Join us at classical music’s coolest conversation!
Start your Thursday night at Symphony Center with a glass of wine or a non-alcoholic beverage and an interactive multimedia discussion between Chicago’s favorite radio DJ, WXRT’s Terri Hemmert, and a CSO musician. From rock to classical, the Beatles to Haydn, learn more about the works programmed and their influence on popular music. Enjoy four evenings of Classic Encounter in the 2024/25 Season — the perfect pairing with your CSO Classical concerts.
About Your Host
Terri Hemmert
Credit: Todd Rosenberg
Legendary disc jockey and “Queen of Rock and Roll radio” (WTTW) Terri Hemmert brings a unique charm to Symphony Center. Starting as an overnight announcer and public affairs director in 1973, she became Chicago’s first female morning-drive personality in 1981. In 2002, she became host of “Breakfast with the Beatles,” and in 2010 she was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame. Terri, who some call “Aunt Terri,” offers a friendly initiation into the symphony experience, an introduction for those who are curious and an opportunity to get comfortable while pairing music in the most unique fashion.
2024/25 Classic Encounter
The Tempest & The Sea Hawk – Thursday, December 12
Embark on a seafaring journey with works portraying Shakespeare’s magical island, a rough-hewn fishing village in England and a Hollywood tale of swashbuckling sailors.
Co-Host: John Bruce Yeh, Assistant Principal Clarinet and E-flat Clarinet
Concert Program
Britten Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes
Mahler Songs of a Wayfarer
Tchaikovsky The Tempest
Korngold (Arr. Russ) Suite from The Sea Hawk
Haydn Mass in Time of War – Thursday, March 13
Composed as Napoleon’s forces were threatening Austria, Haydn’s Mass in Time of War is presented along with Beethoven’s auspicious debut as a symphonist.
Co-Host: Chicago Symphony Chorus member
Concert Program
MacMillan Larghetto
Beethoven Symphony No. 1
Haydn Mass in Time of War
Mahler 6 with Jaap van Zweden – Thursday, May 8
Experience the soaring emotional peaks and valleys of Mahler’s Sixth Symphony, with its fateful hammer blows and nostalgic sounds of mountain pastures.
Co-Host: Cynthia Yeh, Principal Percussion
Concert Program
Mahler Symphony No. 6
Elder, Goosby & Price – Thursday, June 5
In Randall Goosby, American composer Florence Price “has her ideal champion,” writes The Guardian. Goosby performs Price’s violin concerto on a program with Prokofiev’s enchanting Seventh Symphony.
Co-Host: Chicago Symphony Orchestra member
Concert Program
Prokofiev Symphony No. 7
Price Violin Concerto No. 2
Wagner Suite from Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
Evening Schedule:
- 6:00 Doors Open
- 6:15 Presentation
- 7:30 CSO Concert
Please note: Classic Encounter does not include a full meal.
Learn more about dining options »
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