2026/27 SCP Classical Series Brochure

SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS 26 27

Limitless expression. Music shaped in the moment. An extraordinary season of piano and chamber music performances.

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Defining moments happen when people share experiences. In the concert hall, those moments connect us — from the buzz of anticipation and the shared silence before the first note to the collective exhale at the end.

In solo recitals and chamber performances, that connection feels especially immediate, drawing the audience directly into the music as it takes shape. A single pianist creates an entire world of sound, shaping color, line and momentum across a full program. Chamber musicians rely on shared instinct, precision and trust to form interpretations that feel flexible, alive and fully present.

In the 2026/27 Season, create your most defining moments.

Symphony Center Presents Piano

Witness the pivotal moments that unfold when today’s leading pianists take the stage — moments of daring imagination, poetic nuance and sheer technical command. From visionary sonatas to daring new interpretations, each program offers a rare chance to experience the piano’s artistry at its most immediate and alive.

Sundays at 3:00

Save 30% with the 8-concert PIANO A package.

Piano A1 4-Concert

Bruce Liu

NOV 1

LIGETI Fanfares from Etudes, Book I

BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2 (Moonlight)

CHOPIN Two Nocturnes, Op. 27

RAVEL Alborada del gracioso from Miroirs

DEBUSSY Rêverie

BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 21 in C Major, Op. 53 (Waldstein)

MOMPOU Glossa sobre Au clair de la lune

MOMPOU Fantasia sobre Au clair de la lune

LISZT Rhapsodie espagnole

Ever since his meteoric rise at the 2021 International Chopin Competition, Bruce Liu has roused audiences with performances that balance breathtaking power and poetic refinement. Don’t miss his spellbinding return to Chicago.

Rudolf Buchbinder

JAN 10

MOZART Variations on Ah vous dirai-je, maman, K. 265

BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 23 in F Minor, Op. 57 (Appassionata)

SCHUBERT Sonata in B-flat Major, D. 960

The eminent Austrian pianist returns to Chicago with music that is especially close to his heart: Beethoven’s emotionally charged Appassionata Sonata, framed by Mozart’s jewel-like variations and Schubert’s final, visionary sonata.

Leif Ove Andsnes

MAR 21

BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 30 in E Major, Op. 109

BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 31 in A-flat Major, Op. 110

BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 32 in C Minor, Op. 111

Each of Beethoven’s final piano sonatas takes the instrument into uncharted new realms, so when Leif Ove Andsnes takes on all three, it’s truly an event.

Yuja Wang

APR 11

One of classical music’s reigning superstars, Yuja Wang is a versatile and inquisitive pianist. Never content with the safe or predictable, she backs up her blazing virtuosity with bold programming choices.

Piano A2 4-Concert Series | Save 20%

SCP DEBUT

Lukas Sternath

DEC 6

SCHUBERT (trans. Liszt) Selected Songs

SCHUBERT Wanderer Fantasy

LISZT Années de pèlerinage, Deuxième année, Italie

Lukas Sternath is the new sound of Vienna, making his eagerly awaited U.S. and North American debut at Symphony Center with Schubert’s formidable Wanderer Fantasy and Liszt’s evocative renderings of Italian art and poetry.

Mitsuko Uchida JAN 31

HAYDN Variations in F Minor

SCHOENBERG Six Little Piano Pieces

MOZART Rondo in A Minor, K. 511

KURTÁG Márta ligatúrája

SCHUBERT Piano Sonata in A Major, D. 959

One of the world’s great pianistic storytellers, Mitsuko Uchida is a longtime favorite of Chicago audiences. For her first Symphony Center solo piano recital since 2018, she brings her peerless insights to Schubert’s A Major Sonata.

Evgeny Kissin

APR 25

BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2, No. 1

BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 13 in E-flat Major, Op. 27, No. 1 (Quasi una fantasia)

BEETHOVEN Diabelli Variations

Get ready as Evgeny Kissin, one of the world’s most electrifying pianists, returns with a program of seminal works by Beethoven. Hear the mighty Diabelli Variations, along with two of the composer’s early sonatas.

