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From Counter-Strike to Contemporary Classical: Award-Winning Game Composer Dren McDonald Releases “Fading” From Upcoming ‘Vox Pterous’ Album

Eric Alper
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From Counter-Strike to Contemporary Classical: Award-Winning Game Composer Dren McDonald Releases “Fading” From Upcoming ‘Vox Pterous’ Album

San Francisco Bay Area composer, producer, and musician Dren McDonald announces Vox Pterous (Appearing Records), a stunning new album due July 31, 2026 on which he takes the instrumental architecture of his celebrated 2023 record Pterous and opens it up entirely, inviting a remarkable ensemble of vocalists into those layered, sonic worlds to create something wholly new. The result is one of the most emotionally resonant records of his career that sits at a unique intersection of contemporary classical composition, songwriting, and the warmth of the human voice.

Pterous, (latin for ‘with wings’) the record from which Vox Pterous grows, was itself an act of devotion, built into structures McDonald described as guitar orchestras: layers upon layers of single-note phrases recorded over and over on different instruments from different distances. Each song was dedicated to a different person he had lost within a three-year span. As he wrote at the time of those sessions, “sometimes the only way to work through grief like that is to make something.” WVIA heard in those pieces “a pleasing journey into the kind of minimalist musical world pioneered by people like Steve Reich, with the kind of obsessive layering of instrumental sounds that lends a distinctive texture to the work.” With Vox Pterous, McDonald returned to those same pieces and discovered there was still more to say, beginning with an experiment that would unlock the entire project.

That experiment was “Fading,” the album’s sixth track, recorded with vocalist Sophia James, whose song “Somebody New” has earned over 25 million streams on Spotify and whose recent TikTok trend “Group 7” brought her to a vast new audience. McDonald knew James through her grandfather, Chuck Wackerman, his high school jazz band teacher, and understood that she possessed both the musicality and the emotional depth to carry a vocal performance capable of elevating the piece beyond its instrumental origins. The strength of her performance gave McDonald the confidence to arrange the remaining songs and set out in search of the remarkable group of collaborators who would complete the album.

That search became its own essential part of the creative process, a series of loose connections, and cold calls into the void, combined with the slow process of composing each lyric and melody before anything was sent to a vocalist. The ensemble McDonald assembled is a wide assortment of musicians hailing from their own unique musical corners: Amelie Anna (Death Stranding 2 Soundtrack) appears on three tracks, Carla Kihlstedt, whose work with Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Tin Hat Trio and Tom Waits has long placed her among the most distinctive voices in contemporary experimental music, is featured on “Resting of Light.” Paula Frazer (Tarnation) lends her unmistakable presence to “Aviation Eyes” alongside artist, Girl Swallows Nightingale, and Lily Bloom and Daria Novo share the luminous “She’s The Sky.” The album was produced, engineered, and mixed by McDonald himself, with additional mixing from Bryan Jerden on two tracks, stereo mastering by Piper Payne, and artwork by Christine MacTernan. The album is also available in Atmos on platforms that support immersive music.

McDonald’s credentials as one of the most versatile and widely heard composers working in immersive and interactive media today. His game credits include Counter-Strike: Global Offensive/2 for Valve, Ghost Recon Commander for Ubisoft, and the award-winning indie title Gathering Sky for Pontoco, which earned him three Game Audio Network Guild Awards in 2016 including Best Indie Game Audio. His music has been heard in Stranger Things VR for Netflix/Tender Claws, VR animated films such as Mescaform Hill: The Missing Five (Tribeca 2022), and Perennials (Venice Film Festival in 2023).

His solo catalogue is equally distinguished, encompassing The String Arcade (2014), which won a GANG Award for Best Cover/Remix, his collaboration project, polyheDren, (Psychic, 2022), which featured collaborations with Josh Freese (Foo Fighters/NIN), Nels Cline (Wilco), The Residents, and Iva Bittová (Nonesuch), and Oceanic (2024) on Appearing Records, which The Answer Is In The Beat likened to “an underwater equivalent of Daniel Lanois’ spacious Americana.”

The LA Times has written that “McDonald offers symbolic and metaphoric dreamscapes”, and Electronica UK noted “his approach to creating immersive auditory experiences offers listeners a rich, three-dimensional sound journey.”

With Vox Pterous, McDonald has created something that honours its origins in loss while reaching toward something generous, and alive. The lyrics of “Anchors Up,” the album’s opening track, set the tone with quiet, circling precision: “Drawing little circles, drawing little circles rise and fall / Pulling in the anchor, pulling up and anchors away.” It is music made for listening deeply, from a composer who has spent a career proving that the most immersive sonic experiences are built not from spectacle but from patience, accumulation, and care.

Irish Singer-Songwriter and Multi-Instrumentalist Maria Butterly Releases Transatlantic Single “The Last Ship to Shore”

Eric Alper
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Irish Singer-Songwriter and Multi-Instrumentalist Maria Butterly Releases Transatlantic Single “The Last Ship to Shore”

Irish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Maria Butterly joins forces with celebrated Quebec guitarist and producer Martin Larose for “The Last Ship to Shore,” a luminous, cinematic new single co-written with arranger Frank Corneau that bridges two of the world’s great folk traditions across one extraordinary piece of music. It is a song about longing to belong, about setting out across deep open waters in search of a place to finally call home, and it arrives as one of the most emotionally resonant collaborations of either artist’s already remarkable career.

The song’s origins are as organic as its sound. Butterly and Larose met in Dublin during a visit to the legendary Windmill Lane Recording Studios, where U2, The Cranberries, The Rolling Stones, and The Chieftains recorded some of their earliest work. The connection was immediate, rooted in a shared recognition that Irish and Canadian folk music draw from the same deep well of migration, exile, and longing for home. “I knew I could add something to it that would bring the two cultures together harmoniously in music,” Butterly has said of the collaboration. The lyric delivers on that promise with sweeping, imagistic beauty:

“Emerald streams / Emerald dreams / As the lighthouse guides the last ship to shore.”

Butterly, a Meath native who has performed at Nashville’s Bluebird Café, the House of Blues in Los Angeles, and New York’s Mercury Lounge, is a winner of Best Celtic Sound at the New York International Film and Music Festival and multiple Songwriter of the Year awards at the Leinster Entertainment Awards. She holds a Master’s degree in Scoring for Film, TV, and Interactive Media, and her music has appeared on RTE, TG4, Virgin Media One, and Sky. Larose, from the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec, is a Guitar World-featured virtuoso, founder of Studio Septentrio, producer and host of the television series Studio Boréal, and the artist behind eight solo albums. Together with Corneau, a master arranger whose work spans orchestral strings, brass, and layered harmony, the three have created something genuinely timeless.

16-Year-Old Guitar Prodigy and 2026 Canadian High School Songwriter of the Year Cooper Benaiah Releases Debut Album ‘CRUSH’

Eric Alper
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16-Year-Old Guitar Prodigy and 2026 Canadian High School Songwriter of the Year Cooper Benaiah Releases Debut Album ‘CRUSH’

Cooper Benaiah, the Toronto-based 16-year-old singer-songwriter, guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, and producer who won the 2026 Canadian High School Songwriter of the Year award for his single “Falling,” releases his debut album ‘CRUSH’ today on Spotify and all major platforms. Eight original songs, written, recorded, and produced entirely by himself in a makeshift basement studio, ‘CRUSH’ is a high-energy indie pop record that moves with the instincts of an artist well beyond his years and the fearless, unfiltered charm of someone who has absolutely nothing to prove and everything to share.

