Grant Park Music Festival’s new Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Giancarlo Guerrero returns to lead all Grant Park Music Festival concerts in August. These performances mark the final weeks of this year’s season of free classical music by the acclaimed Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus in Millennium Park. Highlights include Songs of Love and Life (Aug. 1 & 2), Joshua Bell and Tchaikovsky’s Romeo & Juliet (Aug. 6) Stravinsky Firebird (Aug. 8 & 9), Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony (Aug. 13) and the thrilling season finale, Carmina Burana (Aug. 15 & 16).
Concerts are Wednesdays and Fridays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. The Aug. 1 & 2 concerts will take place indoors at the Harris Theater.
One Night Member Passes for all concerts, except for Joshua Bell and Tchaikovsky’s Romeo & Juliet, start at $27; passes for the Joshua Bell Aug. 6 concert begin at $90. Patrons can call 312.742.7647 or go online at gpmf.org and select their seat close to the stage in the member section of the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. All memberships, including One Night Member Passes, are tax-deductible and help to support the Festival’s mission of keeping classical music free and accessible for all.
For every Grant Park Music Festival concert, there are free seats that are available to the public either in the Seating Bowl or on the Great Lawn on a first-come, first-served basis. Guests can support the Festival and secure reserved seating in the front half of the Seating Bowl by becoming a
Member.
AUGUST FESTIVAL CONCERTS
· Songs of Love and Life (Aug. 1 & 2) Giancarlo Guerrero leads a deeply moving program at
the Harris Theater. Featuring Grammy-winning mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges, the evening explores profound themes of love and loss with Brian Nabors’ Pulse, Peter Lieberson’s Neruda Songs, Missy Mazzoli’s These Worlds In Us, and Richard Strauss’ Death and Transfiguration.
· Joshua Bell and Tchaikovsky: Romeo & Juliet (Aug. 6). Joshua Bell and the Grant Park Orchestra play Édouard Lalo’s fiery Symphonie Espagnole in a program with Tchaikovsky’s Romeo & Juliet
Overture-Fantasy, and Franz von Suppe’s Poet and Peasant Overture. Giancarlo Guerrero conducts.
· Stravinsky Firebird (Aug. 8 & 9). Guerrero conducts a symphonic spectacular featuring
Stravinsky's The Firebird and Lera Auerbach's Icarus. The program also includes Benjamin Britten's The Building of the House and Jennifer Higdon's The Singing Rooms, featuring Chicagoan violinist Jennifer Koh.
· Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony (Aug. 13). Guerrero welcomes back pianist Clayton Stephenson for Liszt's dazzling Piano Concerto No. 1. The program also features Chelsea Komschlies' Mycelialore and Saint-Saëns' Organ Symphony, renowned for its thrilling finale.
· Orff’s Carmina Burana, (Aug. 15 & 16). Guerrero conducts this final concert of the season featuring Carmina Burana with guest vocalists Jana McIntyre (soprano), Reginald Mobley (countertenor) and Troy Cook (baritone), and United Voices Chicago children’s choir. The program also includes Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Russian Easter Overture, Alan Hovhaness’ Symphony No. 2, Mysterious Mountain.
ANCILLARY PROGRAMMING AND EVENTS
The Festival continues to provide educational experiences for people of all ages that encourage the audience to learn more about music.
· August brings the opportunity to observe a free Vocal Master Class with Troy Cook (baritone) from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 16 in the Choral Rehearsal Room. This is a chance for young professionals and Chicago-area music students to be mentored by a visiting musician. Admission is on a first come-first-serve basis. More information is available at gpmf.org.
· Music lovers can enjoy free performances by the Festival Vocal Fellows Thursday, Aug. 7 at the Jefferson Memorial Park Auditorium, 4822 N. Long Ave. and Thursday, Aug. 14 at the Lincoln Park Cultural Center, 2045 N. Lincoln Park West. This initiative is a unique training opportunity for emerging artists aimed at guiding young professionals toward successful careers in music and is presented as part of the Chicago Park District’s popular Night Out in the Parks series. Concerts are free and seating is limited. Concerts begin at 6:30 p.m., attendees are encouraged to arrive 30 minutes prior to the performance due to space limitations. More information is available at gpmf.org
· The Festival’s popular free Pre-Concert Talk series continues with exclusive conversations between guest artists and expert music commentators. Lectures generally take place in Millennium Park’s Chase Promenade North tent, on the walkway to the west of the Pavilion, one hour before each concert. In August, guests for the Pre-Concert Talks include mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges (Aug. 1 and 2), Festival Artistic Director/Principal Conductor Giancarlo Guerrero (Aug. 6 and 9), Jennifer Higdon (Aug. 8), pianist Clayton Stephenson (Aug. 13), baritone Troy Cook (Aug. 15), and soprano Jana McIntyre (Aug. 16.) Note: the Aug. 1 and 2 talks will take place in the Harris Theater's 2nd floor Donor Lounge. The Talks will be hosted by Seth Boustead and Laura Sauer-Shaw.
