Philharmonia Fantastique

Animated film meets virtuosic concerto! Follow a magical sprite as it takes audiences inside musical instruments and shows how they work together as an orchestra. Created by former CSO Mead Composer-in-Residence Mason Bates and an Oscar-winning creative team, this film with live music builds to a spectacular finale.

Perfect for ages 5-12!

Three reasons why you should get your tickets today

• A Part of CSO History: Celebrate one of the many legendary artists who have left their mark on the Chicago Symphony Orchestra over the years, former CSO Mead Composer-in-Residence Mason Bates, whose work has transformed the way classical music is created and experienced. In addition to his time with the CSO, you might know him from his Grammy-winning opera The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs or as Musical America’s 2018 Composer of the Year.
• Perfect for All Ages: By combining live orchestra with imaginative film — much like Disney’s Fantasia — concertgoers of all ages can be swept away by the magic of music. This concert is the perfect opportunity to introduce the young people in your life to a CSO concert — and if it’s a hit with your family, consider “leveling up” to a CSO at the Movies experience at your next visit!
• Where Technology and Art Converge: Discover for yourself why John Williams describes Philharmonia Fantastique: The Making of the Orchestra as “the biggest step forward since Fantasia itself” in the art of marrying music with animation. The film uses both new and old technologies to explore how radically different sounds and techniques converge into the full sound of an orchestra.

Enhance your concert experience.

Pre- and postconcert activities at Symphony Center

From 11:15 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Family Matinee attendees have access to an array of free Orchestra Explorer Activities located on floors 1-5 of the Symphony Center Rotunda:

• 1st floor – Chamber ensemble performance and Scavenger Hunt
• 2nd floor – Try out musical instruments at an instrument petting zoo
• 3rd floor – Experiment with sound at vibration stations
• 4th floor – Philharmonia Fantastique coloring activity
• 5th floor – Mini-Maestros conducting activity with a Civic Orchestra chamber ensemble

To access the Rotunda, enter Symphony Center at 67 E. Adams St. and walk straight back. From the Michigan Avenue lobby, walk down the Arcade Hallway to the right of the box office until you reach the Rotunda.

Listen Now