Join us all season long for Salon Series experiences!
Guided by our own CSO musicians, guest artists and musical experts, we examine our programming, our history and our musicians, past and present. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear rare perspectives and behind-the-scenes anecdotes from the people who know them best.
All events take place in Grainger Ballroom.
Schedule
- 5:30 Doors open, complimentary refreshments to be served
- 6:00 Program starts
Passing the Baton: The Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Music Directors Who Shaped Its Greatness
Monday, October 5, 2026
Join us as we sit with Phillip Huscher and CSOA archivist Frank Villella as we dive into the untold story of how the Chicago Symphony Orchestra forged its place among the world’s foremost performing arts institutions through 135 years of change.
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra boasts a tradition and staying power that few cultural institutions can rival—a legacy that is tested each time one music director passes the conductor’s baton to another. In this first narrative account of the orchestra’s 135-year history, music critic and historian Phillip Huscher delivers a passionate description of how an upstart ensemble rose to international prominence and established itself as the premier symphony orchestra in the United States.
On the Panel
Phillip Huscher, Scholar-in-Residence and Program Annotator
Frank Villella, Director, Rosenthal Archives of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association
If you have any questions, please contact Brent Taghap.
Stay tuned for information about more Salon Series events this season!
Salon Series is a benefit for donors who make gifts of $500 or more each season to support the work of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association.