Dr. Emilie Morphew takes pride in supporting the CSO

Dr. Emilie Morphew considers Symphony Center one of the main attractions that brings her to downtown Chicago from her home in Hyde Park. While her job as a pathologist in Indiana keeps her busy, she spends a good deal of her spare time in the lower balcony of Orchestra Hall, enjoying Chicago Symphony Orchestra concerts in the subscription seats she has held since the early 2000s. She also attends several other series, including Classic Encounter and CSO at the Movies, and supports the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association as a Governing Member.

Growing up near Detroit, Michigan, Morphew developed a love of the arts from a young age. This interest was encouraged by her artistically talented parents; her father was a sculptor and her mother a pianist. Classical music was often playing in their home, and the family held season tickets to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Morphew started piano lessons as a child but soon switched to violin, performing in a youth symphony and often practicing up to three hours a day during her adolescent years.

While she ultimately pursued a career in the medical field, Morphew’s passion for music has continued throughout her life. Between medical school and residency, she served four years as a general medical officer in the U.S. Navy and attended concerts at the Virginia Symphony Orchestra during this time. When she moved to Chicago, she promptly sought out the CSO and became a subscriber.

One of Morphew’s favorite memories of the CSO is the September 2010 Concert for Chicago in Millennium Park, which launched Riccardo Muti’s tenure as music director. “The whole city got involved,” she recalls, noting that downtown high-rises displayed welcome signs for Muti and the CSO. As part of a crowd of 25,000, Morphew found seating on some concrete along the edge of the park’s large grassy area, which was already full when she arrived. “I felt really proud of the city for supporting … classical music,” she says.

Another standout performance for Morphew was Carl Orff’s Carmina burana, featuring Maestro Muti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus with a children’s choir. “I recall Muti being so awesome with the kids,” she says. Other favorites have included Saint-Saëns’ Organ Symphony — the powerful sound of the organ in Orchestra Hall left her “speechless” — and a CSO at the Movies performance of “Jaws,” which she viewed from box seats with a group of friends.

Reflecting on the past year, Morphew feels that the hiatus from live concerts has underscored how much she values music. “I have decades of history [with the CSO],” she says. “You don’t even notice; it’s just a part of your life. Then somebody takes it away, and you think, ‘Wow, I really miss that!’”

Her love of music has inspired Morphew to support the CSO for many years as a donor and Governing Member. “Classical music is so important to perpetuate for future generations,” she says. “It has enriched my life, and future generations can and should find a similar enrichment.”