Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras announces Fall programming from signature Symphony Orchestra Fall Concert NEW HORIZONS to showcases of programs for jazz, chamber music, and more


Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras announces Fall programming from signature Symphony Orchestra Fall Concert NEW HORIZONS to showcases of programs for jazz, chamber music, and more

 

Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras (CYSO), Chicago’s globally recognized premier youth orchestra, announces an eclectic Fall season, including its signature annual Symphony Orchestra Fall Concert, as well as additional performances showcasing eight orchestral programs ranging from jazz orchestra to chamber music ensembles. The Symphony Orchestra Fall Concert, titled New Horizons, takes place at Symphony Center’s Orchestra Hall (220 S. Michigan Avenue), on Sunday, November 22, 2026, 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $20 and can be purchased at CYSO.org. For more information, visit CYSO.org.

 

New Horizons will be conducted by guest conductor Michael Lewanski, and will feature Joseph Schwantner's New Morning for the World for narrator and orchestra, with text by Martin Luther King, Jr.; John Sibelius’ Violin Concerto op. 47, D minor, Movement I; and the Antonín Dvořák Symphony No.9, op.95, B.178, E minor (“New World Symphony”). New Morning for the World will be narrated by LaRob K. Rafael, Director of Composer Advancement at American Composers Orchestra. The concert features Aki Santibanez (violin) as the soloist, winner of the CYSO Concerto Competition this year and a senior at Whitney M. Young Magnet High School. CYSO has been presenting its annual Fall concert since its inception in 1947.

 

CYSO promotes and provides ensemble-focused programming out of a belief in the power of community, with on-site programs offering a wide range of opportunities for young musicians across 13 orchestras. CYSO offers three types of orchestras: orchestra, steelpan, and jazz, with options for different ages and skill levels within each category. Performances from CYSO’s various orchestras and ensembles round out the Fall season, including:

 

Accelerando Strings ft. Chamber Music Concert at DePaul University’s Gannon Concert Hall (2330 N. Halsted St.), on Saturday, November 14, 2026, 7:30 p.m. Accelerando Strings is CYSO’s high school string ensemble and performs a wide variety of repertoire from Baroque to contemporary. This concert will highlight 4-5 chamber ensembles built from CYSO’s Symphony Orchestra and Philharmonic Orchestra, including strings, brass, and woodwinds. 

 

Jazz Orchestra Fall Concert at the Jazz Showcase (806 S. Plymouth Ct.), on Monday, November 16, 2026, 7:30 p.m. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Jazz Orchestra’s residency at the Jazz Showcase brings high-level music to dedicated local jazz audiences. Building on Chicago’s rich history as a center of jazz music creation and innovation, CYSO’s Jazz Orchestra is dedicated to the study and performance of classic and contemporary big band jazz music. Made up of 20 high school-age musicians, the ensemble performs everything from classic big band swing charts steeped in jazz tradition to new works incorporating current and emerging styles. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for students, free for children 7 and under, at CYSO.org.

 

Debut Orchestra, Prep Strings, Overture Strings Fall Concert at Northwestern University’s Pick-Staiger Concert Hall (50 Arts Cir. Dr., Evanston, IL) on Sunday, December 6, 2026, 1:30 p.m. Debut Orchestra is a full orchestra providing middle school and young high school students with their first exposure to high-level full orchestra training. Preparatory Strings is an intermediate string orchestra providing training to elementary school students who read music and have at least two years of training. Overture Strings provides entry-level string orchestra training to the youngest elementary school-aged student musicians. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for students, free for children 7 and under, at CYSO.org.

 

Philharmonic Orchestra and Concert Orchestra Fall concert at Northwestern University’s Pick-Staiger Concert Hall (50 Arts Cir. Dr., Evanston, IL) on Sunday, December 6, 2026, 7:00 p.m. CYSO’s advanced ensembles are joined by guest musician, Chicago cimbalom expert Matthew Coley, to perform Kodaly's Hary Janos Suite, a rhythmically and technically challenging piece. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for students, free for children 7 and under, at CYSO.org.

 

Steel Orchestra Fall Concert at Roosevelt University’s Ganz Hall (430 S. Michigan Avenue), on Saturday, December 12, 2026, 3 p.m. CYSO’s Steel Orchestras include four ensembles made up of elementary, middle, and high school students. This is a full-year program that introduces students to music through the steelpan (sometimes called the steel drum), a unique percussion instrument that has its roots in the Caribbean islands and culture of Trinidad and Tobago. The program focuses on basic music theory, technique, musicianship, building a diverse repertoire, and learning about calypso—the traditional music of Trinidad and Tobago—as well as other musical styles from classical to jazz. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for students, free for children 7 and under, at CYSO.org.

 

Harris Theater Pre-Concert Chamber Feature at Harris Theater (205 E. Randolph St.) on Saturday, December 12, 2026, 2:15 p.m. The Symphony Orchestra’s and Philharmonic Orchestra’s Chamber Music Ensembles present an opening performance for ticket holders of Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos by the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, a special Harris Theater holiday tradition. Tickets start from $40 and are available at harristheaterchicago.org.

 

Chamberpalooza at Roosevelt University’s Ganz Hall (430 S. Michigan Avenue) on Sunday, December 13, 2026, 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., with a marathon of chamber performances from the Symphony Orchestra’s and the Philharmonic Orchestra’s Chamber Music Ensembles, as well as the Percussion Ensemble. The event is free and open to the public.

 

About Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras (CYSO)

Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras’ mission is to inspire and cultivate personal excellence through music. Celebrating 80 years of music-making, CYSO continues to shape generations of young leaders and musicians and is committed to educating, encouraging, and empowering each young musician so that they may pursue personal excellence both on and off stage. CYSO serves young musicians ages 6-18 in on-site and school-based ensembles and offers community programming reaching audiences of all ages across the Chicago region. CYSO on-site programs include jazz, steel, string, and symphonic orchestras as well as chamber music and music composition. Its CYSO@CPS school-based programs and free concerts reach more than 10,000 young people annually. CYSO is investing in the future of music and the next generation of leaders. CYSO made history as the only orchestra of any kind to have a headlining solo set at Lollapalooza in 2025 and 2026.

 

About Michael Lewanski

Michael Lewanski is a Georgia-born, Chicago-based conductor, writer, and educator. He is the conductor of Ensemble Dal Niente, Associate Professor of Instrumental Ensembles at the DePaul University School of Music and Chair of the Performance Studies Department, Artistic Director of Lakeview Orchestra, a frequent guest conductor, and a writer. He advocates for both new and old music alike, and seeks to maximize interpretative engagement and create deep connections between audiences, musicians, composers, and the music that is part of their culture, society, and history. He also works to foster a critical perspective on the classical music industry’s problems, with the goal of collective, systemic change.

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