Press Contact:	Farrah Malik/Beth Silverman	Jill Hurwitz
	The Silverman Group, Inc.	Millennium Park
	312.932.9950	312.742.1149
	farrah@silvermangroupchicago.com	jhurwitz@cityofchicago.org

For Immediate Release

GRANT PARK MUSIC FESTIVAL KICKS OFF JULY WITH
A MUSICAL EXPLORATION OF AMERICAN MUSIC NAVIGATED BY RADIO ICON BILL MCGLAUGHLIN
JULY 2 & 5, 2008

Other July highlights include the exhilarating “Independence Eve at Grant Park” performance on July 3; a concert featuring Tchaikovsky’s 6th, soprano Jonita Lattimore, mezzo soprano Susan Platts and baritone Quinn Kelsey, July 9 & 11;  Community School Music Night, July 12; and guest conductor and violinist Pinchas Zukerman on July 13

CHICAGO, June 3, 2008 – Chicago’s acclaimed Grant Park Music Festival, led by Principal Conductor Carlos Kalmar and Chorus Director Christopher Bell, continues its 2008 season with Exploring Music with Bill McGlaughlin: America Then and Now, Wednesday, July 2 and Friday, July 5.  McGlaughlin, host of WFMT’s popular program, Exploring Music, narrates a program of American works spanning 125 years, beginning in the post Civil War era and ending with the music of today.

The Grant Park Music Festival continues its annual tradition of performing the Independence Eve at Grant Park concert led by Carlos Kalmar at the Petrillo Music Shell on Thursday, July 3. The concert, part of the 28th Annual Taste of Chicago, will feature holiday favorites and patriotic selections.

On Wednesday, July 9 and Friday, July 11, popular Finnish guest conductor Hannu Lintu will lead the Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus, with chorale preparation by Don H. Horisberger, in a moving performance of Jean Sibelius’ “The Captive Queen” and Karol Szymanowski’s “Stabat Mater,” featuring soprano Jonita Lattimore, mezzo soprano Susan Platts, and baritone Quinn Kelsey. The Orchestra will conclude the evening with Tchaikovsky’s 6th. 

Live in concert, a diverse array of musicians and ensembles from Chicago’s large network of community music schools will take center stage for Community Music School Night on Saturday, July 12.  This performance is presented by the Grant Park Music Festival and Millennium Park in collaboration with The Chicago Consortium of Music Schools.

Bringing July’s first two weeks to a close, celebrated conductor and violinist Pinchas Zukerman makes his Grant Park Music Festival debut in a performance with violin virtuoso and Concertmaster Jeremy Black in an evening of Bach, Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky, Sunday, July 13.

Weeks One and Two: July 2 – 13, 2008

* All concerts take place at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion unless otherwise noted *

EXPLORING MUSIC WITH BILL McGLAUGHLIN: AMERICA THEN AND NOW
Wednesday, July 2 at 8:00 p.m.  * Note start time
Saturday, July 5 at 8:00 p.m.   * Note start time
Grant Park Orchestra; Carlos Kalmar, Conductor; Bill McGlaughlin, Narrator

CHADWICK	Jubilee from Symphonic Sketches
STILL	In Memoriam: The Colored Soldiers Who Died for Democracy
BERNSTEIN	Three Dance Episodes from "On the Town"
NELSON	Savannah River Holiday
SVOBODA	Overture of the Season
GARROP	Shadow (2001)
ADAMS	Slonimsky's Earbox
THEOFANIDIS	Rainbow Body

Bill McGlaughlin will take audiences on an orchestral journey through 125 years of American classical music. Highlighted are traditional works by Chadwick and Bernstein, to the mavericks of today, including John Adams and Chicago composers.  The performances are scheduled to be taped live for later nationally syndicated broadcast. For millions of music fans, the intimate voice of Bill McGlaughlin signals another adventure into the heart of music-making.  McGlaughlin’s insight and charm are a cornerstone of classical music coverage.  McGlaughlin has been active in broadcasting, serving as host of the popular public radio program “St. Paul Sunday” since its inception in 1980. He has also been active with PBS, the BBC, and is now in his eighth season as co-host of the chamber music program “Center Stage from Wolftrap.” In November 2002, the NEA announced a special grant to the WFMT Radio Network to fund the development of a new daily program: Exploring Music with Bill McGlaughlin, which began syndication on October 6, 2003. McGlaughlin has served as an educator, a performer — a trombonist with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Pittsburgh Symphony, and a conductor — seven years as Associate Conductor with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, followed by periods as music director of orchestras in Eugene, Tucson and San Francisco, and most recently, a twelve year engagement as Music Director of the Kansas City Symphony. He has also been active as a guest conductor at several leading U.S. symphonies and musical festivals and now joins the Grant Park Music Festival to narrate this historic musical journey.

