Hayley Fox, a Patron Services associate, favors choral works and jazz

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.

Hayley Fox, a Patron Services associate, lists several choral works and jazz programs on her list of must-see selections for 2026/2027. Here they are, in order of priority.

Mäkelä, Petrushka and Belshazzar’s Feast, CSO Classical (Oct. 8-9) 

I love Petrushka. It is one of my very favorite pieces by Stravinsky, and I remember being so excited when I first heard a recording. It is so playful and magical, and one of those classical pieces that really brings to mind the image of the story of Petrushka. It was developed as a ballet with puppets, and one thing Stravinsky really knew was ballet, having composed this work for Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes in 1911.

It tells the story of a puppet who falls in love, is rejected and then murdered in a fight with other puppets; it is quite dramatic. I think it will be a treat to hear it along with Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast, which is so rarely done. Thomas Hampson is a legend in the classical vocal world, and I am so excited to see him live. Also of note is the Chicago Symphony Chorus, which has been sounding wonderful recently, and I am sure this piece will be no exception. This is a must-see program, and a banger of an opening for the annual Symphony Ball (on Oct. 10). It will be a great start to the 26/27 season. 

Brahms Requiem, CSO Classical (Oct. 29-31)

I almost forgot about this program, which features such an obviously classic piece, but I believe it will be extra impactful when programmed on All Souls weekend, or Halloween, as some celebrate it. What better time to reflect on those we have lost than with the music of Brahms? This piece is near and dear to my heart, as I performed it a few years ago in Cincinnati, with a full choir and piano duo accompanying. To hear the Chicago Symphony Chorus, now under the expert direction of Maestro Donald Palumbo, will be just incredible in this piece.

The choral writing is at times peaceful, and then tempestuous, and I am especially excited to hear Louise Alder, a burgeoning British soprano, who I have been following for a few years, in her CSO debut. I think the Mozart Symphony will be a wonderful opening, and it is always a treat to hear something from the Classical era done by the Chicago Symphony. To pair this Linz Symphony with the Brahms is a wonderful choice, and the orchestra always responds well to Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider on the podium. 

Jordan, Hadelich & Tchaikovsky 4, CSO Classical (April 2-3)

I believe I had Korngold in my picks from last year; I just love his music. I remember seeing Augustin Hadelich at the Cincinnati Symphony a few years back in Row D, close enough that I could hear his breathing. He is a remarkably sensitive player, and I can’t wait to hear this concerto played by him. I also love the Tchaikovsky Fourth; it is a romantic and sweeping piece that captures my imagination every time I hear it. I think this will be an amazing program, especially if you love romantic music like I do. 

Hrůša Conducts Shostakovich 7, CSO Classical (April 15-18)

Jakob Hrusa is one of my favorite conductors, who often guests at the CSO. The orchestra just responds to him in a wonderful way. Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 7 is one that lives in legend for the CSO. I remember hearing a recording of this work when I first began conservatory studies, and it was the Chicago Symphony with Leonard Bernstein conducting this piece. I am so eager to hear the end of this piece live, where the full power of the CSO brass will likely shake the hall. I am hoping to snag a Terrace-level seat for this one, if possible, both to watch Hrůša’s conducting and to hear the brass up close. 

Concerto for Two Pianos with Lucas and Arthur Jussen, CSO Classical (June 3-6) 

The Jussen Brothers are always a pleasure to watch, and I am especially excited to hear them play Poulenc’s Concerto for Two Pianos with the Chicago Symphony. If you are not familiar with them, they are brothers who have developed a worldwide concert career built on performing together. One plus with this program is that you will have a wonderful view of their hands on the keys, no matter where you sit in the hall because they usually face each other while performing. The last time they played here in recital, I remember noting how in sync they were, and I am anticipating that this concerto will show off their skills to the utmost.

Poulenc’s music is always complex and colorful, and to hear them bring this work to life with the orchestra will be a real treat.

I am also pleased to see the orchestra playing The Light by Philip Glass. Every time there is a Glass piece on the program, I try to get tickets, because his music is so innovative and exciting to the modern ear. It is almost pop-inspired, and I love the programming of paring this minimalist work with the impressionist music of Poulenc and of course, the sweeping Tchaikovsky Second Symphony. 

Andrew Bird and the CSO, CSO Featured Concert (Nov. 13-14)

I saw Andrew Bird with his band in 2022 at Wolf Trap in Virginia, and I am so excited for his CSO debut this fall. I have already bought my tickets in the Gallery, so I can hear the whole blend of the orchestra. I heard through the grapevine that the CSO has been trying to get him to play this concert for a long time, and I am excited to see the “Mysterious Production of Eggs,” played in full with orchestral arrangements. He is a wonderful violinist and a great whistler. I am eager to hear his whistles fill the whole hall! This one will likely be a sellout, so I would recommend getting tickets soon. It is always exciting to be in a full hall at Symphony Center. 

Branford Marsalis and Dianne Reeves Celebrate John Coltrane, SCP Jazz (Oct. 16)

I am so excited for this concert because first of all, Dianne Reeves is one of those vocalists you have to experience live. Her voice just doesn’t sound the same on recordings. I am especially eager for this program because it is a tribute to the late, great John Coltrane, inspired by the 1963 album with Coltrane and Johnny Hartmann. This is a seminal album in the jazz vocal repertoire, and I can’t wait to see how they both curate a program inspired by this work and the music of John Coltrane in general. I also am excited to hear Reeves’ take on this music. Hartmann’s voice is so different from hers, and one of the joys of witnessing jazz is to see how different artists pass the tradition on in their own way. 

Jeff Parker & The New Breed/Isaiah Collier & The Defiance, SCP Jazz (Feb. 5)

Jeff Parker is own of my favorite artists on the jazz scene today, and to hear him with Makaya McCraven, Josh Johnson and Paul Bryan will be such a great experience. I remember hearing McCraven a few years ago at a Symphony Center Presents event, and he is one of the great drummers of our generation. Jeff Parker’s guitar styling is always innovative, and he is one of those artists who is so intentional in his playing. I can’t wait to see what they have planned for their evening at Symphony Center.

The SCP Jazz series this year has so many amazing concerts, but this is one that will really speak to Chicago jazz, and the tradition that is being built right here in this beautiful city. I am also excited to hear Isaiah Collier, an artist who is new to me, but whose program promises to be filled with recorded sound, sampling and improvisation based on hip hop and lo-fi music. I think it will be a lovely evening. 

Thank you for reading my recommendations, and I hope to see you at one of these amazing concerts at Symphony  Center!

Note: Curated and create-your-own subscriptions are available now; tickets for individual concerts go on sale Aug. 5.