CSOradio
CSOtv
CSOradio
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
Director of Sales & Patron Experience Joe Fernicola walks the walk as a CSO C1 series subscriber himself. Here are his must-see selections for the upcoming season (in order of priority).
Symphony Ball with Klaus Mäkelä, CSO Featured Concert (Oct. 10) The annual gala event signals the start of fall and the arts season in Chicago, and this year’s concert should be truly special. The CSO’s incoming music director, Klaus Mäkelä, will be on the podium for his first Symphony Ball appearance, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra will be joined by the Chicago Symphony Chorus for Walton’s telling of Belshazzar’s Feast. A red carpet and sparkling wine experience awaits all ticket-holders, and it’s always fun to see everyone (including the musicians) in their fabulously festive attire. It’ll simply be the best way to kick off the CSO’s 136th season of music-making!
Joel Ross: Good Vibes/The Vibraphone Summit, SCP Jazz (May 14)
On the jazz series, I’m really looking forward to the Vibraphone Summit. It should be quite cool to have a whole concert devoted to this singular instrument. Plus, the vibraphone has its roots in Chicago, having been created here 100 years ago, in 1927, by the J.C. Deagan company. Chicagoan Joel Ross’ band is named “Good Vibes”; however, I think positive Chicago-lovin’ vibes will be felt across the entire hall, given this instrument’s history here. To get fully into the civic spirit, I might have to grab a Chicago-style hot dog for dinner before this one.
Postcard From Vienna: Muti & Bronfman, CSO Classical (Dec. 10-12)
In December, Symphony Center hosts the usual fun holiday bonanza; however, unique to this year’s blitz of festive programming is a vicarious trip to Vienna with Riccardo Muti, Music Director Emeritus for Life. This CSO concert will feature a potpourri of waltzes and polkas by the Strauss family, as well as a Mozart piano concerto with Yefim Bronfman. Of course, I’ll also partake in some of the other seasonal highlights, most notably, Handel’s Messiah (Dec. 17-19) and Merry, Merry Chicago! (Dec. 18-23).
Lang Lang in the Beethoven Piano Concertos, CSO Classical (March 24, March 26 and March 27)
The one-week series of Lang Lang performing all the Beethoven piano concertos will be an event that folks will remember for a lifetime. IMHO, everyone should order the Lang Lang package ASAP, or FOMO is sure to set in once all the keyboard-side seats are gone! Other must-witness pianists this season include Mitsuko Uchida (Jan. 31), Leif Ove Andnes (March 21), the Jussen brothers (CSO Classical, June 3-6) and the CSO’s artist-in-residence for 2026/27, Jean-Yves Thibaudet (SCP Chamber Music, Oct. 18; CSO Classical, Feb. 11-13, and CSO Featured Concert, May 24).
Tan Dun: Water Concerto & Marco Polo, CSO Classical (May 20-22)
I’m a strong advocate for maintaining a curated CSO subscription, so that you can experience music you might not otherwise hear. As a CSO SAT C1 subscriber myself, I’m really looking forward to hearing the Tan Dun program, which will feature the sound of water and bird songs.
My subscription also gives me another moment to experience Mäkelä (conducting Mahler 9 in this case), the chance to hear a wider variety of composers (from Mozart to Nielsen and Beethoven to Tan Dun), and the opportunity to see soloists of all sorts (Beatrice Rana, Masaaki Suzuki and Alisa Weilerstein, to name a few). Plus, I get to enjoy the personal pleasure and cultural enrichment that comes with being a part of this community of music lovers.
Note: Curated and create-your-own subscriptions are available now; tickets for individual concerts go on sale Aug. 5.
