Civic Orchestra of Chicago

Civic Orchestra of Chicago Radio Series - 13 one-hour programs.

Founded in 1919, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago is the only training orchestra affiliated
with a major American orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.  Its principal goal
is to recruit a diverse group of the very best pre-professional musicians and train them
at the highest level as orchestra players committed to their craft and to the community. 
Their talent and enthusiasm has engendered great praise among critics.  A recent review
in the Chicago Tribune called the Civic "….such an accomplished ensemble of young
musicians that it no longer seems appropriate to call them a training orchestra..."

Recruited from the best music schools in the country and around the world, these diverse
young musicians are given the incredible opportunity to be mentored by musicians of the
Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Principal Conductor, Cliff Colnot.  They are committed
to developing their ensemble playing at the highest level.  You can hear their dedication in
what the Chicago Tribune calls "remarkable, even stunning" performances.

Civic alumni have joined orchestras such as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland,
Philadelphia, Minnesota and Louisville orchestras; the Los Angeles Philharmonic; the San
Francisco, Boston, Pittsburgh, Houston, Baltimore, Saint Louis and National symphonies;
the Metropolitan Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago orchestras; and many other symphony
orchestras around the world.

In the spring of 1997, this 88-year old organization made its first radio appearance to a
national audience via the WFMT Radio Network.  More than 90 stations with a total survey
audience of over 43 million broadcast the series. 

Broadcast Schedule

WEEK ONE   
CONDUCTOR:  Alan Gilbert
Ravel:   Rapsodie Español
Mussorgsky:  Pictures at an Exhibition

WEEK TWO
CONDUCTOR: Cliff Colnot
Beethoven:  Egmont Overture
Beethoven:  Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67

WEEK THREE
CONDUCTOR: Oliver Knussen
Mark-Anthony
  Turnage:  Chicago Remains   
Stravinsky:  Symphony in C
Encore:
  Stravinsky:  Fourth tableau from Petrouchka

WEEK FOUR
CONDUCTOR: Edwin Outwater
Mahler:  Symphony No 1 in D Major

WEEK FIVE
CONDUCTOR: Myung Whun Chung
Verdi:   Overture to La Forza del Destino
Mendelssohn:  Symphony No. 4 in A Major, Op. 90, