Chicago Symphony Orchestra Special Community Concert
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra performing a special community concert at Moreton East High School’s Chodl Auditorium.
Note: All photos are click to enlarge for closer viewing.
A Community Event
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra performs a free community concert as part of its Citizen Musician Initiative which exists to expand the role of music in civic and cultural life. For this event the planners were looking for a venue in the suburbs of Chicago that was large and grand enough for their annual performance. Morton East High School’s Chodl Auditorium seats nearly 3,000 people and is a massive 70ft by 30ft proscenium and was a perfect location for such an event. Once the logistics and paperwork were arranged the process of working with the event planners and logistical teams at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra began so that everything would come together for the fall event.
Technical professional extend the stage and work on lighting for the CSO concert.
On top of my roles as Theatre teacher and Director at Morton East I also was the Auditorium Manager of the Chodl Auditorium. Along with these responsibilites I was thrilled to take on the responsibilities of Event Coordinator, Special Liaison to CSO Staff, and Technical Advisor. These various roles and hats that I wore had me working with many staff at the CSO as well as theatre professionals. I worked alongside the marketing teams, technical designers, event planning team, and even as a Special Liaison to both Maestro Riccardo Muti and Deborah F. Rutter.
Maestro Muti conducts the CSO.
The CSO plays at the special community concert.
The event had many logistical challenges including planning a VIP pre-show meet and greet with food, marketing to the community, parking and lobby logistics, finding and setting up dressing rooms for orchestra members, choir members, and for Maestro Muti and other special guest performers. The event also had several technical challenges including building out the stage with platforms over the orchestra pit and into the first few rows and the reworking of lighting with technical professionals brought in by the CSO.
One special part of the concert was that the students at Morton East High School were asked to perform in the choir and assist with technical aspects and running of the concert. The professionals brought in worked with the student technicians teaching them lighting, sound, and helping build the stage out. This experience also had students in the Theatre department working as guest greeters and ushers for the night of the concert.
Morton East students working as ushers.
The Chicago Symphony Orchestras’s concert was a beautiful night of singing, instrumental music and community building. Nearly 3,000 guests came to the event filling the Chodl Auditorium. Riccardo Muti led a community chorus comprised of members from the CSO chorus, Morton East Choir and various other choirs from the Chicago’s city and suburbs alongside the CSO. The evening featured performances by Barbara Frittoli and Luca Dall’Amico legendary soprano and bass, and Men of the Chicago Symphony Chorus performing Brahms and Verdi. The concert was a great success and I was able to feel a great sense of pride in the work I did in helping implement the plans for the event. This once in a lifetime event was an amazing experience for myself, the school and community, and my students.
“In September of 2013, Brian worked in conjunction with the CSO to produce a community concert with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra led by the world famous director, Riccardo Muti. Brian did a tremendous job organizing and being a liaison between the world famous conductor and the symphony staff and helped make the event a true success.”