Many Festival concerts are broadcast on 98.7 WFMT, Chicago’s Classical Radio Station, and online at wfmt.com/listen. The remaining broadcast dates in August are Aug. 6 and 15.
Festival concerts go on—rain or shine! In the event of severe weather (as determined by the City of Chicago Office of Emergency Management), the performance will be halted, and updates will be posted to the Festival’s website and other social media. Severe weather is described as lightning and/or rain with heavy winds that moves into the immediate vicinity of Millennium Park.
The Grant Park Orchestral Association presents the Grant Park Music Festival with key support from the Chicago Park District and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.
SECURITY PROCEDURES
Millennium Park is a safe and welcoming place for everyone. The City of Chicago requires that all patrons attending any concert at the Pavilion enter from either Randolph or Monroe Streets or the Millennium Park Garage. Security gates open 90 minutes before scheduled concert start-times. The Pavilion will be closed to the public for one hour before gates open in order to conduct a security sweep. Fridays through Sundays, guests under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult (21 years and older) and may be asked to present a valid ID. The adult must be present for the duration of the visit and may escort up to four young people. Additional security policies can be found here.
ABOUT THE GRANT PARK MUSIC FESTIVAL
For more than 90 years, the Grant Park Music Festival has been Chicago’s summer musical sensation, demonstrating that classical music performed by a world-class orchestra and chorus can have a transformative impact on the city. Showcased in the city’s most spectacular setting, the Festival continues to be the summer gathering place for all of Chicago. The Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park is the official home of the Grant Park Music Festival, with free seats available for every concert. The 2025 season runs through August 16.
In addition to Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Giancarlo Guerrero, the Grant Park Music Festival is led by Grant Park Orchestral Association President and CEO Paul Winberg, and Board Chair Adam Grais.
The Grant Park Music Festival is presented by the Grant Park Orchestral Association with key support from the Chicago Park District and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.
The Festival gratefully acknowledges the generosity of its major sponsors: AbelsonTaylor Group, Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., Capital One, Epstein Becker Green, Fairmont Chicago Millennium Park, Jones Day, Kattan, NASCAR's Chicago Street Race; and generous support from Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, The Grainger Foundation, Julius N. Frankel Foundation, Sage Foundation, Smart Family Foundation, and Illinois Arts Council. For more information about the Grant Park Music Festival, visit gpmf.org.
ABOUT ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AND PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR GIANCARLO GUERRERO
Giancarlo Guerrero is a six-time GRAMMY® Award-winning conductor whose imaginative programming and “curatorial and interpretive creativity”(Chicago Tribune) draw out of his orchestras “exceptionally powerful and enchanting performances” (BBC Music Magazine).
Guerrero recently completed his sixteenth and final season as Music Director of the Nashville Symphony, with whom he commissioned and premiered nearly two dozen pieces and released twenty-one commercial recordings, garnering thirteen GRAMMY® nominations and six GRAMMY® Awards. In addition to his post as Artistic Director of the Grant Park Music Festival, Guerrero is the newly appointed Music Director of Sarasota Orchestra.
Guerrero has been a frequent guest conductor in North America, performing with the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, and the orchestras of Boston, Baltimore, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dallas, Detroit, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Montréal, Philadelphia, Seattle, Toronto, Vancouver, and Houston. Internationally he has led orchestras in Germany, London, Spain, Portugal, France, Brazil, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Australia.
Guerrero has held posts as Music Director of the NFM Wrocław Philharmonic and Eugene Symphony; Principal Guest Conductor of The Cleveland Orchestra, Miami Residency; the Gulbenkian Symphony in Lisbon; and Associate Conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra.