What makes ‘CRUSH’ remarkable is not just that a 16-year-old made it, but how he made it. Benaiah writes in the shower at night, melody arriving moments before the lyrics, the songs arriving nearly fully formed. He captures raw versions on a Taylor guitar on his parents’ couch with a voice memo app, then takes them downstairs to Logic to add what he calls the bells and whistles. The result is music with genuine intimacy baked into its bones, indie pop in the truest sense, homegrown and hook-filled and shot through with a guitar sensibility that reflects a young musician who has absorbed everything from Noah Kahan’s emotional dynamics to the atmospheric tension of MICO and made it entirely his own.

The album works as a complete arc, an accidental rom-com in eight chapters. “Falling” opens it with the giddy, gravity-defying rush of early infatuation: “Feels like I’m falling / Into your arms when I hear you calling out my name.” From there, “1000” sends the story spinning into longing and distance, “Oxygen” deepens the need, “Whatever” plays at denial, and “August” captures the electric warmth of summer romance with acoustic guitar, cajón, and just enough rap to make it feel like a windows-down driving anthem. “Before You Go” and “Left Me at the Altar” navigate the bittersweet turn, the latter arriving as an ironically joyful country-tinged anthem built around fiddles and the liberating realisation that a clean break is its own kind of good fortune. “Pull Me Back” closes the whole thing as a full-room party, a bass-driven invitation to start the whole beautiful cycle again.

Benaiah already performs the material with the stage presence of someone who has been doing this for decades, inhabiting what he describes simply as the rockstar, the part you play for the audience once you get on stage and everything else falls away. To celebrate the release of ‘CRUSH,’ he performs solo at Taste of Philippines in Hamilton on June 13 and at Sessionista Summer Music Festival in Halton on June 20, before fronting his band KASK at It’s Your Festival in Hamilton on June 27. ‘CRUSH’ is available now everywhere.

TOUR DATES:

Jun 13 — Hamilton, ON — Taste of Philippines (Solo)

Jun 20 — Halton, ON — Sessionista Summer Music Festival (Solo)

Jun 27 — Hamilton, ON — It’s Your Festival (with KASK)

Tia McGraff Releases Joyful New Children’s Single “Caterpillar Song” to Celebrate the Launch of Her New Book ‘In Your Dreams, Jake’

Eric Alper
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Tia McGraff Releases Joyful New Children’s Single “Caterpillar Song” to Celebrate the Launch of Her New Book ‘In Your Dreams, Jake’

Tia McGraff, the Simcoe, Ontario-based Canadian folk singer-songwriter, children’s author, and Norfolk Music Hall of Fame inductee, releases her delightful new children’s single “Caterpillar Song” today on Bandana Records, a warm and wonderfully singable kids’ pop anthem that celebrates perseverance, the joy of finding your way home, and the quiet magic of taking life one step at a time. Produced by McGraff’s husband and longtime musical partner Tommy Parham, with keyboards and mixing by Kevin Fisher in California, the song arrives as the perfect companion to McGraff’s new middle-grade children’s book ‘In Your Dreams, Jake,’ the second instalment in her beloved Jake the Road Dawg series, which launches this fall.

McGraff has described the song as the purest, most joyful songwriting gift of her career, one that arrived in the most organic way imaginable: driving home from an author event at Indigo with Tommy when the melody and lyrics simply came pouring out. “Caterpillars walk with tiny legs / Caterpillars can’t go very fast / Inching along they don’t give up / Sooner or later home at last.” She sang it into her phone and kept it on file for over two years until the timing aligned perfectly with the introduction of a caterpillar character into the new book, a character whose arc of growth and transformation mirrors the song’s own message with the kind of gentle, meaningful precision that has always defined McGraff’s best writing. The song’s bridge lands its universal lesson with grace and warmth: “Follow your heart, follow your nose / Follow your dream wherever it goes / Just remember when it’s time for bed / To follow your footprints back home again.”

McGraff is one of Canada’s most decorated and beloved roots artists, a singer-songwriter whose star first rose when she won the Canadian Open Country Singing Contest at the age of nineteen and who has since made television appearances with Johnny Cash and June Carter, written and recorded with Randy Bachman of BTO, and placed songs with Anne Murray’s publishing company. With over eleven international album releases, film and television placements, and a long list of accolades including Social Justice and Peace Songs of the Year at the 2021 and 2022 EmPower Songwriting Awards, a Hamilton Music Award, and a semi-finalist placement in the 2026 International Songwriting Competition, she and Tommy Parham have built one of the most respected and genuinely beloved careers in Canadian Americana folk music. No Depression has praised them as one of the best creative duos working today, and Bill Wence Promotions in Nashville has called McGraff one of the finest singer-songwriter-artists they have worked with in the past decade. In 2026, her hometown honoured her with induction into the Norfolk Music Hall of Fame alongside Rory Dodd and Canadian folk artist Ian Bell.

The Jake the Road Dawg series, inspired by the couple’s adopted Nashville shelter dog who travels with them on tour, has become a genuine community touchstone, raising funds and awareness for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, the Niagara Falls Humane Society, and numerous animal rescue organisations. The books have inspired the duo’s beloved live children’s show Songs’n’Tails, which brings music, storytelling, and the Jake the Road Dawg characters into libraries, bookstores, and community spaces across Ontario. Shari Cann, editor, education specialist, and trustee for the Grand Erie District School Board, has called ‘In Your Dreams, Jake’ a delightful read and an invaluable addition to the education system for children from grade three to eight.

“Caterpillar Song” is available now on Spotify and all major streaming platforms. Tia McGraff and Tommy Parham have an extensive schedule of Songs’n’Tails appearances, book signings, and live performances running through the end of 2026 and into 2027, with dates at Indigo locations across Ontario, public libraries, community festivals, and concert venues. Find Tia at tiamcgraff.com and on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok at @tiamcgraff.

TOUR DATES:

Jun 14, 12:00 PM — London, ON — Indigo North London (Jake the Road Dawg author signing)

Jun 17, 2:00 PM — Simcoe, ON — Norview Lodge

Jun 20 — Tillsonburg, ON — Tillsonburg Turtle Fest, Imagination Station area (Songs’n’Tails)

Jun 21, 11:30 AM — Niagara Falls, ON — Niagara Falls Public Library (Songs’n’Tails)

Jun 23, 2:00 PM — Reading With Your Kids Podcast

Jun 27, 2:15 PM — Simcoe, ON — Kingfisher Cafe, Simcoe BIA Art Crawl (Songs’n’Tails)

Jun 28, 12:00 PM — Cambridge, ON — Indigo Cambridge (Songs’n’Tails)

Jul 4, 11:00 AM — Port Rowan, ON — Books On Bay (Songs’n’Tails)

Jul 11, 11:00 AM — Ingersoll, ON — Commonplace Books (Songs’n’Tails)

Jul 12, 9:00 AM — Amherstburg, ON — River Bookshop, Junior Art Crawl

Jul 24, 12:00 PM — Brantford, ON — Tunes in the Park

Jul 28, 7:00 PM — Hamilton, ON — Westdale Theatre (Ensemble live taping)

Aug 12, 7:15 PM — Brantford, ON — Seasons Retirement

Aug 23, 11:00 AM — Waterloo, ON — Indigo Conestoga Mall (Songs’n’Tails)

Sep 6, 11:00 AM — Stoney Creek, ON — Indigo Stoney Creek (In Your Dreams Jake book launch)

Sep 12, 11:00 AM — Brampton, ON — Chinguacousy Park, MADD Annual Candlelight Vigil

Sep 19, 11:00 AM — Stratford, ON — Coles Book Store (Adopt a School Event)