INDEPENDENCE EVE AT GRANT PARK
Thursday, July 3 at 8:00 p.m.  *Note start time
*Petrillo Music Shell
Grant Park Orchestra; Carlos Kalmar, Conductor

KEY	Star Spangled Banner
CHADWICK	Jubilee from Symphonic Sketches
DVORAK	Largo from New World Symphony
NELSON	Savannah River Holiday
BERNSTEIN	Three Dance Episodes from On the Town
HAYMAN	Pops Hoe-Down
LOWDEN	Armed Forces Salute
TCHAIKOVSKY	Overture 1812

Under the direction of Chorus Director Christopher Bell, the Grant Park Orchestra performs its annual Independence Eve concert. The celebration begins at 8:00 p.m.  New this year will be musical accompaniment to the fireworks over Monroe Harbor provided by 101.9 THE MIX. Putting a new “spin” on a traditional event, the fireworks begin at approximately 9:30 p.m. with a live remote TV broadcast by WGN-TV.  More than one million people are expected to attend this time-honored family favorite in Grant Park.

TCHAIKOVSKY’S 6th
Wednesday, July 9 at 6:30 p.m.
Friday, July 11 at 6:30 p.m.
Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus; Hannu Lintu, Conductor; Christopher Bell, Chorus Director; Don H. Horisberger, Choral preparation; Jonita Lattimore, Soprano; Susan Platts, Mezzo Soprano; Quinn Kelsey, Baritone

SIBELIUS	The Captive Queen
SZYMANOWSKI	Stabat Mater
TCHAIKOVSKY	Symphony No. 6

First performing with the Grant Park Music Festival in 2004, renowned Finnish conductor Hannu Lintu, Chief Conductor of the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra as of August 2009, returns for another pair of performances. Lintu has held Artistic Director positions with the Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra, Turku Philharmonic Orchestra and with the Bergen Collegium Musicum chamber orchestra. He is a regular guest conductor of the Avanti! Chamber Orchestra in Finland and was the Artistic Director of its 2005 Summer Sounds Festival, reinforcing his strong commitment to contemporary music.  Working extensively in Europe and the rest of the world, Lintu has made guest appearances with the Berlin Symphony, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie, Stuttgart Radio Symphony, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Orchestre National de Bordeaux, Lausanne Chamber Orchestra, Orchestre National de Belgique, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Bergen Philharmonic, Stavanger Symphony, Danish Radio Symphony and regularly conducts all the major orchestras in his native Finland. Outside Europe he has recently worked with the Vancouver Symphony, Oregon Symphony, Sydney Symphony, New Zealand Symphony, Malaysian Philharmonic and Nagoya Philharmonic in Japan.  This past season has celebrated his debut with a number of U.S. orchestras including the New Jersey Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony and the Houston Symphony.  Lintu’s most recent recordings include works by the Finnish composer Jouni Kaipainen with the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra (Ondine) and works by Schumann, Dietrich, Gernsheim and Volkmann (Hyperion) with the Berlin Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester.

Don H. Horisberger has been active as a choral conductor in the Chicago area for thirty years.  He has sung with the Chicago Symphony Chorus (CSC) since 1977.  In 1989 he was appointed CSC Assistant Conductor by Margaret Hillis, and was named Associate Conductor by Duain Wolfe in 1998.  He has assisted both directors in preparing the chorus for performances with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, has assumed full responsibility for choral preparation of several programs, and has served as off-stage conductor for performances.  From 1979 to 1997, Horisberger was Director of the Waukegan Concert Chorus and its three chamber ensembles. During his tenure, this volunteer chorus grew from 23 to 140 singers, and achieved considerable acclaim as the premier choral organization of the Chicago-Milwaukee corridor, singing also at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall in New York, at the Ravinia Festival, and with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. Since 1988, he has served as Organist/Choirmaster at The Church of the Holy Spirit (Episcopal) in Lake Forest, IL. Horisberger earned his Bachelor’s degree at Capital University, Columbus, Ohio, and Master’s and Doctoral degrees from Northwestern University, where he studied conducting with Margaret Hillis.