Piotr Anderszewski

MAY 9

BRAHMS Twelve Selections from Opp. 116-119

SCHUBERT Sonata in C Minor, D. 958

Piotr Anderszewski’s interpretations may challenge your expectations, but they’ll never leave you unmoved. Discover the affinities between Brahms and Schubert in this program.

Lang Lang Plays the Complete Beethoven Piano Concertos

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Paavo Järvi conductor

Lang Lang piano

Beethoven Piano Concertos 1 & 4

MAR 24

BEETHOVEN Overture to Fidelio

BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 1

BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 4

One of classical music’s most celebrated ambassadors, Lang Lang kicks off this thrilling trio of programs with the First Piano Concerto — the daring twists of which pushed the limits of Classical convention — and the searching and sublime Fourth Piano Concerto.

Beethoven Piano Concertos 2 & 3

MAR 26

BEETHOVEN Consecration of the House Overture

BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 2

BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 3

The second installment treats listeners to the delightfully droll Second Piano Concerto, which Beethoven wrote for his public debut concert in Vienna, and the stormy and rapturous Third, with its nods to revolutionary-era marches.

PRIORITY ACCESS CONCERTS*

Beethoven Emperor Concerto

MAR 27

BEETHOVEN Overture to The Creatures of Prometheus

BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 4

BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 5 (Emperor)

Lang Lang, Paavo Järvi and the CSO conclude their Beethoven cycle with the Emperor Concerto, considered one of the greatest piano concertos ever written. The Orchestra shines in Beethoven’s irrepressible Fourth Symphony.

Hear all five Beethoven piano concertos with the LANG LANG package to enjoy the best savings and seating priority.

Beethoven: The Eternal Original

Two hundred years later, musicians and audiences still marvel at the brilliance, power and depth of Beethoven’s music. From the combined forces of orchestra and chorus to the intimacy of a sonata, every form he touched was transformed — synthesizing all that came before and shaping everything that followed.

This season, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra explores Beethoven’s enduring impact through performances of his iconic overtures, Symphonies Nos. 4 and 5 and the monumental Ninth Symphony with the Chicago Symphony Chorus. Lang Lang leads three special evenings devoted to the complete piano concertos, and recital programs highlight remarkable works for piano and violin with today’s most revered interpreters.

Rediscover what makes Beethoven the eternal original. Visit cso.org/Beethoven for more details.

NOV 1 PIANO

Bruce Liu

NOV 5-8 CSO Beethoven 5 & Mao Fujita

NOV 22 CHAMBER MUSIC

Nemanja Radulović & Double Sens

JAN 10 PIANO

Rudolf Buchbinder

FEB 4-7 CSO Rana Plays Tchaikovsky

FEB 19-21 CSO

Karina Canellakis & Randall Goosby

MAR 11-14 CSO

Beethoven Violin

Concerto & Mendelssohn

MAR 21 PIANO

Leif Ove Andsnes

MAR 24-27

Lang Lang Plays the Complete Beethoven Piano Concertos*

APR 25 PIANO

Evgeny Kissin

MAY 18 CHAMBER MUSIC

“ Beethoven broke all the rules, and turned out pieces of breathtaking rightness.”

LEONARD BERNSTEIN

Kissin, Vengerov & Capuçon

JUNE 17-20 CSO

Mäkelä Conducts Beethoven 9*

Save 15% when you create your own subscription of all three programs featuring Jean-Yves Thibaudet.

2026/27 CSO

Artist-in-Residence

Jean-Yves Thibaudet

Elegance. Brilliance. Imagination.