Sep 27, 2:00 PM — Parkhill, ON — Parkhill Artisan Collective

Oct 3, 1:15 PM — Burlington, ON — Royal Botanical Gardens, Hendrie Park (Telling Tales Festival)

Oct 24, 2:00 PM — Hamilton, ON — West Flamboro Presbyterian Church

Nov 5, 7:00 PM — Simcoe, ON — Holy Trinity Catholic High School (Norfolk Music Hall of Fame)

Nov 9, 2:30 PM — Brantford, ON — Seasons Retirement

Nov 15, 2:00 PM — Brucefield, ON — Brucefield Community United Church

Nov 22, 2:00 PM — Delhi, ON — Delhi United Church

Dec 12, 2:00 PM — Simcoe, ON — Woodhouse United Church (Annual Christmas Concert)

Dec 20, 11:30 AM — Niagara Falls, ON — Niagara Falls Public Library

Apr 10, 2027, 2:00 PM — Simcoe, ON — St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church

May 1, 2027, 7:30 PM — Delta Hotel (MADD Canada Annual Conference)

Slovenian Neo-Soul Sextet SATORI Introduce Themselves to North America With New Single “Walking” and Album ‘The Seat of the Soul’

Eric Alper
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Slovenian Neo-Soul Sextet SATORI Introduce Themselves to North America With New Single “Walking” and Album ‘The Seat of the Soul’

SATORI, a six-piece neo-soul band from Zagorje ob Savi, Slovenia, release their captivating new single “Walking” today, the lead track from their debut album ‘The Seat of the Soul,’ out now on Spotify and all major platforms. For North American listeners discovering them for the first time, SATORI arrive as something genuinely rare: a band steeped in soul, blues, jazz, and pop who have built a sound that feels both warmly familiar and entirely fresh, anchored by the extraordinary voice of vocalist Ursula Luthar and the rich keyboard and compositional vision of multi-instrumentalist and bandleader Jure Tori.

“Walking” is an irresistible introduction. Built around a groove that pulses with the rhythmic energy of city life, the song turns the sidewalk into a dance floor and the urban landscape into a full orchestral score: “Streets keep dancing all around / In the rhythm of a concrete sound / Cars invite them to a waltz / Fast and faster, what it costs? / Power lines provide the staff / Beat’s four-four, well, that’s enough.” It is the kind of song that moves your body before your mind catches up, and Luthar delivers it with a cool, soulful authority that will draw immediate comparisons to the finest voices in contemporary neo-soul.

The album behind it is a work of remarkable depth and ambition. ‘The Seat of the Soul’ was produced by Jamirko at Beyond Stereo Studio in Ljubljana and features ten tracks that range from the lush romantic imagery of “Find Me a Rhyme” to the mythic grandeur of “Prometheus Fire,” the quietly devastating portrait of “She,” and the tender permission of the closing track “Rest Now”: “Too long you’ve been plowing on, looking for something / The night’ll guide you / Make you believe you were always enough.” The ensemble includes Primož Grašič on guitar, Wolfram Derschmidt on double bass, Tijan Grašič on drums, and trumpet contributions from Gerhard Ornig and Jan Adamek across the album’s ten tracks, with cover illustration by painter Darko Slavec and released on the Slovenian label Klopotec.

Tori’s journey to this record is one of the more compelling creative origin stories in recent European music. Locked in his basement with his keyboards, he discovered the sounds of the Wurlitzer, Rhodes, and Hammond organ and recognised in them the palette he had always been searching for. He assembled musicians who could inhabit those sounds alongside him. There is, as he has noted himself, almost no music of this kind being made in Slovenia. SATORI are filling that space with something that belongs on the world stage, and ‘The Seat of the Soul’ is their opening argument.

TOUR DATES:

July 3 — Trbovlje, Slovenia

July 17 — Ptuj, Slovenia

July 23 — Izola, Slovenia

Alan Gerber, Founding Member of Rhinoceros, Releases New Single “Put Back My Heart” From New Album ‘The Well’

Eric Alper
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Alan Gerber, Founding Member of Rhinoceros, Releases New Single “Put Back My Heart” From New Album ‘The Well’

Alan Gerber, the Chicago-born, Val-David, Quebec-based singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and founding member of late-1960s Elektra Records supergroup Rhinoceros, releases his irresistible new single “Put Back My Heart” today, the opening track from his deeply personal new album ‘The Well,’ out now. A swaggering, blues-drenched soul romp co-written with his son Eli Gerber and produced by the two of them together, “Put Back My Heart” announces the album with exactly the kind of high-energy, good-humoured, emotionally honest songwriting that has made Alan Gerber one of the most beloved live performers in Canada and beyond for more than five decades.

The song moves with the effortless confidence of a man who has spent a lifetime inside the blues. “Fell for you like a baby grand from a tower,” Gerber sings with a grin you can hear, before the chorus lands its perfectly timed demand: “Put back, put back my heart, you stole it / Put back, put back my heart, steam rolled it.” It is a song that wears its heartbreak lightly and its joy loudly, a signature Gerber combination that has earned him a devoted following from Miramichi to Montreal and far beyond. Steven Van Zandt, guitarist for Bruce Springsteen and host of Little Steven’s Underground Garage, previously selected Gerber’s “Four Riders” as the Coolest Song in the World, a distinction that will surprise no one who has heard what Gerber does with a room.

‘The Well’ is a record that distills a lifetime of blues, soul, folk, and rock into a journey from gritty R&B grooves to poetic ballads and adventurous, genre-bending instrumentals. The album carries particular emotional weight as the last project Gerber was able to complete with his writing collaborator of nearly 50 years, Rolf Kempf, who passed away before its release. Kempf was celebrated beyond their partnership for writing “Hello Hurray,” which became a major hit for Alice Cooper, and his presence runs deep through the record. The album also reunited Gerber with his old Rhinoceros bandmate, the extraordinary guitarist Danny Weis, whose playing appears on eight of the album’s tracks, alongside Gaston Gagnon of Quebec legends Garolou, harmonica player James Tyrone Zeller, and a full ensemble of longtime collaborators mixed at Groove Paradise Studio with mixing engineer Nicolas Maranda and mastered by Harris Newman at Grey Market Mastering.

Family is at the heart of ‘The Well’ in every sense. Gerber’s son Eli plays guitars and co-produces throughout, while his daughter Hannah contributes lead and background vocals, and his wife Robin, a ceramic artist, created the bowl photographed for the album cover. He also wrote the song, Time Is My Treasure, from a poem written by his sister, Barbara Ford.

That circle of creativity reflects the life Gerber has built across more than three decades in the Laurentians, far from the Laurel Canyon living rooms and Elektra Records pressures of his early career, but every bit as rich with music, community, and meaning. Before any of that, there was Chicago, a family that had fled the pogroms of Eastern Europe, a mother’s crimson fingernails on a Wurlitzer baby grand, and blues piano sessions with his uncles that set the course for everything that followed.

Over the years Gerber has shared the stage with Bob Dylan, B.B. King, Van Morrison, Lou Reed, Janis Joplin, John Lee Hooker, and Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, among many others, and has performed at the Montreal Jazz Festival, Ottawa Bluesfest, and the Carcassonne Music Festival in France. Terry Whalen, Artistic Director of Whalen’s Barn Concert Series in Miramichi, has written that within the first 30 seconds of a live Alan Gerber show the audience is hooked, completely, calling him a seasoned pro and a master-class of how to take years of honing your craft and a million plus miles of live performances to reach this level. ‘The Well’ is the fullest expression yet of what those miles have made him.

