logo
jg3
GRANT PARK ORCHESTRA AND CHORUS. CARLOS KALMAR, principal conductor. CHRISTOPHER BELL, chorus director. presented by the CHICAGO PARK DISTRICT, THE CHICAGO DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS, and THE GRANT PARK ORCHESTRAL ASSOCIATION
   
 
   About GPMF      At the Concerts     Support the Festival     Membership/Groups      Getting to the Festival     Links  
Home

NEW:
GPMF WebPass

CLICK HERE
TO JOIN OUR EMAIL
AND MAIL LIST
Receive concert updates
plus exclusive
music and video clips.


Divertimento 2008 Gershwin's Greatest Hits

Annual Gala Benefit
for the Grant Park
Music Festival

Friday Evening,
July 18, 2008
at 6:30

Click here for more information



Online Auction
BID NOW!

2008 Season Schedule
Click here for full season schedule

June 2008
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30          
July 2008
    1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30 31    
August 2008
          1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31            

Grant Park Music Festival

205 East Randolph Drive
Chicago, IL 60601
312.742.7638
Email

Stay the Night


Official Hotel
www.fairmont.com/chicago

HISTORY OF THE GRANT PARK MUSIC FESTIVAL

The Grant Park Music Festival is the nation’s only remaining free, outdoor classical music series. Each summer, the Festival is committed to providing free classical music to all of Chicago in its new venue- the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park.

Grant Park Music Festival Beginnings


Original Bandshell,
Grant Park

The Grant Park Music Festival was conceived by Mayor A. J. Cermak during the Great Depression in 1931 when the city presented a series of free concerts to lift the spirits of Chicagoans. The following year, James C. Petrillo, the president of the Chicago Federation of Musicians, vigorously labored to turn these concerts into a permanent summer tradition. Petrillo’s motives were twofold - to make classical music available for all Chicagoans, and to provide secure employment for union musicians.

As Petrillo pursued his dream of a concert series in Grant Park, the area just south of the park was being transformed for the Century of Progress Fair to commemorate Chicago’s 100th anniversary. Among the developments was a venue for daily concerts by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

In 1934, Petrillo was appointed to the newly created Park Commission and convinced the commission that a permanent series of open-air symphonic performances in the new shell would benefit the city. With the venue, seats, security, parking and $100,000 raised from the public, Petrillo inaugurated the symphonic series in 1935.

On July 1, 1935, the Grant Park Concerts made their debut, commencing with the march from Wagner’s Tannhauser. The following year, the Chicago Park District assumed complete financing of the concerts. During that time, some of music’s biggest stars performed at Grant Park, including violinist Jascha Heifetz, conductor Andre Kostelanetz and soprano Lily Pons. The concerts were often broadcast on NBC and CBS.

The Grant Park Orchestra

Original Bandshell
Orchestra

In 1943, the Chicago Park District assembled a single resident orchestra- the Grant Park Orchestra, under the direction of Principal Conductor Nicolai Malko. Since then, other prestigious conductors have held the position, including Irwin Hoffman, Leonard Slatkin, David Zinman, Zdnek Macal and Hugh Wolff. James W. Palermo was named Artistic and General Director in 1995. In 2000, Carlos Kalmar was named the Festival’s Principal Conductor. The Grant Park Orchestra was nominated for a Grammy award in 2004 for its CD entitled Robert Kurka: Symphonic Works.

The Grant Park Chorus

Original Bandshell
Chorus

The 100 member Grant Park Chorus was formed in 1962 by Thomas Peck, who led the group until his death in 1994. His protégé, Michael Cullen, then led the chorus until 1997, after which a series of guest conductors worked with the ensemble until an international search identified current chorus director, Christopher Bell. With Bell’s appointment in 2002, the Festival's artistic leadership roster was solidified.

Grant Park Music Festival Venues

Original Bandshell
Petrillo Music Shell,
Grant Park

A new “temporary” music shell was built in Grant Park in 1978 and named in honor of Petrillo. The Petrillo Music Shell was home to the Grant Park Music Festival for the next 25 years. The shell is now used as a venue for numerous other Chicago festivals, but the Grant Park Orchestra returns to the Petrillo each summer to perform an Independence Eve concert, complete with a fireworks display presented by the city of Chicago.

Original Bandshell
Jay Pritzker Pavilion,
Millenium Park

In 2004, the Festival moved to its new home in the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. This state-of-the-art music pavilion was designed by internationally renowned architect Frank Gehry and features an unparalleled acoustic system created by the Talaske Group, Inc. of Oak Park, IL. The first permanent outdoor installation of its kind in the United States, the Pavilion’s sound system features digitally processed “virtual architecture” and an open-air acoustical canopy to create a state-of-the-art sonic experience.

Presenters of the Grant Park Music Festival

Since 2001, the Festival has been presented through a unique collaboration of the Chicago Park District, the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and the Grant Park Orchestral Association. The Grant Park Orchestral Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the Festival’s programs and priorities. The Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus reach over one million people annually through free classical music performances and the Festival’s extensive community engagement program brings music education to young people from across the city each summer.

 
About GPMF History and Mission | Chicago Park District | Artistic Leadership | GPOA Board | Grant Park Orchestra | Grant Park Chorus | Discography | Grant Park Staff
At the Concerts Concert Schedule | Rehearsal Schedule |Frequent Questions (FAQ) | Restaurants
Support The Festival Divertimento Gala | Sponsorship Opportunities | Make a Donation
Membership/Groups Become a Member | Group Sales
Getting to the Festival Transportation | Parking | Park Map
Links Millennium Park | Sponsors | News and Media
UDM 4