CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
CSO for Kids: Youth Concerts November 12 &13, 2025
Sinfonia is the Italian word for symphony, derived from the ancient Greek symphonia, meaning sounding together. People have been making sounds together using different combinations of instruments for thousands of years, but it’s only been during the last 400 years that musicians have performed as an orchestra.
Playing in an orchestra requires an incredible amount of collaboration, with each musician providing the distinctive sound of their instrument to the ensemble. It’s similar to creating a community mural where everyone’s contribution becomes part of the beautiful painting.
The word mural comes from the Latin word murus, which translates to wall. Murals are among humanity’s oldest art forms, dating back to prehistoric cave paintings.
During the mid-1960s, the Chicano Movement for civil rights inspired a revival of muralism in the United States. These murals were a collective expression created through community participation, a tradition that continues today.
Both art forms foster a sense of belonging. During the Sounding Together concert, Maestro Wilkins explores how courage, caution and kindness are the building blocks needed to reach this goal.
PERFORMERS
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Thomas Wilkins conductor
Jeremy Liu piano
ON THE PROGRAM
Selections from:
GLINKA Overture to Ruslan and Ludmila
CHADWICK Symphony No. 3 in F Major
GOUNOD Scherzo from Petite symphonie for Wind Instruments
DVOŘÁK Czech Suite, Op. 39
GRIEG Piano Concerto in A Minor OFFENBACH Overture to Orpheus in the Underworld
The root word of courage is the Latin word cor, which means heart.
Courage comes from a place deep inside of us. It takes courage to express creativity, like composing a symphony, playing an instrument or painting a mural.
As a high school dropout, George W. Chadwick had the courage to believe that he could be a successful composer of orchestral music, and he was! After his death in 1931, Chadwick was dubbed the “dean of American composers” for his position as director of the New England Conservatory, the many music textbooks he wrote and his teaching.
When performing the Petite symphonie for Wind Instruments by Charles Gounod, the musicians also need courage. They have to be keenly aware of their contribution to the ensemble since no two instruments sound alike.
To find your place in the world and to believe in yourself takes courage. Playing in an orchestra and creating murals are powerful mediums for developing your own courage.
The root word of caution comes from the Latin cautiō, which means to be on one’s guard.
Being creative is a fundamental aspect of human existence, but sometimes caution causes us to suppress our own creativity.
In 1858, at the age of 15, Edvard Grieg left Norway to study at the Leipzig Conservatory in Germany. He was unhappy at school but had the unforgettable experience of hearing Robert Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A Minor, which inspired his own work in the same key. Despite his years of study in Germany, Grieg was determined to incorporate Norwegian folk music traditions into his compositions. When composer Franz Liszt played Grieg’s piano concerto manuscript, he said, “Keep on, I tell you. You have what is needed, and don’t let anything frighten you.” Namely, be cautious of any fears that might hold you back.
Grieg leaned into his identity when composing music. Likewise, murals say to the viewer, “this is who we are.” Murals do not shy away from the truth. They challenge us to be cautious of the beliefs that we hold onto.
Kind comes from the Old English cyndeI, meaning origin or nature, and later evolved to include the idea that individuals belong to one another, like kinfolk or kindred spirits. Kindness evolved to mean friendly or doing good for others.
Antonín Dvořák used folk music rhythms in his compositions to express his love for the people of his country (his kin). In a letter he wrote to his publisher, he said, “An artist has his country, in which he must have firm faith and an ardent heart.”
In 1879, Dvořák musically portrayed his faith in his country by embracing Bohemian folk melodies in his Czech Suite, where the final movement depicts a lively dance that alternates between two different rhythms.
Like the folksongs that inspired Dvořák, murals also weave the fabric of a community’s story, displaying its history, hopes and dreams, and demonstrating that we belong to one another.
How will you grow a community of belonging while embracing your creativity? Whatever you decide, find courage, be cautious of your own fears and always lean into kindness.
Thomas Wilkins
Thomas Wilkins is principal conductor of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, the Germeshausen Youth and Family Concerts Conductor Chair and artistic partner for education and community engagement with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Indiana University’s Henry A. Upper Chair of Orchestral Conducting, and is principal guest conductor of the Virginia Symphony.
He believes that an orchestra is one of the best demonstrations of what a community is: a diverse group of people working together for a common purpose. Every voice in the orchestra is different, but because an orchestra is a community, musicians navigate their differences to achieve a common goal: beauty.
During his conducting career, he has led orchestras throughout the United States, including the New York and Los Angeles philharmonics, the Philadelphia and Cleveland orchestras, and the symphonies of Chicago, Boston, Cincinnati and Detroit, and the National Symphony, among others.
He and his wife, Sheri-Lee, are the proud parents of twin daughters, Erica and Nicole.
Jeremy Liu
Jeremy Liu, 14, is a ninth grader at Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville. He has been under the tutelage of Mrs. Sueanne Metz since the age of 6.
He is the winner of the 2025 Crain-Maling Foundation Chicago Symphony Orchestra Young Artists Competition and a recent piano winner of the Walgreens National Concerto Competition and the O’Malley Foundation National Concerto Competition, as well as other prestigious competitions.
At the age of 7, Jeremy made his Carnegie Hall debut.
He enjoys playing the cello in his school orchestra and is also a keyboardist in the jazz band.
Jeremy is passionate about using music to inspire and bring hope to local communities. He is an active member of the nonprofit organization 88Keys to Cure, where he promotes and performs in various concerts to benefit other charities.