TOUR DATES

Aug 5 — Val-David, QC — 1001 Pots

Punk Veterans Unite As Gucci Chain Letter, Release Driving Debut Three-Song EP

Eric Alper
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Punk Veterans Unite As Gucci Chain Letter, Release Driving Debut Three-Song EP

Gucci Chain Letter, a new band formed by longtime veterans of the Vancouver and Edmonton punk and hardcore scenes, have released their debut three-song EP, out now on all major streaming platforms. The group may be newly formed, but its members carry decades of experience from influential underground acts including Daggermouth, Youth Decay, This Is A Standoff, King Thief, Drive By Punch, Precursor, and Counterfeit Jeans.

Drawing on that shared history, the band delivers songs that are driving and melodic, rooted in punk and hardcore but never confined by a single genre. Fans of Militarie Gun, Fiddlehead, and Small Brown Bike will find plenty to latch onto, emotionally charged songwriting paired with punchy riffs, dynamic rhythms, and a sense of urgency that reflects the members’ deep roots in the scene.

The EP was produced by Edmonton’s Cody Blakely alongside Juno-nominated producer Robbie Townsend (Royal Tusk, Midnight Peg, Garrett Dale), and mixed by vocalist Stuart McKillop at Rain City Mastering. Across its three tracks, it serves as a powerful introduction to a band focused on writing songs with heart while pushing past genre expectations. With the EP now out, Gucci Chain Letter are planning shows in support of the release and looking to hit the road soon.

Track Listing:

  1. Every Word I Never Said
  2. Winfield
  3. Sorry Doesn’t Cut It

Von Dutch Returns To The U.S. Market As A Nine-Figure Fashion Powerhouse

Eric Alper
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Von Dutch Returns To The U.S. Market As A Nine-Figure Fashion Powerhouse

Von Dutch, the iconic fashion label synonymous with early-2000s culture and bold Americana style, has officially reestablished its presence in the United States following its acquisition by WSG Brands, led and founded by entrepreneur Jack Cheika.

Prior to its acquisition in 2024, Von Dutch had largely faded from the U.S. market, experiencing a significant decline in consumer engagement and retail presence. Recognizing the brand’s cultural legacy and untapped potential, WSG Brands acquired Von Dutch with a clear mission: to restore its relevance, rebuild its infrastructure, and reintroduce it to a new generation of consumers.

Since the acquisition, Von Dutch has undergone a comprehensive transformation—refining its brand positioning, expanding distribution channels, strengthening retail partnerships, and launching new collections that honor its heritage while embracing modern design sensibilities. The results have been extraordinary.

In under two years, Von Dutch has grown into a nine-digit business achieving global expansion across key wholesale, retail, and direct-to-consumer platforms. The brand’s resurgence has been fueled by strategic collaborations, enhanced marketing initiatives, and a renewed focus on quality, authenticity, and cultural relevance.

Under WSG Brands’ leadership, Von Dutch has expanded its footprint across major metropolitan markets and established a strong omnichannel presence throughout the country. The brand continues to build momentum through innovative product drops, strategic partnerships, and a reinvigorated connection to music, motorsport, and street culture—the pillars that originally defined its success.

With a revitalized identity and strong financial performance, Von Dutch is poised for continued growth and long-term market leadership in the global fashion landscape.

Klaus Mäkelä And Riccardo Muti Anchor The Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s 2026/27 Season With Yo-Yo Ma, Lang Lang And More

Eric Alper
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Klaus Mäkelä And Riccardo Muti Anchor The Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s 2026/27 Season With Yo-Yo Ma, Lang Lang And More

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association (CSOA) announces 2026/27 Season programming for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) and Symphony Center Presents (SCP) series. Marking its 136th concert season, the CSO unites with an array of internationally renowned musicians for performances in Chicago and on tour.

Zell Music Director Designate Klaus Mäkelä leads five weeks of subscription concerts in Chicago and takes the Orchestra on an eight-city, 12-concert European tour in January 2027, visiting prestigious venues including the Musikverein in Vienna, the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg and the Philharmonie de Paris.

Music Director Emeritus for Life Riccardo Muti returns for three weeks across two Chicago residencies in December 2026 and April 2027, continuing a partnership built over his 13 seasons as the Orchestra’s 10th music director.

“The 2026/27 season is a landmark chapter for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, featuring expanded weeks with Zell Music Director Designate Klaus Mäkelä and a continued partnership with Music Director Emeritus for Life Riccardo Muti,” said Jeff Alexander, President of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association. “From Klaus’s five-weeks of concerts in Chicago plus a three-week tour of Europe with the CSO, to the wide variety of repertoire spanning four centuries, and a robust presentation series, the season’s programming showcases an extraordinary breadth of artistry. We are also excited to be welcoming Jean-Yves Thibaudet as our artist in residence. We invite all of Chicago to experience the transformative power of the CSO.”

Pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet brings his distinctive blend of virtuosity and vision to his new role as the 2026/27 CSO Artist-in-Residence, offering performances that showcase his remarkable range and expressive artistry. 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.

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s new season begins in September 2026 with former CSO Artist-in-Residence Hilary Hahn, who joins conductor Petr Popelka and the Orchestra as soloist in Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto. This opening program sets a Romantic tone for the year, pairing Hahn’s virtuosity with Dvořák’s Fifth Symphony.

From cherished masterworks to new music, the CSO Classical season expands the repertoire with a world premiere and CSO commission by former Mead Composer-in-Residence Mason Bates, U.S. premieres by Magnus Lindberg and Esa-Pekka Salonen and 14 pieces new to the subscription series.

The Orchestra explores Beethoven’s enduring impact throughout the season with performances of his iconic overtures, Symphonies Nos. 4 and 5 and Symphony No. 9, which features the monumental “Ode to Joy” finale. Under the direction of Chorus Director Donald Palumbo, the Chicago Symphony Chorus takes center stage in this season finale, which also includes the composer’s poignant Elegy.

During this season-long celebration of Beethoven’s enduring impact, the CSO welcomes world-renowned pianist Lang Lang for a three-concert residency performing all five piano concertos under the baton of Paavo Järvi (March 24, 26 & 27, 2027). Earlier that month, violinist Isabelle Faust joins guest conductor Maxim Emelyanychev and the CSO for Beethoven’s Violin Concerto from March 11-14. Beyond these orchestral programs, Beethoven’s remarkable legacy is further highlighted through dedicated piano recital and chamber music concerts.

In addition to Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, the Chicago Symphony Chorus is featured in several choral masterworks throughout the 2026/27 Season. These include Walton’s dramatic cantata Belshazzar’s Feast, Brahms’ A German Requiem, the quintessential holiday tradition of Handel’s Messiah, and Rossini’s Stabat mater and selections from William Tell. The Chorus also joins the Orchestra for the first CSO performances of Pierre Boulez’s iridescent cantata Le soleil des eaux.

The 2026/27 Symphony Center Presents season features a premier lineup of global icons and diverse musical traditions. The Piano and Chamber Music series showcase legendary artists including Mitsuko Uchida, Yuja Wang and Evgeny Kissin. Highlights include the North American debut of pianist Lukas Sternath and a star-studded trio featuring Kissin, Maxim Vengerov and Gautier Capuçon. 2026/27 CSO Artist-in-Residence Jean-Yves Thibaudet also appears in a trio with violinist Lisa Batiashvili and Capuçon.

The season further expands with specialized and global programming, featuring the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Brass, the magnetic theatricality of Mexican icon Lila Downs and the high-energy taiko of Kodo. Pop-jazz ensemble Pink Martini returns, and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra makes its annual appearances during Wynton Marsalis’ final season as its artistic director.

