will add and enhance our already existing programs, including our nationally recognized Pay What You Can ticket buying program. Both tourists and residents alike will have a home to experience an orchestra unlike no other in a great city unlike no other in the world.”


Mei-Ann Chen, Music Director of Chicago Sinfonietta, stated, "It's exciting for Chicago Sinfonietta to have a new performing base that offers our audiences a more weekend choices to attend our downtown performances! We are looking forward to building a strong new partnership with Auditorium Theatre!"


"It is an honor to celebrate the Chicago Sinfonietta's 35th anniversary and their new home as the Resident Orchestra of Chicago's historic Auditorium Theatre," said Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot. "The Chicago Sinfonietta has been a staple of cultural appreciation and relevance to our City and the thousands of tourists that have visited the Sinfonietta for decades. I'm grateful for their ongoing commitment to Chicago's artistic scene and am excited to see them thrive in this next chapter of their history."


The announcement was made to a full ballroom that included leaders in the civic, corporate, and government sector, along with Chicago native celebrities. Ertharin Cousin, US Ambassador; Lamont Robison and Theresa Mah, State Representatives; Jamila Woods, singer and poet; Amanda Williams, MacArthur Genius awardee; Toni Preckwinkle, Cook County President; Sandra Rand, 35th Anniversary Ball Civic Chair; Regynald Washington, 35th Anniversary Ball Corporate Chair; James Weidner, CS Board of Directors Chair; Genhi Givings Bailey, CS Board Vice Chair; Peter Cottontale, musician and producer; Joël Akafou, film producer; Jill Wolowitz, Chief of Staff, BCBS; Erin Harkey, DCASE Commissioner; JeNyce Boolton, U.S. Bank Corporate Social Responsibility – VP, Regional Community Affairs Manager; Kathryn Engel, Delegate, Sister Cities Chair (Paris); Alfred Orendorff, VP Zurich, North America; Gil C. Quiniones, CEO, ComEd; Smita Shah, President & CEO SPAANTECH, Inc.; and Curtis Reed, Jr., Morgan Chase, were among those enjoying the event.


Receiving the Sinfonietta’s Legacy Award this year from Chicago Sinfonietta Board Vice Chair Genhi Givings Bailey was former Board of Directors Chair Scott Hoesman, CEO and Founder, inQUEST Consulting, who stepped down from the post at the beginning of the 2022-23 season.


More details on the exciting new relationship between Chicago Sinfonietta and Auditorium Theatre will be announced in the future. 

 

The 35th Anniversary Ball is supported by the Chicago Sinfonietta Board of Directors: James Weidner, WaveMaker 360, and Chicago Sinfonietta (CS) Board Chair; Genhi Givings Bailey, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Perkins Coie LLP, and CS Board Vice Chair; Vida Hotchkiss, Director, Billing and Meter Reading Process, Nicor, and CS Board Treasurer; Tonya Rice; Elections Vertical Strategy Leader, Amazon Web Services, and CS Board Secretary; Melissa B. Donaldson, Senior VP & Chief Diversity Officer, Wintrust Financial Corporation, and Felicia Gerber Perlman, Partner, McDermott Will & Emery, LLP, Co-Chaires, Development Committee; Douglas Freeman, President of Global Reflections & Inclusive Leadership Practice, UniWorld Group, Inc., and Althea Alviar Lee, Vice President, Talent, Methode Electronics, Inc., Co-Chairs, Nominating & Governance Committee; Karen Fletcher, Vice President of Investor Relations, Illinois Tool Works, and Joyce Johnson-Miller, Chairperson & Chief Investment Officer, Pacific Gate Capital, Co-Chairs, Capital Campaign Committee; Eva Andalcio, Wynndalco; Anne Barlow, Co-Founder, KV 265; Rosalyn Carpenter, Senior Vice President, Chief Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Community Impact Officer, CommonSpirit Health; T. Robertson Carter, Civic Leader; Eileen Chin President, R. M. Chin & Associates; Carlos W. Cubia, Chief Inclusion, Equity, Diversity and Sustainability Officer, BHSH System; Paul Dilda, Head of Retail Strategy, BMO Harris Bank; Scott Hoesman, CEO and Founder, inQUEST Consulting; Michael Kohnen, Senior Vice President, Commercial Banking, US Bank; Wendy Lewis, Civic Leader; Joyce Johnson-Miller, Chairperson & Chief Investment Officer, Pacific Gate Capital; Sanchit Madan Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC); Dr. Ebbie Parsons, III; Managing Partner, Yardstick Management; Jacqui Robertson, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Cleveland Clinic; Clarita Santos Executive Director, Health Care Service Corporation; Regynald Washington, Chief Executive Officer, RGW Enterprises; Allyson Wynn Founder and CEO, The Wynning Experience.