Renowned for his dazzling technique, effortless charm and singular interpretive voice, Jean-Yves Thibaudet has earned a reputation as one of the world’s finest pianists. He is equally celebrated for his wide-ranging interests beyond the classical world, including numerous collaborations in film, fashion and visual art. This season, he brings his distinctive blend of virtuosity and vision to the role of CSO Artist-inResidence, offering performances that showcase his remarkable range and expressive power.

Outside the concert hall, Thibaudet will engage with audiences through community and educational events, offering meaningful opportunities to hear from and interact with the artist.

OCT 18 CHAMBER MUSIC

Thibaudet, Batiashvili & Capuçon

FEB 11-13 CSO

Thibaudet & The Mermaid

MAY 24

Two Pianos: Who Could Ask for Anything More?

Symphony Center Presents Chamber Music

Step into the intimate world of chamber music, where every note has the power to become a lingering moment. This season brings together the world’s most compelling artists in programs that explore the full spectrum of expression — from heartfelt dialogues between instruments to subtle gestures imbued with meaning. Subscription

Chamber A 3-Concert Series |

Thibaudet, Batiashvili & Capuçon

SUN OCT 18 | 3:00

Jean-Yves Thibaudet piano

Lisa Batiashvili violin

Gautier Capuçon cello

SHOSTAKOVICH Piano Trio No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 8

DEBUSSY Piano Trio in G Major

DVOŘÁK Piano Trio in F Minor, Op. 65

CSO Artist-in-Residence Jean-Yves Thibaudet and stars Lisa Batiashvili and Gautier Capuçon explore youthful works by Debussy and Shostakovich paired with Dvořák’s richly dramatic Trio in F Minor.

Nemanja Radulović & Double Sens

SUN NOV 22 | 3:00

Nemanja Radulović violin SCP DEBUT

Double Sens SCP DEBUT

BEETHOVEN (arr. Radulović) Violin Sonata No. 9 in A Major, Op. 47 (Kreutzer)

BACH Chaconne from Partita No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1004

BACH Concerto for Violin in D Minor, BWV 1052R

Sparks fly when Serbian-French violinist

Nemanja Radulović leads his chamber orchestra, Double Sens, in this beguiling program of Bach and Beethoven.

Kissin, Vengerov & Capuçon

TUE MAY 18 | 7:30

Evgeny Kissin piano

Maxim Vengerov violin

Gautier Capuçon cello

BEETHOVEN Piano Trio in C Minor, Op. 1, No. 3

BEETHOVEN Piano Trio in D Major, Op. 70, No. 1 (Ghost)

BEETHOVEN Piano Trio in B-flat Major, Op. 97 (Archduke)

Three of today’s most celebrated musicians — piano legend Evgeny Kissin, violin icon

Maxim Vengerov and cello virtuoso

Gautier Capuçon — explore how Beethoven revolutionized the once-humble piano trio with newfound passion and expressivity.

More programs with your favorite artists

Add these concerts to your package and save 15%

Beethoven 5 & Mao Fujita

NOV 5-8

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Marek Janowski conductor

Mao Fujita piano

Rising pianist Mao Fujita has made Strauss’ Burlesque a calling card, playing it “with the maturity of someone twice his age” (Bachtrack). Framing his performance are Wagner’s radiant Parsifal prelude and Beethoven’s iconic Fifth Symphony.

Yo-Yo Ma & the CSO

NOV 11

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Carlos Miguel Prieto conductor

Yo-Yo Ma cello

For all the rich dimensions of Yo-Yo Ma’s storied career, Shostakovich’s First Cello Concerto holds a special place. Experience the work’s searing emotional canvas, along with Rachmaninov’s plush and glittering Symphonic Dances.

Andrew Bird & the CSO

NOV 13-14

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Andrew Bird violin and vocals

Jacomo Bairos conductor

Grammy-nominated violinist, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird makes his CSO debut with his acclaimed record The Mysterious Production of Eggs. Featuring a full album performance with orchestral arrangements, the concert caps off with a suite of fan-favorite tunes from his near 30-year repertoire.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Brass

DEC 15

Michael Mulcahy conductor

Celebrated worldwide for its brilliance, finesse and gleaming power, the CSO brass section offers a showcase of sparkling arrangements and original works for brass.