Born in Nicaragua, Guerrero immigrated during his childhood to Costa Rica, where he joined the local youth symphony. He studied percussion and conducting at Baylor University and earned his master’s degree in conducting at Northwestern. Guerrero is particularly engaged with conducting training orchestras and has worked with the Curtis School of Music, Colburn School in Los Angeles, National Youth Orchestra (NYO2), and Yale Philharmonia, as well as Nashville Symphony’s Accelerando program and biannual Composer Lab & Workshop for young and emerging composers. www.giancarlo-guerrero.com.
ABOUT CHORUS DIRECTOR CHRISTOPHER BELL
Christopher Bell has served as the Grant Park Chorus Director since 2002. Bell oversees a chorus of more than 100 singers, along with the Festival’s Vocal Fellowship program, an initiative designed to encourage singers under-represented in the field. Bell prepares all the Festival’s choral programs and conducts the orchestra and chorus for several concerts each year. During his tenure, he and the chorus have been recipients of the coveted Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence given by Chorus America, as well as glowing reviews from critics and audiences alike. In 2013, Bell won the Michael Korn Founders Award for Development of the Professional Choral Art.
In a career spanning thirty years thus far, Christopher has been chorusmaster of the Edinburgh Royal Choral Union (1987–1990), Chorus Master of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra Chorus (1989–2002) the Belfast Philharmonic Choir (2005–2011) the Edinburgh Festival Chorus (2007–2018) and the Washington Chorus (2017–2020). Largely responsible for the formation of the National Youth Choir of Scotland (NYCOS) in 1996, he has been its Artistic Director ever since. Bell was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Music from the Royal Conservatoire in Scotland in 2012, in recognition of his contribution to performing arts in Scotland. In 2015, he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Music from the University of Aberdeen.
ABOUT MILLENNIUM PARK
Millennium Park is the #1 attraction in the Midwest and among the top 10 most-visited sites in the U.S. It is also the anchor of an urban cultural campus (Millennium Park Campus) that includes the Chicago Cultural Center, Maggie Daley Park and The Art Institute of Chicago. Millennium Park is located on Michigan Avenue, bordered by Randolph St. to the north, Columbus Dr. to the east and Monroe St. to the south.
The Park is open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Plan your visit at MillenniumPark.org;
follow us on Facebook (@MillenniumParkChicago), and Instagram (@Millennium_Park);
and join the conversation on social media using #MillenniumPark.
GRANT PARK MUSIC FESTIVAL
2025 SEASON REPERTOIRE
August
All programs are subject to change.
Programs take place at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion unless otherwise noted
SONGS OF LOVE AND LIFE
Note Location: Harris Theater, 205 E. Randolph
Friday, Aug. 1, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 2, 7:30 p.m.
Grant Park Orchestra
Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor
J’Nai Bridges, mezzo-soprano
Brian Nabors – Pulse (Chicago Premiere)
Peter Lieberson – Neruda Songs
Missy Mazzoli – These Worlds In Us
Richard Strauss – Death and Transfiguration
JOSHUA BELL AND TCHAIKOVSKY’S ROMEO & JULIET
Wednesday, Aug. 6, 6:30 p.m.
Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor
Joshua Bell, violin
Franz von Suppé – Poet and Peasant Overture
Édouard Lalo – Symphonie Espagnole
Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky – Romeo and Juliet Overture-Fantasy
Joshua Bell’s appearance is made possible with the generous support of the Grainger Iconic Performers Fund.
STRAVINSKY FIREBIRD
Friday, Aug. 8, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 9, 7:30 p.m.
Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus
Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor
Jennifer Koh, violin
Benjamin Britten – The Building of the House
Jennifer Higdon – The Singing Rooms (Illinois Premiere)
Lera Auerbach – Icarus (Chicago Premiere)
Igor Stravinsky – Suite from The Firebird
SAINT-SAËNS ORGAN SYMPHONY
Wednesday, Aug. 13, 6:30 p.m.
Grant Park Orchestra
Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor
Clayton Stephenson, piano
Chelsea Komschlies – Mycelialore (Illinois Premiere)
Franz Liszt – Piano Concerto No. 1
Camille Saint-Saëns – Symphony No. 3, Organ
CARMINA BURANA
Friday, Aug. 15, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 16, 7:30 p.m.
Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus
Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor
Christopher Bell, chorus director
Jana McIntyre, soprano
Reginald Mobley, countertenor
Troy Cook, baritone
United Voices Chicago, children’s choir
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov – Russian Easter Overture
Alan Hovhaness – Symphony No. 2, Mysterious Mountain
Carl Orff – Carmina Burana