Explore a chronological listing of CSOA-presented programs included in the 2026/27 Season.

Access the complete 2026/27 Season media kit, including press photos.

Klaus Mäkelä, Zell Music Director Designate — CSO Residencies and European Tour

In the 2026/27 Season, Zell Music Director Designate Klaus Mäkelä leads five weeks of subscription concerts with repertoire ranging from Gabrieli to Boulez. He conducts the annual Symphony Ball concert for the first time and also embarks on a European tour as he prepares to begin his tenure as the CSO’s 11th music director in the 2027/28 Season.

Mäkelä launches his three-week fall residency with the CSO from September 24 to 26 with Sibelius’ Seventh and Shostakovich’s Fourth symphonies — the latter a work that reveals a Soviet-era composer in all his brilliant audacity. From October 1 to 4, he conducts Mahler’s Ninth Symphony, an exploration of the human spirit that follows previous Mahler interpretations described by the Chicago Tribune as “exquisitely, sensitively and lovingly made.” The residency continues October 8 and 9 as baritone Thomas Hampson joins the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus for Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast, in a program that also features Stravinsky’s Petrushka and two works by Giovanni Gabrieli.

Mäkelä conducts the celebratory Symphony Ball concert on October 10 which includes Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast and Stravinsky’s Petrushka. Patrons may enhance their experience with a gala package including a private preconcert reception and postconcert dinner and celebration at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago.

Returning in the spring from May 13 to 16, 2027, Mäkelä highlights two works by Finnish composer Magnus Lindberg: the U.S. premiere of a new CSO co-commission and the First Violin Concerto featuring Lisa Batiashvili. The program concludes with Sibelius’ First Symphony. From June 17 to 20, 2027, Mäkelä leads the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus and distinguished soloists in Beethoven’s monumental Ninth Symphony paired with the composer’s Elegy.

Beyond Chicago, Mäkelä embarks on his first European tour with the CSO as Zell Music Director Designate, performing in Cologne, Dortmund, Essen, Hamburg and Baden-Baden, Germany; Vienna; Luxembourg, and Paris (January 7-22, 2027).

Riccardo Muti, Music Director Emeritus for Life — CSO Residencies

Riccardo Muti, the CSO’s Music Director Emeritus for Life, returns to Chicago for three weeks across two residencies in the 2026/27 Season. These performances continue a partnership built over his 13 seasons as the Orchestra’s 10th music director.

His first CSO residency begins with a program that runs from December 3 to 5 and includes Dvořák’s Eighth Symphony, a tribute to the landscapes and folk dances of Bohemia. The program also includes Bartók’s Two Pictures and Richard Strauss’ Oboe Concerto, featuring CSO Principal Oboe William Welter. Muti continues the residency from December 10 to 12 with a festive Viennese-inspired program featuring waltzes and polkas by Johann Strauss Jr. and family. Pianist Yefim Bronfman joins Muti and the Orchestra for Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 24, following an overture by Cherubini.

Muti returns from April 8 to 10, 2027, to lead Rossini’s Stabat mater, a work combining operatic intensity with devotional choral music. The performance features the Chicago Symphony Chorus and a distinguished quartet of soloists: soprano Eleonora Buratto, mezzo-soprano Elizabeth DeShong, tenor Giovanni Sala and bass-baritone Maharram Huseynov. The program begins with music from Rossini’s William Tell, including the famous overture and the CSO’s first performances of ballet music from the opera.

Jean-Yves Thibaudet — CSO Artist-in-Residence

Jean-Yves Thibaudet serves as the CSO Artist-in-Residence for the 2026/27 Season. A frequent guest and audience favorite at Symphony Center since his debut on the Orchestra Hall stage in 1987, Thibaudet brings his celebrated elegance and technical brilliance to three distinct programs throughout the season.

Thibaudet first appears on the Symphony Center Presents Chamber Music series, joining his longtime collaborators, violinist Lisa Batiashvili and cellist Gautier Capuçon. The trio explores the youthful exuberance of early works by Shostakovich and Debussy, contrasted with the darkly Romantic intensity of Dvořák’s Piano Trio in F Minor (October 18).

In February, Thibaudet joins the Orchestra for Khachaturian’s Piano Concerto, a work that blends Armenian folk influences with Russian Romanticism. The Guardian describes the concerto as a “giant, Technicolor work” and a perfect match for Thibaudet’s “flamboyant yet precise playing style.” The program, led by Fabien Gabel, also includes Mussorgsky’s Khovanshchina Prelude and Zemlinsky’s lush orchestral fantasy The Mermaid (February 11-13, 2027).

Additionally, Thibaudet teams up with pianist, singer and American songbook expert Michael Feinstein for Two Pianos: Who Could Ask for Anything More?, an extraordinary evening that celebrates George Gershwin and his musical universe. In duos, solos and selections with the CSO, Thibaudet and Feinstein offer Gershwin rarities and favorites. The performance is part of a fundraising event presented in partnership by the CSOA and the League of the CSOA (May 24, 2027). Proceeds benefit the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s artistic, educational and community engagement programs in Chicago and across the globe.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) Classical Concerts

The 2026/27 Season of CSO Classical concerts connects Chicago audiences with some of today’s most acclaimed international soloists, distinguished conductors and a wide range of orchestral music. Highlights include a world premiere, two U.S. premieres, numerous CSO first performances and a special emphasis on music of Ludwig van Beethoven, whose enduring impact is felt by audiences and musicians alike.

World Premiere

  • Mason Bates – The Escapist Symphony: A new CSO-commissioned symphony from former CSO Mead Composer-in-Residence Mason Bates (February 25-27, 2027).

U.S. Premieres

  • Magnus Lindberg – New Work: A CSO co-commission from the celebrated Finnish composer (May 13-16, 2027).
  • Esa-Pekka Salonen – Tiu: The distinguished composer conducts the U.S. premiere of a revised version of his 2023 work (May 27-28, 2027).

CSO First Performances
The season introduces several contemporary and historical works to the CSO’s repertoire:

  • Contemporary Voices: Notable firsts include Arturo Márquez’s Fandango, Michael Abels’ More Seasons, Julia Wolfe’s Liberty Bell, Magnus Lindberg’s Violin Concerto No. 1, Pierre Boulez’s Le soleil des eaux and Philip Glass’ The Light.
  • Tan Dun and the CSO: The composer makes his CSO podium debut conducting the Orchestra’s first performances of three of his works: Passacaglia: Secret of Wind and Birds; Water Concerto, featuring percussionist Yuri Yamashita in a CSO debut, and Concerto for Orchestra from Marco Polo.
  • Rediscovered Classics & New Editions: The Orchestra performs Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel’s Overture in C Major and Arvo Pärt’s Summa for the first time. Additionally, the season features movements from Rossini’s William Tell ballet music, two of which are performed by the CSO for the first time.
  • First Subscription Performances: Several works receive their first CSO subscription concert performances, including Bach’s Keyboard Concerto No. 3 in D Major, Roberto Sierra’s Fandangos and Carl Nielsen’s Overture to Maskarade.

Newcomers to the Podium

Three acclaimed conductors make their CSO debuts during the 2026/27 Season, exploring works featuring period instruments, contemporary composition and choral mastery.

A leading authority on the music of J.S. Bach, Masaaki Suzuki is the founder and Music Director of Bach Collegium Japan and serves as the Principal Guest Conductor of Yale Schola Cantorum. Suzuki leads the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in Handel’s Messiah, an oratorio he has performed and recorded to international acclaim. The program features guest soloists Sherezade Panthaki (soprano), Hugh Cutting (countertenor), Andrew Haji (tenor) and Paul Max Tipton (bass-baritone), with Panthaki, Cutting and Tipton marking CSO debut appearances in these performances (December 17-19).