Besides music, Jeremy enjoys sports, particularly snowboarding and tennis.
̋Coming Together˝ front cover
Artist: Unsigned Ukrainian Village
Chicago Ave. and Oakley Blvd.
̋On the Wings of Change˝ pp. 2-3
Artist: Diosa (Jasmina Cazacu) Loop
Ida B. Wells Dr. and Wabash Ave.
̋Resilience˝ p. 4 (top)
Artist: Gretchen Hasse Rogers Park
Pratt Blvd. and Glenwood Ave.
̋The Great Wall of Chicago˝ p. 4 (bottom)
Artist: Rahmaan Statik Auburn Gresham
Vincennes Ave. and 87th St.
̋A Tribute to Essential Workers˝ p. 5
Artist: Sam Kirk Fulton Market District
Milwaukee Ave. and Hubbard St.
̋Greetings from Chicago˝ p. 6
Artist: Greetings Tour Logan Square
Milwaukee Ave. and Prindeville St.
CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
KLAUS MÄKELÄ zell music director designate RICCARDO MUTI music director emeritus for life
JOYCE DIDONATO artist-in-residence
violins
Robert Chen Concertmaster
The Louis C. Sudler Chair, endowed by an anonymous benefactor
Stephanie Jeong Associate Concertmaster
The Cathy and Bill Osborn Chair
David Taylor Assistant Concertmaster*
The Ling Z. and Michael C. Markovitz Chair
Yuan-Qing Yu Assistant Concertmaster*
So Young Bae
Cornelius Chiu
Gina DiBello
Kozue Funakoshi
Russell Hershow
Qing Hou
Gabriela Lara
Matous Michal
Simon Michal
Sando Shia
Susan Synnestvedt
Rong-Yan Tang
Baird Dodge Principal
Danny Yehun Jin Assistant Principal
Lei Hou
Ni Mei
Hermine Gagné
Rachel Goldstein
Mihaela Ionescu
Melanie Kupchynsky
Wendy Koons Meir
Ronald Satkiewicz ‡
Florence Schwartz
violas
Teng Li Principal
The Paul Hindemith Principal Viola Chair
Catherine Brubaker
Youming Chen
Sunghee Choi
Wei-Ting Kuo
Danny Lai
Weijing Michal
Diane Mues
Lawrence Neuman
Max Raimi
cellos
John Sharp Principal
The Eloise W. Martin Chair
Kenneth Olsen Assistant Principal
The Adele Gidwitz Chair
Karen Basrak
The Joseph A. and Cecile
Renaud Gorno Chair
Richard Hirschl
Daniel Katz
Katinka Kleijn
Brant Taylor
The Ann Blickensderfer and Roger Blickensderfer Chair
basses
Alexander Hanna Principal
The David and Mary Winton
Green Principal Bass Chair
Alexander Horton Assistant Principal
Daniel Carson
Ian Hallas
Robert Kassinger
Mark Kraemer
Stephen Lester
Bradley Opland
Andrew Sommer
flutes
Stefán Ragnar Höskuldsson § Principal
The Erika and Dietrich M.
Gross Principal Flute Chair
Emma Gerstein
Jennifer Gunn
piccolo
Jennifer Gunn
The Dora and John Aalbregtse Piccolo Chair
oboes
William Welter Principal
Lora Schaefer Assistant Principal
The Gilchrist Foundation, Jocelyn Gilchrist Chair
Scott Hostetler
english horn
Scott Hostetler
clarinets
Stephen Williamson Principal
John Bruce Yeh Assistant Principal
The Governing Members Chair
Gregory Smith
e-flat clarinet
John Bruce Yeh
bassoons
Keith Buncke Principal
William Buchman Assistant Principal
Miles Maner
horns
Mark Almond Principal
James Smelser
David Griffin
Oto Carrillo
Susanna Gaunt
Daniel Gingrich ‡
trumpets
Esteban Batallán Principal
The Adolph Herseth Principal Trumpet Chair, endowed by an anonymous benefactor
John Hagstrom
The Bleck Family Chair
Tage Larsen
trombones
Timothy Higgins Principal
The Lisa and Paul Wiggin
Principal Trombone Chair
Michael Mulcahy
Charles Vernon
bass trombone
Charles Vernon
tuba
Gene Pokorny Principal
The Arnold Jacobs Principal Tuba Chair, endowed by Christine Querfeld timpani
David Herbert Principal
The Clinton Family Fund Chair
Vadim Karpinos Assistant Principal
percussion
Cynthia Yeh Principal
Patricia Dash
Vadim Karpinos
librarians
Justin Vibbard Principal
Carole Keller
Mark Swanson
cso fellows
Jesús Linárez Violin
The Michael and Kathleen Elliott Fellow
Ariel Seunghyun Lee Violin
Olivia Jakyoung Huh Cello
orchestra personnel
John Deverman Director
Anne MacQuarrie Manager, CSO Auditions and Orchestra Personnel stage technicians
Christopher Lewis Stage Manager
Blair Carlson
Paul Christopher
Chris Grannen
Ryan Hartge
Peter Landry
Joshua Mondie
* Assistant concertmasters are listed by seniority ‡ On sabbatical § On leave
The CSO’s music director position is endowed in perpetuity by a generous gift from the Zell Family Foundation.
The Louise H. Benton Wagner chair currently is unoccupied.
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra string sections utilize revolving seating. Players behind the first desk (first two desks in the violins) change seats systematically every two weeks and are listed alphabetically. Section percussionists also are listed alphabetically.