Ravinia 2024 Issue 3

WELCOME FROM THE PRES IDENT AND THE CHAIRMAN R avinia is a special place for many reasons , but the community we find here is among the most significant. Since 1904, Ravinia has welcomed genera- tions of music lovers and makers to our beautiful park to stop, listen, and connect with something greater than ourselves. Experiencing live music here is nothing short of magical. One moment can lead to a lifelong, cherished memory. No matter our backgrounds or personal histories, tonight we come together to find a connection in the collective. As warm days grace us once more, we look forward with delight to over 100 live performances across ev- ery genre you can imagine, but perhaps most importantly how they are appreciated alongside people who share our joy. Summer 2024’s Ravinia Festival is packed with events as varied as the six-week residence of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Jazz Advisor Kurt Elling’s big-band battle between Adonis Rose & the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra and Orrin Evans & the Captain Black Big Band, fea- turing bassist Rufus Reid; the return of singer-songwriter legend James Taylor with his All-Star Band; Ravinia-commissioned songs spotlighting fierce African queens’ legacies with Karen Slack; musical biographies from the Arab world with A Far Cry, Kinan Azmeh, and Dinuk Wi- jeratne; a day-long celebration of Mexican and pan-American rhythms headlined by Julieta Ven- egas and La Santa Cecilia; and an evening of influential hip-hop with The Roots, Digable Planets, and Arrested Development. And this barely skims the surface. We welcome back Ravinia Chief Conductor Marin Alsop, opening the CSO’s 88th residency with pianist Michelle Cann and soprano Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha for a program of all-American music. Some of the world’s brightest stars join Alsop and the CSO this year, including South African cellist and vocalist Abel Selaocoe, Japanese pianist Hayato Sumino, and German-American violinist Augustin Hadelich. Great traditions continue, from the Tchaikovsky Spectacular with a flourish of cannons to the Breaking Barriers Festival, where Alsop showcases connections of women leaders in music and space. Now a jubilant tradition, too, is our Reach Teach Play programs’ National Sem- inario Ravinia, extending further internationally in this second year. More than 100 students of El Sistema–inspired organizations from Canada, Greece, Mexico, Sweden, and across the US—in- cluding from our own Sistema Ravinia—are coming together for four days of mentorship with National Orchestral Institute musicians, led by Alsop and conductor Jessica Altarriba. At Ravinia Steans Music Institute, we honor the foundational legacy of Jazz Co-Artistic Director Rufus Reid in his final summer as well as warmly welcome violinist Midori as Artistic Director of Piano & Strings. These internationally recognized artists— alongside co-directors pianist Billy Childs and saxophonist Steve Wilson for Jazz and pianist Kevin Murphy for Singers—keep these fellowship programs on the leading edge of career-enhanc- ing opportunities for young professional musicians. Immersive rehearsals with the world’s finest faculty-artists feed into the sum- mer-long series of free and low-cost concerts featuring the fellows, including premieres of new works from the Bridges Competition and Jazz Program as well as themed performances from the clas- sical Piano & Strings and Singers Programs. Every year we are thrilled to thank the individuals, corpo- rations, and foundations whose support makes all that we do possible. From our education programs onsite and in local under-resourced schools, to the world-leading music we present, to the restaurants, guest experiences, and beautiful park we main- tain, the resources provided by our supporters—and our ticket buyers—are paramount. It is together, as a community, that we celebrate and enjoy the shared musical moments that underscore and lift up our lives. We hope you create new moments and new memories with us this summer. JEFFREY P. HAYDON President and CEO CHRISTOPHER J. KLEIN Chairman 418 Sheridan Road Highland Park, IL 60035 847-266-5000 ravinia.org Jeffrey P. Haydon President and Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth Fildes Chief Marketing & Communications Officer Nick Panfil Associate Creative Director, Writing & Publications PMGMA, INC. 340 Anthony Trail, Northbrook, IL 60062 847-770-4620 pmgma.com Gail McGrath Publisher and President Sheldon Levin Publisher and Director of Finance Account Managers: Rand Brichta ∙ Jill Goldvarg Mike Hedge ∙ Arnie Hoffman For advertising information, call 847-770-4621 or email gmcgrath@pmgma.com PMGMA, Inc. is a Woman Owned Business Published by PMGMA, Inc. All contents are copyrighted 2024. All rights reserved. Nothing may be reproduced in any manner, whole or part, without written permission from the publisher. For advertising terms and conditions, visit pmgma.com MISSION STATEMENT OF THE RAVINIA FESTIVAL ASSOCIATION Ravinia is an internationally renowned, not-for-profit music festival that presents outstanding performances by the world’s greatest artists. Ravinia’s principal objectives are • to present performances of a full range of classical music in its open-air Pavilion and enclosed recital halls, by the world’s greatest composers and musicians, along with a variety of other kinds of light classical, jazz, and popular music; • to maintain a beautiful park that is welcoming to all and attractive to families in which the music experience is enhanced by a beautiful environment and excellent dining opportunities; • to enable gifted young performers to study under great teachers and perform in concert settings; and • to develop broader and more diverse audiences for classical music through education and engagement programs and by maintaining affordable ticket prices. RAVINIAMAGAZINE • JULY 22 – AUGUST 4, 2024 4