Currently the Principal Conductor of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Chief Conductor of the period-instrument ensemble Il Pomo d’Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev is recognized for his versatile approach to both Baroque and symphonic repertoire. For his CSO debut, he leads a program centered on the Mendelssohn family, featuring an overture by Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel — marking its first CSO performance — and Felix Mendelssohn’s Reformation Symphony. Soloist Isabelle Faust joins Emelyanychev and the Orchestra for Beethoven’s Violin Concerto (March 11-14, 2027).

Academy Award-winning composer and conductor Tan Dun, who currently serves as dean of the Bard College Conservatory of Music, leads the CSO in a program of his own works. Tan Dun’s compositions often bridge Eastern and Western musical traditions through the use of organic materials and multimedia elements. The program includes Water Concerto with soloist Yuri Yamashita, which utilizes water as a percussion instrument; Concerto for Orchestra from Marco Polo, and Passacaglia: Secret of Wind and Birds, which incorporates digital bird calls played by the audience and orchestra on mobile devices (May 20-22, 2027).

CSO Visiting Conductors and Guest Artists

In the 2026/27 Season, the CSO presents a diverse array of international soloists and guest conductors. The subscription series opens with former CSO Artist-in-Residence Hilary Hahn performing Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in a program led by Petr Popelka (September 17-19).

Violinist Anne Akiko Meyers is soloist in the first CSO performances of Arturo Márquez’s Fandango, written for and premiered by Meyers, with conductor Giancarlo Guerrero (October 15-17). Cellist Jian Wang returns for Dvořák’s Cello Concerto in a program led by Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider (October 22-25).

Soprano Louise Alder makes her CSO debut in Brahms’ A German Requiem alongside the Chicago Symphony Chorus and baritone Konstantin Krimmel, conducted by Szeps-Znaider (October 29-31). In November, pianist Mao Fujita makes his CSO debut as soloist in Richard Strauss’ Burlesque under the baton of Marek Janowski (November 5-8). Vadim Gluzman performs Prokofiev’s Second Violin Concerto in a program led by Jaap van Zweden (November 19-21).

Pianist Beatrice Rana performs Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto (February 4-7, 2027), and violinist Randall Goosby performs Mozart’s Third Violin Concerto (February 19-21, 2027). Conductor Manfred Honeck leads the world premiere of a CSO commission: Mason Bates’ The Escapist Symphony (February 25-27, 2027).

Pianist Orion Weiss performs two Bach concertos, including the first CSO subscription performance of the Keyboard Concerto No. 3 in D Major, led by Harry Bicket (March 4-6, 2027). Cellist Alisa Weilerstein performs Prokofiev’s Symphony-Concerto with conductor James Gaffigan (March 18-20, 2027), and Augustin Hadelich returns for Korngold’s Violin Concerto led by Philippe Jordan (April 2-3, 2027).

In mid-April, Jakub Hrůša — Musical America‘s 2026 Conductor of the Year — leads Shostakovich’s monumental Symphony No. 7 (Leningrad), a powerful testament to resistance and the human spirit (April 15-18, 2027). Dame Jane Glover then leads a program featuring Concertmaster Robert Chen in Richard Strauss’ Violin Concerto (April 22-24, 2027).

Manfred Honeck returns to conduct mezzo-soprano Marianne Crebassa in selections from Mahler’s Des Knaben Wunderhorn (May 6-8, 2027). Esa-Pekka Salonen leads the U.S. premiere of his work Tiu in a program featuring pianist Yunchan Lim in Liszt’s Second Piano Concerto (May 27-28, 2027). In June, piano duo Lucas and Arthur Jussen perform Poulenc’s Double Concerto under Kazuki Yamada (June 3-6, 2027), followed by Benjamin Grosvenor performing Rachmaninov’s Second Piano Concerto, led by Sir Mark Elder (June 10-12, 2027).

Programs with the Chicago Symphony Chorus

The Chicago Symphony Chorus brings its powerful and versatile sound to several programs throughout the 2026/27 Season. Chorus Director Donald Palumbo prepares the chorus for these performances, which offer audiences the opportunity to hear monumental choral masterpieces ranging from the dramatic world of opera and sacred music to festive holiday selections.

Zell Music Director Designate Klaus Mäkelä joins the Chicago Symphony Chorus for two large-scale works that frame the season with power and scope. To open the season, the Chorus performs in Walton’s dramatic cantata Belshazzar’s Feast, a work of massive scale requiring double chorus and brass bands. They are joined by celebrated baritone Thomas Hampson (October 8-10).

In late October, conductor Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider leads the Chorus and Orchestra in Brahms’ A German Requiem. Often called his “human requiem,” the score emphasizes consolation and reflection, featuring soprano Louise Alder and baritone Konstantin Krimmel (October 29-31).

The Chorus joins the Orchestra in December for a quintessential holiday tradition: Handel’s Messiah, led by guest conductor Masaaki Suzuki. This performance of the full oratorio features a stellar cast of soloists including soprano Sherezade Panthaki, countertenor Hugh Cutting, tenor Andrew Haji and bass-baritone Paul Max Tipton (December 17-19).

In the spring, the Chorus performs during Riccardo Muti’s residency for Rossini’s Stabat mater, a work that blends operatic intensity with sacred eloquence. The vocal quartet features soprano Eleonora Buratto, mezzo-soprano Elizabeth DeShong, tenor Giovanni Sala and bass-baritone Maharram Huseynov. The program also includes the first CSO performances of the Pas de trois et choeur tyrolien and Pas de soldats from Rossini’s William Tell (April 8-10, 2027).

Finally, the Chorus anchors the season finale performances of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, joining the Orchestra for the triumphant “Ode to Joy.” Under the baton of Klaus Mäkelä, the performance features soprano Chen Reiss, mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke, tenor Siyabonga Maqungo and bass-baritone Gerald Finley. The program is paired with the composer’s Elegy and the first CSO performances of Pierre Boulez’s iridescent cantata Le soleil des eaux (June 17-20, 2027).

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827): The Eternal Original 

More than 200 years after it was written, Beethoven’s music still invites musicians and audiences alike to marvel at its brilliance, power and depth.

The 2026/27 Season programming recognizes and celebrates the composer’s enduring impact through the CSO’s performances of his iconic overtures, Symphonies Nos. 4 and 5 and the monumental Ninth Symphony with the Chicago Symphony Chorus in June 2027 with Zell Music Director Designate Klaus Mäkelä. Internationally acclaimed pianist Lang Lang headlines three special CSO concerts showcasing Beethoven’s five piano concertos with Paavo Järvi conducting (March 24, 26 & 27, 2027), and Isabelle Faust joins the CSO and guest conductor Maxim Emelyanychev for Beethoven’s Violin Concerto (March 11-14, 2027).

Today’s most revered interpreters take center stage in Symphony Center Presents (SCP) programs such as pianist Bruce Liu performing the Waldstein and Moonlight sonatas (November 1) and all-Beethoven piano recitals from Leif Ove Andsnes, performing the final three piano sonatas (March 21, 2027), and Evgeny Kissin performing the Diabelli Variations (April 25, 2027), as well as a performance of the composer’s landmark Violin Sonata No. 9 (Kreutzer) arranged by Nemanja Radulović, who makes an SCP Chamber Music series debut with his ensemble Double Sens (November 22).

Visit cso.org/Beethoven to find all the 2026/27 Season concerts at Symphony Center that feature music by Beethoven.

