From Blockbuster Movies to Lollapalooza: How Chicago Philharmonic Is Breaking Genre Barriers and Changing the Game for Orchestras
The Chicago Philharmonic, now celebrating its 35th season, is asking a very important question: How do we make orchestra concerts for everyone?
The orchestra, founded in 1989 by principal musicians of the Lyric Opera Orchestra, has long occupied a unique space within the city’s performing arts ecosystem. The organization eschews the traditional audition/tenure system for musicians, instead drawing from a pool of nearly 200 musician members and placing musicians in key leadership positions on the Board of Directors, committees, and administration.
With Executive Director (and 2023 Crain’s Business Chicago 40 Under 40 awardee) Terell Johnson now at the helm, Chicago Philharmonic is quickly becoming one of the country’s most versatile, innovative, and ambitious orchestras.
So, what does a Chicago Philharmonic concert look like?
“It’s really a question of giving our audiences what they need in the moment,” said Terell. “Most performing arts ensembles ask audiences to come to them. The onus is on the audience to learn these 100-year-old customs, to pay exorbitant ticket prices, and to dress a certain way.
“We want to meet our audience members where they’re at. Right now, that means collaborating with artists in every genre—funk, pop, punk, hip-hop, jazz, classical, world music, film scores, and everything else. Seeing the joy in people’s faces when they hear their favorite artists with Chicago Philharmonic is incredible.”
That could mean anything from an electric collaboration with up-and-coming, Grammy-nominated R&B/soul group Tank and the Bangas, the United States’ premiere of “Blade Runner” Live in Concert, or a heart-pounding “Aria Masterpieces” opera event with three-time Grammy-winning bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green, complete with music by Wagner, Puccini, and Terence Blanchard—and that’s just in the last year!
For the Chicago Philharmonic’s 35th season, which began on July 1, 2024, the organization is amplifying its boundary-breaking approach even further with a series of once-in-a-lifetime concerts. Chicago Philharmonic debuted at Lollapalooza as the first-ever orchestra to play at the legendary festival with Icelandic jazz-pop sensation Laufey (pronounced LAY-vey). The concert day sold out, with 115,000+ fans clamoring to hear the orchestra and Laufey live in concert, headlining alongside top Billboard artists SZA, Stray Kids, and Renée Rapp.
In October, the Chicago Philharmonic presented a world premiere tour of groundbreaking concerts, including An Evening with Sleeping At Last, also known as the Chicago-based singer-songwriter and producer Ryan O’Neal. With more than 2.8 billion streams on Spotify and Apple Music, the artist has been featured in over 100 popular movies, television shows, and performances, including The “Twilight” Saga, “Grey’s Anatomy”, and “American Idol.”
O’Neal was introduced to the Chicago Philharmonic through artist and mutual friend Kaoru Ishibashi (who goes by the stage name Kishi Bashi), who performed a sold-out concert with the orchestra in April 2023. After attending the concert, O’Neal met with Executive Director Terell Johnson, who was already an avid fan of the artist —Terell’s first wedding dance was Sleeping At Last’s “Turning Page.”
The two collaborated to create a new program of Sleeping At Last songs, arranged for orchestra and O’Neal. Now, with the support of Artistic Director Scott Speck, An Evening with Sleeping At Last is toured for three concerts in October 2024. The tour began with two concerts at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance on October 11-12, each selling out in a few days. Opening each concert was a World Premiere piece by Donna Milanovich Composer in Residence Jonathan Bingham. On October 24, the concert headed to Carnegie Hall in New York City for an unforgettable performance.
“We are putting together a season with a little something for everyone,” says Terell. “It’s our hope that our audiences leave each concert feeling like they had the time of their lives. Orchestra can be a powerful tool for connection, education, and inclusivity. But at the end of the day, it’s about centering our work in joy.”