A festive season starter, Symphony Ball supports educational programs

Each fall, music lovers celebrate the beginning of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s season at Symphony Ball, a red-carpet evening featuring a concert and gala. As the largest annual fundraising benefit for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association, Symphony Ball raises vital support for the organization’s artistic, educational and community engagement programs.

Hosted by the Women’s Board of the CSOA, along with CSOA Board Trustee Roderick Branch, this season’s gala will take place on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 6:30 p.m. The evening includes a preconcert champagne toast throughout Symphony Center for all concertgoers, followed by a performance led by Riccardo Muti, who steps into his new role as Music Director Emeritus for Life beginning in September. He conducts the CSO and internationally renowned violinist Leonidas Kavakos in Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto to open the program, which also features Italian opera selections from composers including Puccini, Giordano and Verdi.

In addition to the concert, attendees may enhance their experience with a gala package that includes a private preconcert reception for patrons and sponsors in Buntrock Hall at Symphony Center, as well as the postconcert gala that features cocktails, dinner and dancing at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago. Cocktail attire is suggested. Individual tickets for the Symphony Ball concert are available at cso.org, and information about complete gala package reservations is available at cso.org/symphonyball.

“Symphony Ball is a crucial annual benefit gala that supports the CSO’s community engagement and educational initiatives in Chicago and around the world,” said CSOA Trustee Roderick Branch. “We will celebrate the incomparable musicians of the CSO and our newly appointed Music Director Emeritus for Life, Riccardo Muti. And we will raise essential funds that sustain important support in communities across Chicago for the CSO’s indispensable educational efforts, which annually reach tens of thousands of students who lack access to music education in their schools and are chronically underserved. We encourage members of the community and the CSO family to participate in this important fundraising moment, whether by joining us in person or by making a gift, small or large, to show their support for the CSO’s ongoing impact through music.”

The annual Symphony Ball fundraising benefit provides essential support for the CSOA, which annually reaches diverse groups of nearly 20,000 students and educators across more than 100 schools in more than 60 zip codes and 30 neighborhoods in the Chicagoland area through the programs of the Negaunee Music Institute at the CSO. In one example of its many educational programs, the Negaunee Music Institute provides free tickets and transportation to CSO concerts for thousands of students in Chicago Public Schools each season. More information about the Negaunee Music Institute at the CSO is available at cso.org/institute.

“The Women’s Board of the CSOA is delighted to welcome music lovers to celebrate with us at Symphony Ball,” said Women’s Board President Judy Feldman. “This signature event brings us together to both applaud our world-class orchestra and to support the vital community programs of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association. These programs connect Chicagoans from across the city to musical resources in ways that empower them through the gift of music. We invite everyone to join us for this very special evening.”