Symphony Center Presents Chamber Music

The series provides listeners with the opportunity to hear smaller ensembles in the intimate atmosphere of Orchestra Hall. The direct connection to the performers offers a fresh perspective on the diverse range of sounds and combinations of individual instruments and voices.

The series kicks off with an appearance by 2026/27 CSO Artist-in-Residence Jean-Yves Thibaudet and his longtime trio partners, violinist Lisa Batiashvili and cellist Gautier Capuçon (October 18). Making their Symphony Center debuts, violinist Nemanja Radulović leads his chamber orchestra, Double Sens, in a program featuring works by Bach and Beethoven. The program includes Radulović’s own orchestral arrangement of Beethoven’s Kreutzer Sonata — noted for the breakneck speed of its finale — Bach’s Violin Concerto in D Minor and a new arrangement of the D Minor Chaconne (November 22).

Three of today’s most celebrated musicians — piano legend Evgeny Kissin, violin icon Maxim Vengerov and cello virtuoso Gautier Capuçon — reunite to explore how Beethoven revolutionized the piano trio with newfound passion and expressivity. From the fiery spirit of the Op. 1, No. 3 trio to the ominous second movement of the Ghost Trio and the towering, aristocratic Archduke Trio, this performance showcases some of the most significant landmarks of Beethoven’s chamber music output (May 18, 2027).

Symphony Center Presents Piano

The Symphony Center Presents Piano series continues to draw audiences with a roster of world-class artists, featuring eight recitals in the 2026/27 Season.

Bruce Liu, who rose to international prominence after winning the 2021 International Chopin Competition, returns to Chicago with a program showcasing his technical refinement (November 1). Lukas Sternath, a former member of the Vienna Boys Choir, makes his highly anticipated North American debut with a program featuring Schubert’s Wanderer Fantasy and works by Liszt (December 6).

Longtime Chicago favorite Mitsuko Uchida presents her first Symphony Center solo recital since 2018 (January 31, 2027), performing Schubert’s visionary Sonata in A Major alongside works by Haydn, Schoenberg and Mozart. Leif Ove Andsnes offers a deep exploration of Beethoven’s final years, performing his final three piano sonatas in a single afternoon (March 21, 2027).

The series also features Yuja Wang (April 11, 2027), known for her versatile and bold programming, and Evgeny Kissin (April 25, 2027), who presents Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations alongside two of the composer’s early sonatas. The season further includes returning masters Rudolf Buchbinder (January 10, 2027) and Piotr Anderszewski (May 9, 2027).

Featured Concerts and Events 

Throughout the 2026/27 Season, featured concerts and events connect audiences with a wide range of musical genres and world-renowned artists.

Internationally renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma returns to Symphony Center to perform one of the first concertos he ever recorded, Shostakovich’s First Cello Concerto. The program is led by conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto, another frequent guest in Chicago, and includes Rachmaninov’s plush and glittering Symphonic Dances and Ginastera’s Four Dances from Estancia (November 11).

Grammy-nominated violinist, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird makes his CSO debut celebrating the 20-year anniversary of his acclaimed record The Mysterious Production of Eggs. Balancing jazz, folk and pop melodies in an unforgettable display of unique virtuosity, the concert features a full album performance with orchestral arrangements, capped off with a suite of fan-favorite tunes from his near 30-year career (November 13-14).

Celebrated for its precision and power, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Brass presents its annual December concert. CSO trombonist Michael Mulcahy conducts the ensemble in a showcase of arrangements and original works specifically tailored to the section’s unique sound (December 15).

Pink Martini returns to Symphony Center on Valentine’s weekend with a freewheeling blend of classic pop, big band, and Latin music. Featuring vocalist Storm Large, the 12-member ensemble performs a multilingual set list that spans French, Cuban and Brazilian styles. Bandleader Thomas Lauderdale describes the experience as an “around-the-world musical adventure” inspired by the global sophistication of the early 1960s (February 12, 2027).

The legendary Japanese taiko drumming ensemble Kodo also returns as part of its global tour. The group’s new program, Luminance, combines traditional percussion with modern choreography and physical precision. The performance pays homage to the works of composer Maki Ishii while introducing new compositions inspired by the ensemble’s international travels (February 28, 2027).

More than 25 years after his dramatic career breakthrough with the CSO at Ravinia, Lang Lang is one of classical music’s most celebrated ambassadors. In a thrilling trio of programs, the superstar pianist traverses all five of Beethoven’s groundbreaking piano concertos. Joining Paavo Järvi and the CSO, Lang Lang opens the week with the First Piano Concerto — the daring twists of which pushed the limits of Classical convention — and the searching and sublime Fourth Piano Concerto (March 24, 2027). He continues the week with two additional programs, performing the Second and Third Beethoven Piano Concertos on March 26, and concluding the cycle with the majestic Fifth Piano Concerto on Saturday, March 27.

A magnetic force in Mexican music, Lila Downs brings her “Cambias mi mundo” program to Symphony Center. Her dusky, soulful voice shines in richly layered songs about yearning, identity, justice and folklore. Born in Oaxaca and raised between Mexico and Minnesota, Downs deftly weaves genres ranging from ranchera, cumbia and son to jazz, soul and American pop in a performance described as “irresistibly theatrical” (April 4, 2027).

The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis makes its annual appearance in a two-concert residency in April 2027, marking Marsalis’ final season as music director.

CSO at the Movies

The CSO at the Movies series celebrates the magic of watching legendary films on the big screen in Orchestra Hall as the CSO performs the scores.

Concertgoers can experience How to Train Your Dragon 2, as Hiccup and Toothless discover a secret ice cave and find themselves in an epic battle to save the future of man and dragons. This spectacular sequel is presented in HD with composer John Powell’s thrilling score performed by the CSO and conducted by Nicholas Buc (November 27-29).

As part of the CSO at the Movies series and holiday programming, the holiday classic Elf is presented on the big screen, led by Justin Freer. Members of the CSO perform the festive score by John Debney, offering a spirited experience for audiences of all ages (December 11-13).

In January, the series presents West Side Story, the iconic 1961 film and winner of 10 Academy Awards. Conductor David Newman leads the Orchestra playing Leonard Bernstein’s electrifying score while the original, remastered film is shown in glorious high definition with the vocals and dialogue intact (January 29-30, 2027).

The series concludes with Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. Audiences enter the Star Wars universe as Darth Vader pursues Luke Skywalker, featuring John Williams’ Grammy-winning score performed by the CSO and conducted by Sarah Hicks (June 25-27, 2027).

Holiday Programming at Symphony Center

Symphony Center presents a variety of programs designed to bring friends and family together through festive musical traditions. At the heart of these holiday offerings is Merry, Merry Chicago!, featuring Broadway star Mandy Gonzalez and members of the CSO. Conductor Thomas Wilkins leads this annual celebration across seven performances (December 18-23).

The holiday season begins with the return of the Vienna Boys Choir performing a program of traditional carols and seasonal songs (November 28) and continues with A Chanticleer Christmas, featuring the close harmonies, innovative arrangements and programming that are a hallmark of the acclaimed vocal ensemble (December 8).

Members of the CSO also bring John Debney’s festive score in Elf to life as part of the CSO at the Movies series. These performances of the holiday classic offer a spirited experience for audiences of all ages (December 11-13).

CSO for Kids 

Across the season, the CSO enriches the lives of children and families through innovative programs produced by the Negaunee Music Institute (NMI). These performances are designed to introduce young listeners to the magic of music and storytelling while advancing the CSOA’s commitment to education and community engagement.