Rana Plays Tchaikovsky

FEB 4-7

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Dima Slobodeniouk conductor

Beatrice Rana piano

Tchaikovsky’s explosive First Piano Concerto with Beatrice Rana, one of “the finest pianists out there” (The Philadelphia Inquirer), anchors a program steeped in heroic struggle — from Beethoven’s meditation on freedom to Nielsen’s wartime vision of “everything that moves, that desires life.”

Thibaudet & The Mermaid

FEB 11-13

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Fabien Gabel conductor

Jean-Yves Thibaudet piano

2026/27 CSO Artist-in-Residence JeanYves Thibaudet takes on Khachaturian’s concerto, a beguiling, colorful blend of Russian Romanticism and Armenian folk music. Mussorgsky’s portrait of a Moscow sunrise and Zemlinsky’s luscious retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid frame the program.

Jordan, Hadelich & Tchaikovsky 4

APR 2-3

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Philippe Jordan conductor

Augustin Hadelich violin

Following his spellbinding appearance last season, Augustin Hadelich returns for Korngold’s Violin Concerto paired with Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony, which swings from dark despair to exuberant triumph.

Mäkelä, Batiashvili & Sibelius 1

MAY 13-16

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Klaus Mäkelä conductor

Lisa Batiashvili violin

Klaus Mäkelä surveys music of his native Finland with works by Magnus Lindberg: a CSO co-commission, followed by his First Violin Concerto, played by Lisa Batiashvili. An exuberant Sibelius symphony concludes the program.

Esa-Pekka Salonen & Yunchan Lim

MAY 27-28

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor

Yunchan Lim piano

Pianist Yunchan Lim performs Liszt’s Second Piano Concerto and shows why he’s among today’s most thrilling Liszt interpreters in a program that also features Esa-Pekka Salonen conducting his own music and orchestral selections from Berlioz’s passionate Romeo and Juliet

Concerto for Two Pianos with Lucas & Arthur Jussen

JUNE 3-6

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Kazuki Yamada conductor

Lucas Jussen piano

Arthur Jussen piano

Poulenc’s imaginative Double Concerto is animated by Dutch brothers Lucas and Arthur Jussen. Also discover a wondrous score by Glass and a Tchaikovsky symphony built on Ukrainian folk tunes.

*Tickets to priority access concerts are currently only available to subscribers.

Make an Impact

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association is a non-profit organization that relies on donor support to fulfill its mission of enriching, inspiring and transforming lives through music, community engagement and education — locally, nationally and internationally.

Ticket sales only go so far; your support makes a crucial difference and connects you to meaningful experiences curated specifically for donors.

When you make a tax-deductible gift with your subscription, you ensure the success and longevity of:

• The concerts and activities of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra

• Hosting guest artists and ensembles of all kinds through the Symphony Center Presents series

• The music education and community engagement initiatives of the Negaunee Music Institute at the CSO, including CSO for Kids and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago

• And so much more!

Gifts of all levels are essential in maintaining the high-quality work we do both in and outside Symphony Center.

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Our Sponsors

Thank you for your support of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association.

Anonymous

Randy L. and Melvin R. Berlin

Family Fund for the Canon Dean L. and Rosemarie Buntrock Foundation

Kenneth C. Griffin Charitable Fund

William R. Jentes

Margot and Josef Lakonishok

Ling Z. and Michael C. Markovitz

Sargent Family Foundation

Schmidt Family Fund

Major artistic support for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s 2026/27 Season is generously provided by Zell Family Foundation and The Negaunee Foundation

The Artist-in-Residence at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is made possible through a generous gift from James and Brenda Grusecki

Generous support for CSO concerts, guest artists and guest conductors has been provided by the Juli Plant Grainger Fund for Artistic Excellence and the Grainger Fund for Excellence

Generous support for the Chicago Symphony Chorus has been provided by The Grainger Foundation

Media Partners

Subscriber Rewards

When you subscribe, you gain access to exclusive rewards tailored to your preferred Symphony Center experience.

