Joseph Fernicola, director of sales, eager for Mahler, Mendelssohn and more

The 2023-24 seasons of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Symphony Center Presents are just weeks away, and members of the Sales and Patron Experience team are here to help. Tickets and subscriptions for all series are now on sale and can be ordered online or over the phone.

Can’t decide which concerts to select? Over the next weeks, staff members will offer their own choices for the must-see performances of 2023-24.

Joseph Fernicola, director of sales and patron experience, looks forward to the wide variety of CSO programming and sharing all that Symphony Center has to offer with others.

Here are his top choices for 2023-24:

1. Full-force oratorios: Mendelssohn is probably my favorite composer from the canon (it is so hard to pick a favorite), and oratorios are one of my favorite composition styles, so his storytelling of Elijah (April 11-13) is destined to be a highlight for me next season. And speaking of oratorios, I’m also interested in hearing the Sir Andrew Davis version of Handel’s Messiah (Dec. 21-23).

2. Highlight reels: “Fantasia” has a special place in my heart, as it was one of those childhood experiences that got me hooked on classical music. I’m looking forward to sharing that concert with my visiting family members during the Thanksgiving weekend (Nov. 24-26). The second must-see film for me is “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” (May 3 and 5).

3. Personal perennials: My two perennial favorites are Symphony Ball (Sept. 23) and Merry, Merry Chicago! (Dec. 15-23). I always get these dates on my calendar right away and tell my friends to do the same.

4. Jazz meets classical: The CSO x JLCO mashup (April 25-27) has me excited, especially since it occurs during the 30th season of SCP Jazz!

5. Season send-offs: Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony (May 23-25) is one of my favorite pieces of music — the ending guarantees goosebumps! Also, toward the end of the season, I’m looking forward to hearing the new suite of The Elements (June 13-15) by five great contemporary composers and presented by the CSO and Joshua Bell.

As a bonus, I’ll add that Hannu Lintu is one of my personal favorite conductors of our time, so those dates (Feb. 23-27) are marked with CSO-red permanent marker on my calendar. I’ll be there for sure!

Symphony Center’s friendly and knowledgeable Sales and Patron Experience team members are here to help. For personalized assistance with your ticket order, call 312-294-3000 or chat with us on CSO.org.