Classical and Pop Music Collide on Monday Nights in Millennium Park
Dusk Variations returns to Millennium Park for a third summer, mixing pop and alternative genres with classical music. Presented by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, in partnership with the Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture.
Monday, August 1, 6:30 PM
Turtle Island Quartet Presents the Music of Jimi Hendrix and David Balakrishnan
The two time Grammy® Award-winning quartet ventures to Electric Ladyland, tackling works by singer songwriter, Jimi Hendrix. Tonight’s program features Hendrix’s music as well as Tree of Life by Turtle Island Quartet founder David Balakrishnan, a new work inspired by the legendary guitarist’s music. For over 25 years, TIQ has been an ambitious force, propelling the creation and development of chamber music for strings while managing to honor the past and redefine the present. With two Grammy® Awards (2006 and 2008) for Best Classical Crossover, and a new album, Have You Ever Been…?, Turtle Island Quartet is sure to continue their role as the primary innovative energy for chamber music.
Monday, August 8, 6:30 PM
My Brightest Diamond with Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras
A project led by singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Shara Worden, My Brightest Diamond consistently provides an overtly intoxicating sonic atmosphere through the seamless blending of rock, opera and chamber music. Recent collaborations with artists ranging from The Decemberists to Sufjan Stevens to David Byrne have thrust Worden into a new artistic dimension. Tonight, she appears with the internationally acclaimed Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras, performing a variety of her works newly orchestrated for this performance.
Monday, August 15, 6:30 PM
Rasputina
With their seventh album released last summer, Rasputina has thoroughly embedded itself into the realm of true artistic success. A witty and shockingly refreshing mix of classical sensibilities with a true rock attitude, every note seems pioneering. They have performed with a variety of artists ranging from Nirvana, Marilyn Manson and Belle & Sebastian to Jane’s Addiction. Their newest album, Sister Kinderhook, marks a return to the group’s earlier, more organic sound, making this the perfect time to see the most innovative of cello-driven trios.
Monday, August 22, 6:30 PM
A Steve Reich Celebration: Presented by eighth blackbird and Third Coast Percussion
The Jay Pritzker Pavilion pulses with energy and joy as two of Chicago’s world-class ensembles, eighth blackbird and Third Coast Percussion, join forces to throw Steve Reich a wild 75th birthday party. The program includes Drumming, a thrilling virtuosic slap in the face, counterpointed by Double Sextet, a funky, off-kilter jam session, and concludes with Reich’s epic, mesmerizing musical road trip, Music for 18 Musicians, featuring some of America’s finest young performers.