Also returning to the Jay Pritzker Pavilion stage is Jonita Lattimore, a lyric soprano of immense vocal range and expressive musicality. Lattimore has garnered plaudits for her vivid portrayals of roles ranging from Micaela to Jackie O as well as oratorio performances with major orchestras across the United States and abroad. Lattimore made her Lyric Opera of Chicago debut in Kurt Weill’s “The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahogany” and was also seen on Lyric’s stage as Micaela in Bizet’s “Carmen.” She recently performed the role of Countess Almaviva in “Le Nozze di Figaro” with the Tulsa Opera, and debuted in the title role in the World Premiere and recording of James Niblock’s “Ruth” at Blue Lake Fine Arts Festival. With Houston Grand Opera she appeared as Marguerite in “Faust,” First Lady in “Die Zauberflöte,” and presented the World Premieres of “Harvey Milk,” “The Book of the Tibetan Dead,” and “Jackie O” (Decca). She made her Paris debut at the Bastille Opera as Serena in “Porgy and Bess.”

British-born Canadian mezzo-soprano Susan Platts brings a uniquely rich and wide-ranging voice to the concert and recital repertoire for alto and mezzo-soprano. Platts recently made her debuts at Teatro alla Scala and Teatro di San Carlo as well as return appearances with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra and Vancouver Symphony. Platts has performed at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center as well as performances with the Philadelphia Orchestra, CBC Radio Orchestra, L’Orchestre de Paris, NAC Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Les Violons du Roy, the Oregon Bach Festival, the LA Chamber Orchestra and the Detroit Symphony.  She has opened two of America's distinguished art song series: the “Vocal Arts Society” at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and the "Art of the Song" Series at Lincoln Center in New York City.  Platts’ most recent album is Brahms’ “Zwei Gesänge” (ATMA) with Steve Dann and Lambert Orkis.

Hawaiian baritone Quinn Kelsey began in opera as a member of the Hawaii Opera Theatre chorus in 1991. In 2002 Kelsey was accepted into the Merola Opera Program in San Francisco where he performed as Marcello in Puccini’s “La Bohème.” He then joined the program’s touring arm, the Western Opera Theater, in its production of “La Bohème,” singing seven performances as Marcello at a number of venues across the country. In 2003 Kelsey relocated to Chicago to join the Lyric Opera Center for American Artists (now called the Ryan Opera Center) where he performed in an array of operas over three years.  Kelsey has returned to Hawaii as a principal artist appearing as Marcello in “La Bohème,” the Mandarin and Ping in “Turandot,” and most recently as Sharpless from Puccini’s “Madame Butterfly.”  This spring, Kelsey celebrated his Metropolitan Opera debut as Schaunard in “La Bohème” as well as his Madison Opera debut as Enrico in Donizetti’s “Lucia di Lammermoor.” Kelsey represented the United States with fellow Lyric Opera Center alum soprano Nicole Cabell at the 2005 BBC Singer of the World competition in Cardiff, Wales, and was recently awarded a Richard Tucker Career Grant from the Richard Tucker Music Foundation.

COMMUNITY MUSIC SCHOOL NIGHT
Sunday, July 12 at 7:30 p.m.

Live in concert, a diverse array of musicians and ensembles from Chicago’s large network of community music schools will take center stage in performance at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park on Saturday, July 12 at 7:30 p.m.  Representatives will also be on hand to distribute information, talk about their programs and answer questions.  This performance is presented by the Grant Park Music Festival and Millennium Park in collaboration with The Chicago Consortium of Music Schools. Please note: The Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus do not appear on this program

PINCHAS ZUKERMAN
Sunday, July 13 at 7:30 p.m.  * Note start time
Grant Park Orchestra; Pinchas Zukerman, Conductor and Violin; Jeremy Black, Violin

BACH	Concerto in D minor for Two Violins and Orchestra
MENDELSSOHN	Symphony No. 4, Italian
TCHAIKOVSKY	Romeo and Juliet Overture-Fantasy

