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The 2026/27 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. 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 2026/27.
Tommy Bravos, a Patron Services associate, reports that he “really took my time in narrowing down my decisions. With all the excellent programming we have next season (every season, let’s be real) it was difficult to pick only five concerts, but here we go!”
With that, check out his must-see selections for the upcoming season, in order of priority:
Seeing the CSO perform Tan Dun’s score to to the film “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (2000) is perhaps one of my favorite musical memories. It’s not often that his work is programmed in America, let alone something as expressively adventurous as this concerto, which plays with water. Icelandic singer-songwriter Björk featured water on her “Cornucopia” tour, and it made me rethink what can constitute music, especially when platformed on a major stage. I’m excited to see this performed live, and even more excited to see what reactions it elicits from our patrons.
Sleeping Beauty & Dvořák Cello Concerto, CSO Classical (Oct. 22-25)
Ballet music is among my favorites to hear live, even when it is performed without a troupe of dancers. Whether or not the music is staged, you can tell it was composed with movement in mind, and it easily empowers listeners to imagine their own scenes set to it. I grew up attending the dance recitals of my sister and cousins, and played piano for ballet classes in college, so Tchaikovsky has a special place in my heart. This program, which also showcases the Dvořák Cello Concert (with Jian Wang), certainly will be a highlight for me.
West Side Story Film with Orchestra, CSO at the Movies (Jan. 29-30)
I am a huge fan of CSO at the Movies, specifically when the series features unexpected films, and I always wait with bated breath to see what “oddball” film is selected aside from the usual modern blockbuster suspects. From “Crouching Tiger,” “2001: A Space Odyssey” and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” it’s always a thrill to see vintage or restored films presented with a live score. I’ve heard only the “West Side Story” score performed live and haven’t viewed either version of the film before, so this will surely be a treat.
Hisaishi Conducts Hisaishi, CSO Featured Concert (April 30-May 1)
It should be suspected by now that I enjoy music that feels cinematic. LOL. I had the pleasure of seeing composer-conductor Joe Hisaishi at his first concert with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 2024, and it was so special. It’s very rare these days that you can see a conductor lead an orchestra playing his/her own music, especially when it’s as beautifully composed as Hisaishi’s.
The honorary CSO co-commission, his Concerto for Orchestra, intrigues me, but the Harp Concerto (with Emmanuel Ceysson) will certainly steal the show for me. The harp is one of my favorite instruments and not very prominently featured when on stage outside the usual feature in a pianissimo moment, so a piece that highlights its virtuosity is exciting to me!
Symphonic Superheroes, CSO for Kids (Nov. 21)
I still remember every piece of music and art that I experienced as a child, constantly reflecting on how they continue to inform my own artistic practice. It’s so special seeing that chain of inspiration still in motion as an adult, especially as a music educator myself. The moments when a young person has that “click” feeling, where music makes sense, and they start to grasp the whole world of creation + performing, that is what makes a lifelong appreciator of culture.
I picked this concert over Benjamin Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra (to be performed March 6) as I performed in a children’s opera featuring superhero characters and found the students more engaged with a silly concept. What is the world of music if we can’t have a little fun with it!
Like I mentioned, it was so difficult to pick only five concerts. I’m excited for the whole year, especially that we’re getting a bit more of Klaus on the podium, as well as the Beethoven celebration.
Cheers to another fantastic concert season!
Note: Curated and create-your-own subscriptions are available now; tickets for individual concerts go on sale Aug. 5.
