July 28, 2009
MEDIA CONTACT:
Kennon Brown
312.744.8948
kennon.brown@cityofchicago.org
CHICAGO EARLY MUSIC FESTIVAL
City’s first festival of Early Music to debut next spring
April 20 – 25, 2010
Unprecedented collaboration amongst Chicago’s leading Early Music ensembles and organizations; Free and ticketed events; citywide celebration of Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque music
The Chicago Early Music Festival (CEMF) will debut in April 2010 as the City’s first festival celebrating music of the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque eras. The six-day collaborative festival, presented by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) and the Chicago Office of Tourism, kicks off on April 20, 2010 and runs through April 25. Representing an unprecedented collaboration amongst the City of Chicago and some of Chicago’s leading Early Music ensembles and organizations, CEMF will feature free and ticketed performances, lectures and master classes by internationally renowned musicians in venues throughout the city; community events; and an exhibition of instrument builders, music publishers and other Early Music resources at the Chicago Cultural Center. Full schedule of events to be announced. Visit for current information.
The presenting and performing organizations collaborating on the festival include Chicago Opera Theater, University of Chicago Presents, Baroque Band, International Music Foundation and the Newberry Consort. Events ranging from a fully-staged baroque opera to Medieval vocal trios and a period instrument orchestral performance will bring to life vibrant music that has remained relevant for centuries.
"Chicago ensembles have been producing and presenting Early Music for some time, but this exciting new festival takes it to a new level, showcasing our city's Early Music community and bringing in top international performers," said Cultural Affairs Commissioner Lois Weisberg. "We hope that residents and tourists alike will enjoy this historic and truly wonderful music."
Festival Highlights
On April 24 and 25 from 10 am to 6 pm, the Chicago Cultural Center’s G.A.R. Hall and Rotunda will serve as the venue for the Chicago Early Music Festival Exhibition. This assembly will provide a forum for a wide variety of musical organizations from across the US to come together in one space. From instrument-makers and music publishers to music students and enthusiasts, this exhibition will be an invaluable resource for both professionals and enthusiasts looking to share, learn and collaborate.
On April 24, 28, 30 (7:30 pm) and May 2 (3 pm), Chicago Opera Theater (COT) presents Francesco Cavalli’s Giasone, the second opera of COT’s 2010 Spring Festival Season. It is also the first opera of three Baroque masterpieces to be presented during COT’s next three seasons, all to be conducted by Early Music specialist Christian Curnyn. This Baroque “trilogy” will be devoted to the exploration of three operas with Medea as a central character: Giasone by Francesco Cavalli (2010), Médée by Marc-Antoine Charpentier (2011), and Teseo by George Frideric Handel (2012). For tickets, call 312.704.8414.
On Friday, April 23, 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm, The University of Chicago Presents features Trio Mediæval performing Fragments: A Worcester Ladymass, a modern recreation of a 13th-century vocal mass taken from the manuscripts of England’s Worcester Cathedral. Norway’s Grammy-nominated Trio Mediæval has developed a fervent following in the chamber music world with its mix of early English and French songs, contemporary works, and traditional Scandinavian ballads. There will also be a pre-concert lecture by Anne Robertson, Claire Dux Swift Distinguished Service Professor of Music and the Humanities in the College, University of Chicago. For tickets, call 773.702.8068.
In addition to the exciting performances taking place throughout Chicago, the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park will become the hub of daily festival activity during the daytime. A series of master classes, intimate concerts, public workshops and lectures will invite audiences behind the closed doors of the Pritzker stage to immerse themselves in Early Music. All programs are free to the public with special opportunities to reserve seats for the community workshops and experience the thrill of performing on stage.
Background on Early Music
The Chicago Early Music Festival will present music spanning five centuries – from the 13th until the mid-18th century. Early Music is a term commonly used to describe Western classical music before the time of Mozart, encompassing Medieval chant, the late Baroque masterworks of Handel and Bach, and everything in between. Pioneers like Wanda Landowska and Arnold Dolmetsch paved the way for a resurgence of interest in Early Music in the mid-20th century, with the rediscovery of historical instruments and long-lost techniques of playing them. Now, sixty years later, Early Music has finally entered the musical mainstream, with ensembles all over the world playing and singing this music.