The 35th Anniversary Ball Committee is chaired this year by Sandra Rand, 35th Anniversary Ball Civic Chair, and Regynald Washington, 35th Anniversary Ball Corporate Chair, and includes local community members Lonnette Alexander, Miguel Carbajal, Jean Collins, Maggie Crenshaw, Risa Davis, Gale Foster Farley, Earl Grandberry, Tara Dowd Gurber, Sharon Hatchett, Erica Hubbard, Debra Jennings-Johnson, Steve Manning, Doris Merrity, Rosalyn Morris, Deven Rand, John Robak, Roxanne Stevenson, Juan Teague, Sheila Tucker, Audrey Tuggle, Linda Tuggle, and Allyson Wynn.


About Auditorium Theatre, Chicago’s Landmark Stage, Est. 1889

A National Historic Landmark known internationally for its perfect acoustics, innovative architecture, and stunning design, Auditorium Theatre was envisioned by Chicago businessman Ferdinand Wythe Peck, who was dedicated to improving the city of Chicago. Peck envisioned a theatre that would be open to all Chicagoans. The famous architectural firm of Adler and Sullivan designed the theatre, which officially opened in 1889.

 

The Auditorium Theatre has a past that follows the path of Chicago’s history, from the Great Chicago Fire and World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893 to the great rock and roll era of the 1960s and 1970s to the present. From opera to hip-hop, from political conventions to sporting events, the Auditorium Theatre has played a role in the lives of Chicago citizens for 130 years. Such legends as Former Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and William McKinley, incandescent musicians including Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Aretha Franklin, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Itzhak Perlman, and Isadora Duncan to The Royal Ballet, The Beach Boys, Booker T. Washington and productions of Les Misérables and Phantom of the Opera, and numerous local arts companies, have graced its stage.

 

Throughout its history, Auditorium Theatre has remained dedicated to providing the highest quality artistic experiences while preserving the storied principles upon which it was founded. Today, the Auditorium Theatre presents programming that reflects the diversity and the complexity of the city of Chicago and the world around us. More details at auditoriumtheatre.org

ABOUT CHICAGO SINFONIETTA

A tenured orchestra and acclaimed cultural leader that champions diversity, equity, and inclusion by creating community through curated symphonic experiences, Chicago Sinfonietta (CS) is a source of community through music, as well as ensuring and inspiring a continued 

investment in diversity and inclusivity in the genre of classical music to promote fairness and equity. Recognized as groundbreaking, dynamic and daring, with core values built around being culturally responsive and advocates of inclusivity in all aspects of the 35-year-old organization’s work, Chicago Sinfonietta’s unrelenting commitment to being at the forefront of innovation drives its high standard of symphonic experiences. CS takes pride in leading by example with immersive audience engagement activities, impactful career development, education, and extensive community outreach programs.


Chicago Sinfonietta’s 35th anniversary season’s next In Your Neighborhood series concert takes place December 20, 2022, with CS as the marquee orchestral performer at the Annual Midwest Clinic at McCormick Place, Downtown Chicago – tickets are free to the public. The Sinfonietta’s next subscription concert is its popular Annual MLK Tribute Concert, “THUNDER,” January 15, 2023, at Wentz Concert Hall in Naperville and January 16, 2023, at Symphony Center, Chicago, featuring Letters From Moral Courage, a CS Commission and World Premiere by Kathryn Bostic, Composer-in-Residence, and two Chicago Premieres: Carlos Simon’s Fate Now Conquers and Valerie Coleman’s Umoja, Anthem for Unity for Orchestra. Details on Chicago Sinfonietta’s full 35th Anniversary season can be found at www.chicagosinfonietta.org 


Link to photos by Elliott Mandel here.


35th Anniversary Ball Sponsors

Press Contact:
Laura Grant, Grant Communications
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