Israeli-American violinist, violist, and conductor Pinchas Zukerman will make his Festival and Millennium Park debut in a concert presented in collaboration with the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the founding of Israel. Zukerman has been a phenomenon on the international music scene for nearly four decades. Equally respected as a violinist, violist, conductor, pedagogue, and chamber musician, Zukerman is renowned as a master of our time. He is a two-time GRAMMY®-Award winner, a recipient of the National Medal for the Arts and Israel’s King Solomon Award, and a favorite of audiences and critics around the world.  Zukerman is currently in his ninth season as music director of the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa and has also conducted the Pittsburgh, Atlanta, and Colorado symphonies this season. He remains in steady demand as a soloist and has performed in concerto appearances with the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Cincinnati Symphony, as well as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Born in Tel Aviv in 1948, Zukerman began musical studies at age eight with Ilona Feher. With the guidance of Isaac Stern and Pablo Casals, and the support of the America-Israel and Helena Rubenstein foundations, he came to the United States in 1962 to study with Ivan Galamian on scholarship at the Juilliard School. In 1967, he won First Prize in the 25th Leventritt Competition, setting the stage for his solo career. He has since held positions including music director of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and principal guest conductor of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and he currently chairs the Pinchas Zukerman Performance Program at the Manhattan School of Music. In 2002, he became the first recipient of the Isaac Stern Award for Artistic Excellence at the National Arts Awards Gala in New York City. His extensive discography contains more than 100 titles and has earned 21 GRAMMY®--Award nominations and two awards: Best Chamber Music Performance (1980) for Play Music for Two Violins, a collaboration with Itzhak Perlman; and Best Classical Performance, Instrumental Soloist with Orchestra (1981) for his contribution to Isaac Stern 60th Anniversary Celebration.

Evanston native and violin virtuosi Jeremy Black won first prize in the nationally broadcast 1991 Illinois Bell/WTTW Young Performers Competition for his debut performance with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the age of twelve.  He began his orchestral career in 2000 as a first violinist with the Grant Park Orchestra and was a frequent substitute with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.  Black has been a member of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's first violin section since 2002 and performs as Concertmaster of Chicago’s Grant Park Orchestra, a position he has held since 2005. Black has also served as Concertmaster of the University of Pittsburgh's Music on the Edge Chamber Orchestra since 2002 and has performed in recital throughout the Pittsburgh region, including Carnegie Mellon and Duquesne Universities, Chatham College, West Liberty State College, and the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.  Black has made solo appearances with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh Live Chamber Ensemble, the Chicago String Ensemble and the Evanston Symphony. Other awards include first prizes in the Society of American Musicians Competition, the Nordic Musical Arts Compe1tition, and the Fischoff International Chamber Music Competition. 

Membership Information and Ticket Prices
All Grant Park Music Festival performances are free to the public. Open lawn and pavilion seating are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Season memberships to the Festival are available, which include reserved seating or access to reserved sections for all concerts as well as invitations to special events. The new “Wednesday, Friday and Saturday Select Series” memberships feature access to the reserved seating section for eight Wednesday, Friday, or Saturday concerts this season. Reserved group seating is also available for most concerts. Membership and group sales information is available by calling 312-742-7638 or by visiting the Festival’s website at www.grantparkmusicfestival.com.

About Grant Park Music Festival
Acclaimed by critics and beloved by audiences, the Grant Park Music Festival is the nation’s only remaining free, municipally-supported, outdoor summer classical music series of its kind. The Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, located between Michigan and Columbus Avenues, at Washington Street, is the official home of the Grant Park Music Festival.

Founded by the Chicago Park District in 1935 and co-presented by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and the Grant Park Orchestral Association since 2001, the Grant Park Music Festival will present 32 concerts between June 11 and August 16, 2008, typically on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday nights.

Convenient parking is located in the Millennium Park Garage (entrance on Columbus at Monroe or Randolph) and at the Grant Park North and East Monroe Garages, all located within walking distance to Millennium Park.

American Airlines is the Official Airline of the Festival’s 2008 season and The Fairmont Chicago is the Festival’s Official Hotel.  JPMorgan Chase, ComEd, and The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation are Supporting Sponsors, and Benefactors include the National Endowment for the Arts, Illinois Arts Council, and NIB Foundation.

About Millennium Park
Millennium Park is an award-winning center for art, music, architecture and landscape design. The result of a unique partnership between the City of Chicago and philanthropic community, the 24.5 acre park features the work of world-renowned architects, planners, artists and designers. In addition to the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, the most sophisticated outdoor concert venue of its kind in the United States, the park’s prominent features include the interactive Crown Fountain by Jaume Plensa; the contemporary Lurie Garden designed by the team of Gustafson Guthrie Nichol, Piet Oudolf and Robert Israel; and Anish Kapoor’s hugely popular Cloud Gate sculpture. Since its opening in June 2004, Millennium Park has welcomed more than 12 million people, making it one of the most popular destinations in Chicago.

For more information, please call the Grant Park Music Festival at 312-742-7638 or visit the Festival’s website at www.grantparkmusicfestival.com. Concert information is subject to change.

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