Schedule:

Masterclass with Violinist Midori at Bennett Gordon Hall
The Program for Piano & Strings concentrates on interpretation and small-group collaboration through the practice and performance of classical sonata and chamber repertoire. Violinists, violists, cellists, and pianists from around the world gather for an immersive and intensive summer of rehearsals and coachings with a rotating roster of some of the world’s finest teaching artists.

In addition to several afternoon and evening concerts presented during the summer, the musicians participate in a series of public masterclasses, where the faculty or a Ravinia guest artist provide in-the-moment insights on the fellows’ performances of excerpts from their repertoire, guiding both the growth of their interpretations and sharing the experience with all in attendance.

This masterclass is led by violinist Midori, who became Artistic Director of the Piano & Strings Program this season. She recently celebrated the 40th anniverary of her career-launching debut with the New York Philharmonic at age 11, embarking on a three-continent tour and making a new album of Beethoven’s sonatas for piano and violin with Jean-Yves Thibaudet. Across those four decades, Midori has collaborated with many of the world’s most prestigious orchestras and renowned artists like Leonard Bernstein, Yo-Yo Ma, and many others. Deeply committed to humanitarian and educational goals, Midori has founded several non-profit organizations, including the New York-based Midori & Friends and Japan-based Music Sharing, which have been operating for 30 years. In recognition of her work as an artist and humanitarian, she serves as a United Nations Messenger of Peace and was named a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2021.

Performers
Midori, violin and host
RSMI Piano & Strings Program Fellows

Gates Open: 12:30 PM
Concert Starts: 1:30 PM

Tickets: Free

CSO + Marin Alsop with Michelle Cann and Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha at Pavillon
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra opens its 88th summer season at Ravinia with Chief Conductor Marin Alsop and two featured soloists, soprano Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha and pianist Michelle Cann. In an evening of all-American music, the orchestra opens with Aaron Copland's beloved classic Appalachian Spring followed by James P. Johnson's Charleston, highlighting this early jazz piano leader's influence and the iconic dance of the same name. Rangwanasha is in the spotlight for Samuel Barber's evocative portrait of a small boy in the American South, Knoxville: Summer of 1915. The program wraps in celebration of the 100th anniversary of George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, with Cann at the keyboard.

Performers
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Marin Alsop, conductor
Michelle Cann, piano
Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha, soprano

Donor Gates Open: 4:30 PM
Gates Open: 5:00 PM
Concert Starts: 7:30 PM

Tickets:
Reserved Seats: $55–$145
Lawn Reserved Blocks: $65
Lawn General Admission: $17