CSO Season Ends

In April, I closed out my Chicago Symphony Orchestra 2007-08 season with a couple of great concerts. The first was a night of choral music that was doubly special because of the performers and the venue.

The Choir of King’s College stopped in Chicago as part of their North American tour. I love choral music and have many King’s College albums, so when I saw they were going to be in town performing, I made sure to get tickets. I’ve seen the 300-plus CSO chorus many times but this was my first time hearing a smaller choral group perform. It’s amazing how such a rich sound can come from just 30 voices. Undoubtedly the venue contributed. The concert was held in the Fourth Presbyterian Church on Michigan Avenue. I’ve walked past this Gothic style cathedral, located directly across the street from the Hancock Tower, many times. The King’s College Choir was the perfect excuse to finally see what it looks like on the inside.

I was unfamiliar with the pieces performed by the choir and I can’t say I’ll be rushing out to add them to my collection, but it was well worth seeing them perform live. Listening on CD for so many years, I’d forgotten that the group is made up of boys—half are in college, the others are grade-school age, some as young as nine. It was fun watching the younger set. In the cathedral setting, they looked like a group of Hogwarts’ students. Imagine a few rows of Ron Weasley’s in black robes.

My final CSO concert of the year was conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen, who led the orchestra in a performance of his own Piano Concerto, with soloist Yefim Bronfman (for whom the piece was written) and concluded with Beethoven’s 7th Symphony. A very fine way to round out the season.