The Once Upon a Symphony series, presented in collaboration with Chicago Children’s Theatre, introduces children ages 3 to 5 to the world of classical music. This season features storytelling programs Stone Soup, a fable about how sharing fosters joy (December 5, 2026-February 13, 2027), and The Elves and the Shoemaker, which explores the impact of kindness and generosity (March 20-­­­­April 24, 2027).

School-age children can explore the sights and sounds of the orchestra through School and Family Matinees, special themed programs further igniting young imaginations throughout the year. Symphonic Superheroes highlights the unique, “super” qualities of a symphony orchestra conducted by Alastair Willis (November 21). Conductor Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser leads the CSO and The Second City in Benjamin Britten’s iconic score, The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, providing the ultimate introduction to symphonic instruments (March 6, 2027). Finally, Tania Miller leads Einstein’s Imagination, a thought-provoking program that explores how the principles of physics and the imaginative world of Albert Einstein determine a musical performance (May 15, 2027).

Patron Information 

Subscriptions are now on sale for the 2026/27 Season of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Symphony Center Presents. Curated and Create Your Own subscription packages of three or more concerts are available. Patrons can now select their own seats when ordering a Create Your Own subscription online.

Subscribers save up to 30 percent on standard ticket prices, plus an additional 15 percent on all concert tickets ordered throughout the season. Additional benefits include priority access to select concerts, the best available seats at the best prices, flexible ticket exchange privileges, access to reduced parking rates and special offers at the Symphony Store.

Subscriptions may be purchased online, by phone, by mail, or in person at the Symphony Center Box Office. Convenient payment plan options are available for credit card purchases. Individual concert tickets for the 2026/27 Season go on sale to the public in August.

Patron Services representatives are available to assist via web chat at cso.org, by phone at 312-294-3000 (Monday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.), or by email at patronservices@cso.org. Groups of 10 or more may call 312-294-3040.

Symphony Center, home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, is located at 220 S. Michigan Ave. in Chicago.

To learn more about the musicians of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, performers, affiliate and visiting artists, visit cso.org/about/performers. 

All artists, programs and dates are subject to change.

The Zell Music Director Designate position is endowed in perpetuity by a generous gift from the Zell Family Foundation.

The Negaunee Music Institute is endowed in perpetuity by a generous gift from The Negaunee Foundation.

Bank of America is the Maestro Residency Presenter.

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.

Major concert support is generously provided by the Randy L. and Melvin † R. Berlin Family Fund for the Canon and Margot and Josef Lakonishok.

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

Generous support for the CSO at the Movies series has been provided by Megan and Steve Shebik.

Support for the CSO at Wheaton series is provided by Megan and Steve Shebik.

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra: cso.org 

Founded by Theodore Thomas in 1891, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is consistently hailed as one of the world’s great orchestras. In April 2024, Klaus Mäkelä was named the Orchestra’s 11th music director, and he will begin an initial five-year tenure as Zell Music Director with the 2027/28 Season. Riccardo Muti, the Orchestra’s 10th music director from 2010 until 2023, became Music Director Emeritus for Life at the beginning of the 2023/24 Season. Joyce DiDonato is the CSO Artist-in-Residence for the 2025/26 Season.

The CSO commands a vast repertoire, from baroque through contemporary music. Its renowned musicians perform more than 150 concerts annually, in Orchestra Hall at Symphony Center in downtown Chicago and each summer at the Ravinia Festival in suburban Highland Park. The ensemble regularly tours domestically, and since 1892, has made 65 international tours, performing in 30 countries on five continents. 

Patrons around the globe enjoy weekly radio broadcasts of CSO concerts and recordings via the WFMT Radio Network and online at cso.org/radio. Launched in 2007, CSO Resound is the ensemble’s Grammy Award-winning independent record label, featuring live performances with world-class conductors and guest artists. Since 1916, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus have amassed an extensive discography that has earned 65 Grammy awards from the Recording Academy. 

The CSO is part of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association (CSOA), which also includes the Chicago Symphony Chorus, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Symphony Center Presents and Negaunee Music Institute. The Chicago Symphony Chorus, founded by Margaret Hillis in 1957, is the country’s largest professional chorus. Donald Palumbo is the Director of the Chicago Symphony Chorus. Founded by second music director Frederick Stock during the 1919/20 Season, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago is a training ensemble for emerging professionals with Ken-David Masur serving as its principal conductor. Symphony Center Presents features guest artists and ensembles across an expansive array of genres, including classical, jazz, world and contemporary. The Negaunee Music Institute offers education and community programs that annually engage more than 200,000 people of diverse ages and backgrounds throughout the Chicagoland area. 

Through the Institute and numerous other activities — including annual free community concerts in Chicago neighborhoods — the CSO is committed to using the power of music to strengthen bonds with its longtime patrons and create connections with new audiences. 

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association is supported by thousands of patrons, volunteers and institutional and individual donors. The Negaunee Foundation provides generous support in perpetuity for the work of the Negaunee Music Institute.

Stray Kids Star Hyunjin Named Global Brand Ambassador For GUESS

Eric Alper
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Stray Kids Star Hyunjin Named Global Brand Ambassador For GUESS

Guess?, Inc. proudly announces Hyunjin of Stray Kids as its newest Global Brand Ambassador, unveiling his inaugural worldwide campaign for the brand — a partnership that marks a defining moment in GUESS’ cultural evolution.

Recognized for his magnetic stage presence and multidimensional artistry, Hyunjin joins GUESS as a figure whose energy, creativity, and authenticity align with the brand’s ethos of a fearless approach to personal style rooted in cultural impact. The collaboration reflects a shared vision: one that honors heritage while continuously pushing the boundaries of modern self-expression.

Blending Hyunjin’s global influence with GUESS’ legacy of American denim, the campaign introduces a refined interpretation of “Modern Heritage,” where timeless silhouettes meet contemporary attitude. Classic denim shirts, straight-fit jeans, striped tees, and denim cargo pants anchor the GUESS JEANS collection — reaffirming the brand’s enduring denim DNA through a progressive lens.

“Beyond performance, Hyunjin is a creative force spanning music, dance, and visual art,” says Paul Marciano, Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Guess?, Inc. “His sense of style, confidence and global influence make Hyunjin an amazing addition to the GUESS Family.”

As part of its continued global expansion, the company has strengthened its international presence through strategic retail openings in cities including Tokyo, Amsterdam, and Berlin, alongside campaigns featuring global talent and special activations that reflect the brand’s ongoing evolution.

This momentum culminates with the recent opening of the new GUESS JEANS flagship on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles; a symbolic homecoming that marks a bold return to the brand’s California roots while signaling a new era of global expansion.

“We’re excited to welcome Hyunjin to the family. Music and culture have always shaped my perspective on fashion, and Hyunjin is a highly talented artist. We believe he truly represents a new era of expression for the brand,” says Nicolai Marciano, Chief New Business Development Officer of Guess?, Inc.

As global ambassador for both GUESS and GUESS JEANS brands, Hyunjin will lead worldwide campaigns and headline key brand initiatives, helping define the next chapter of GUESS through a perspective that is simultaneously heritage-inspired and future-focused.

The collection featured on Hyunjin will be available at GUESS JEANS flagship on Melrose, online at www.guess.com and select worldwide GUESS stores from March 6, 2026. Denim laser customization service will also be available exclusively at the GUESS JEANS Melrose flagship for a limited time.

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That Eric Alper

Eric Alper is a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week and has overseen the publicity campaigns for over 183 JUNO Award-nominated albums (and 16 in 2025), 45 Grammy-nominated albums, including 47 JUNO Award, 58 Canadian Folk Music Award, 126 Maple Blues Award-winning albums and is also truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

Contact me: eric@thatericalper.com

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