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This ofrenda, created by local artist Elvia Rodriguez Ochoa, honors members of the CSOA family who died over the last year.
In Mexico and Latin America, Día de Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, serves as a holiday of remembrance for the deceased. Its roots go back to precolonial Mexico and the belief that souls return annually to their families so that their lives can be celebrated. Families now commemorate the day by creating ofrendas (altars), featuring photos, candles, incense and other decorations and offerings to venerate the dead.
From Oct. 24 to Nov. 3, Symphony Center patrons may pay their respects at an ofrenda created by local artist Elvia Rodriguez Ochoa. Honoring members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association family who have died over the last year, the ofrenda also offers opportunities for the public and Symphony Center patrons to honor their loved ones. Visitors are invited to leave a small item — such as a photo or flower — or write a note on provided notecards to honor their deceased. The Symphony Center ofrenda is on the first floor of the Rotunda, off the Adams Street entrance.
The ofrenda honors these deceased CSOA members:
Cliff Colnot, a conductor of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and the MusicNOW series for more than 20 years. He died Feb. 12, 2024, at age 76.
Richard Garrin Pekala, member of the Chicago Symphony Chorus, and an assistant and associate conductor of the ensemble from 1974 until 1992. He died Aug. 7, 2024, at age 73.
Charles Geyer, member of the trumpet section from 1966 until 1978. He died June 11, 2024, at age 79.
Frank Kaderabek, member of the trumpet section from 1958 until 1966; he died Dec. 28, 2023, at age 94.
Seiji Ozawa, the first music director of the Ravinia Festival from 1964 until 1968 and principal conductor for the 1969 season. He died Feb. 6, 2024, at age 88.
Albert Payson, percussion section member from 1958 until 1997; he died June 23, 2024, at age 90.
Paul J. Phillips, member of the CSO violin section from 1980 to 2020. He died March 27, 2024.
Trustees:
Howard Gottlieb, 1923-2024, Life Trustee.
Dietrich Gross, 1933-2024, Life Trustee.
Paul Judy, 1931-2024, Life Trustee.
John Lillard, 1930-2024, Life Trustee.
Earl Rusnak, 1931-2024, Life Trustee.
Rodriguez Ochoa has worked on ofrendas for decades and has created them for other local arts institutions, such as the National Museum of Mexican Art.
“Death is so much part of who we are as human beings,” she said. "That’s the reason I’m so pleased to participate in this project. It’s a way of keeping the memories of friends and family alive."
Her father used to say, "I’m not afraid of death. I carry my death with me, and now it’s my time to do so." She has included one of her father’s shirts in the ofrenda.
Projects such as this ofrenda add to the richness of the city, Rodriguez Ochoa believes. “Chicago would not be as vibrant without the contributions of Latino community.”
The ofrenda spreads across the Rotunda’s first floor and is anchored by a grand piano draped in a Day of he Dead-themed spread. On the piano are typical ofrenda items, such as flowers, photos and calaveras (decorative skulls). It took two days to complete, plus a lot of research and preparation.
One of her favorite items in the ofrenda is a mini-coffin filled with roses for Mexican superstar Juan Gabriel (1950-2016), known for his exuberant, hours-long concerts, steeped in traditional Latin styles such as ranchera, banda and bolero music.
"It’s cool to connect popular culture and the symphony," she said. To that end, she might add a magnet of Freddie Mercury, of the British rock group Queen, which she spotted at the Symphony Store.
The ofrenda coincides with the Day of the Dead-themed concert Oct. 27 by singer-songwriter Lila Downs, who was pleased to hear about it. "Oh, that’s wonderful. These offerings, they really help us," she said in an interview for the Experience CSO site. “They soothe the heart, and they create a place for our loved ones and the ones who have left us, to come in and hang out with us.”
The many facets of death is a theme that runs throughout Downs’ work, including her latest disc, “La Sánchez” (Sony, 1923). On the album, Downs reflects on the death of her husband and artistic partner Paul Cohen, who died Dec. 7, 2022.
“It’s hard to explain this duality that Mexican and Latin American cultures have toward death,” she said. “It’s something in our essence. Death is viewed as a natural progression of life.”
"And that’s beautiful to have. And a lot of times at our concerts, the local Latin community puts together a comparsa (procession). It’s a group of characters, representing the dead, who get together and dance.
“Sometimes it can include people in masks or in traditional attire representing the particular region that they come from,” she said. So that’s very beautiful because then you have a flavor of the different regions of Mexico represented in the theaters where we perform."