A curated subscription is perfect if you …

• Love your seats and want to keep them for every concert, year after year.

• Have a favorite genre of music and don’t want to miss a moment of it.

• Want to guarantee the best seats at the best prices of the season — savings up to 30%.

• Enjoy the flexibility of exchanging your tickets for different dates when plans change.

Create your own subscription if you …

• Want to explore different days of the week or seating sections for each concert.

• Have varied musical tastes and want to experience everything Symphony Center has to offer.

• Want to save on ticket prices and unlock early access to high-demand performances.

• Enjoy creating your own concert lineup and still want some backup ticket exchange options.

*Individual tickets to priority access concerts are currently only available to subscribers. Learn more at cso.org/rewards

Enhance your concert experience

Dine at the Thomas Club

Located on the ninth floor of Symphony Center, The Richard & Helen Thomas Club provides an enchanting dining experience with spectacular views of Lake Michigan. Open on select concert dates, the club invites ticket holders to enjoy a seasonal prix fixe menu in an elegant, tranquil setting before performances.

Sound Bites: preorder meals for pickup

Preorder a meal to enjoy before your concert with Sound Bites. Select from a menu of handcrafted sandwiches, salads and various snacks, and your order will be ready for pickup at the Bass Bar in the Rotunda of Symphony Center. View menus, make a reservation and learn more at cso.org/dining.

All subscribers have access to …

• 15% savings on additional concert tickets and Symphony Store purchases.

• Convenient, interest-free payment plans with no additional fees.

• Exclusive parking rates at nearby garages. Visit cso.org/transit for more options, including the special round-trip North Shore Shuttle service for Friday matinees.

• Unique subscriber-only offers, presales and events, including the opportunity to order tickets for priority access concerts and CSO summer concerts at the Ravinia Festival before the general public.*

Seating Charts

Piano Chamber Music

Box Level seats are now numbered and assigned.

Subscription orders are subject to a $25 fee. All printed prices are valid through June 30, 2026, and are subject to change based on demand after that date. Seating is subject to availability at the time of sale. Box Level seating will transition to assigned seating during the 2026/27 Season, and multiple price points are now available. Terrace subscription seats may be relocated if a concert involves a screen or chorus. All artists, dates and times are subject to change. Published on March 5, 2026.

This Season’s Most Glittering Evenings

Symphony Ball with Klaus Mäkelä

OCT 10

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Klaus Mäkelä conductor

Thomas Hampson baritone

Chicago Symphony Chorus

Donald Palumbo chorus director

STRAVINSKY Petrushka

WALTON Belshazzar’s Feast

Celebrate the 2026/27 Season in grand fashion, with a voyage to the opulent Babylon of Walton’s dramatic cantata, Belshazzar’s Feast. The musical celebration begins with Stravinsky’s dazzling tale of puppets springing to life.

Enhance your concert experience with a Symphony Ball gala package, including a private preconcert reception for patrons and sponsors in Forte event space and postconcert dinner and celebration at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago. For more information, please email symphonyball@cso.org or call 312-294-3185.

This benefit event helps the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association strengthen Chicago’s cultural fabric and reach countless new audiences each year.

Two Pianos: Who Could Ask for Anything More?

MAY 24

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Keith Lockhart conductor

Jean-Yves Thibaudet piano

Michael Feinstein piano and vocals

CSO Artist-in-Residence Jean-Yves Thibaudet teams up with pianist, singer and American songbook expert Michael Feinstein in an extraordinary evening that celebrates George Gershwin and his musical universe.

This performance is part of a fundraising event presented in partnership by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association and the League of the CSOA. Proceeds benefit the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s artistic, educational and community engagement programs in Chicago and around the globe.