Chicago Sinfonietta starts its 30th anniversary season with a "Trademark" concert

As a former classical musician, I understand and appreciate classical music. Writing about it comes naturally to me. One of my favorite orchestras in this country is Chicago Sinfonietta. I wrote more than 20 articles about it and am happy to attend its concerts and to keep writing about it! My preview of Chicago Sinfonietta's upcoming concert called "Trademark" is here:

“I would love to see more women making their mark in the music that I love so much... There are so many more out there just waiting for their shot. I hope they get it,” said Carrie Underwood, popular American singer and songwriter. Chicago Sinfonietta, “the city’s hippest orchestra”, proudly decided to devote its thirtieth anniversary season to women. This unique orchestra will present its concert program called “Trademark™” at 8 p.m. on Saturday, September 16 at Wentz Concert Hall in Naperville and at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, September 18 at Symphony Center in Chicago.

Why is this concert program called “Trademark™”? Trademark literally means a “word, phrase, symbol or design… that identifies and distinguishes the source of goods of one party from those of others”. For the Chicago Sinfonietta, the source of goods is the orchestra itself that consists of extremely talented musicians directed by one of the most influential conductors of our time Mei-Ann Chen; and the goods, talking metaphorically, is the music that is being performed by this great orchestra. This beautiful combination of talent, inspiration, diversity, acceptance and hard work has been generously presented by the Chicago Sinfonietta to its grateful audience since 1987.

The styles, the genres and the kinds of music that have been performed over the years by the Chicago Sinfonietta are so diverse that it is difficult to identify a particular area in which this orchestra is working. These talented musicians cover every possible style, genre and kind of music with the help of talented invited guest artists. This time as well, the Chicago Sinfonietta will combine in one concert program styles and genres that are almost impossible to imagine being combined together. However, the emphasis is going to be on promoting the talent of female composers.

The statement “Women Rule” will identify the whole thirtieth anniversary season of the Chicago Sinfonietta. During its “Trademark™” concert program, the orchestra will present two world premieres by two female composers – “Coincident Dances” by Jessie Montgomery and “Sin Fronteras” by Clarice Assad. Both pieces are commissioned by the Chicago Sinfonietta and both of them are part of “Project W”, which is Chicago Sinfonietta’s year-long initiative to highlight contemporary, diverse women composers through commissioned works and the recording of the orchestra’s 16th album. Two more female composers, Reena Esmail and Jennifer Higdon, will be featured in upcoming Sinfonietta’s concerts.

Jessie Montgomery is a New York native violinist, composer and music educator who has been recognized as an important emerging composer by the American Composers Orchestra, the Sphinx Organization, the Joyce Foundation and the Sorel Organization through generous grants and fellowships that support and promote her works. Her piece “Coincident Dances” takes its name from an expression of a profoundly multicultural environment with a multitude of sounds and experiences overlapping each other. A fusion of English consort, samba, Mbira (the African thumb piano), dance music from Zimbabwe, swing and even twenty first century techno will create a unique multi-cultural dance mix.

Another great female composer who will be featured during the “Trademark™” concert program is Clarice Assad, a Grammy nominated Brazilian-American composer, performer and educator. Ms. Assad is the recipient of such awards as the Aaron Copland Award, several ASCAP awards in composition, Meet The Composer's Van Lier Fellowship, League of American Orchestras, New Music USA, NPR’s All Songs Considered, American Lyric Theater, the Mcknight Visiting Composer Fellowship, the Jerome Foundation, American Composer Forum, the Franklin Honor Society, as well as a nomination from the Grammy Foundation for best contemporary composition. The world premiere of her composition “Sin Fronteras”, which means “no boundaries”, will be presented along with the talented original choreography by the Chicago’s own Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre.

Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre is popular for combining music, dance, and visual art in its celebration of contemporary American society. This theatre is proud to admit that its success is based on the collaboration of its professional dance and music ensembles with one another, with visual artists and designers, and also with the people and places of Chicago. Chicago Sinfonietta is one of the institutions in the Chicago area that this theatre is happy to collaborate with. Assad’s piece “Sin Fronteras” will highlight Latin American culture as well as jazz music supported by the beautiful moves of the dancers.

The Chicago Sinfonietta’s “Trademark™” doesn’t end there – its open mind and love to experiments will bring Northern Illinois University Steel Drum Ensemble to be part of this concert. Together, the Sinfonietta and NIU Steelband will be playing three compositions. One of them, “Fayed to Blue”, is especially touching because it was written by one of the Chicago Sinfonietta’s members, an extremely talented and passionate harpist Faye Seeman. Ms. Seeman has been the principal harpist of the Chicago Sinfonietta since 1993. Her talent, experience and brilliant education (Ms. Seeman holds bachelor’s degree from Eastern Michigan University and master’s degree from Boston University) allow her to successfully combine the roles of a solo performer, orchestral player and adjunct professor of harp studies at Wheaton College and Northern Illinois University.

Director of NIU Steel Drum Ensemble, Liam Teague, who has been hailed as the “Paganini of the Steelpan”, currently serves as the Head of Steelpan Studies and Professor of Music at Northern Illinois University. He co-directs the NIU Steel Drum Ensemble, or a Steelband, along with Clifford Alexis. Teague has received many awards in his homeland of Trinidad and Tobago, and his commitment to demonstrating the great musical possibilities of the steelpan has taken him to Europe, Asia and Australia, as well as North and Central America and the Caribbean.

Another interesting piece that is going to be presented during this concert program is Lord Kitchener’s “Pan in A-minor”. This incendiary composition by this internationally known Trinidadian calypsonian will add even more passion and energy into the Chicago Sinfonietta’s “Trademark™” concert program. Needless to say, the Chicago Sinfonietta, being a symphony orchestra, couldn’t miss such great and time-tested compositions as Mozart's “Rondo alla Turca” (Turkish March) and two from a set of six symphonic poems called “Má vlast” (My Homeland) composed by the Czech composer Bedřich Smetana. The first one is called “Vyšehrad” (The High Castle), and the second one is “Vltava” (The Moldau). These colorful and picturesque compositions will conclude the evening.

If you are interested in attending this beautiful concert program, please go to http://www.chicagosinfonietta.org/1718season/trademark/ or call at 312-284-1554. Also, tickets are available at the North Central College Box Office 630-637-SHOW (7469). They range from $10 to $62 at Wentz Concert Hall in Naperville and from $10 to $99 at Symphony Center in Chicago.

Natalia Dagenhart

September 6, 2017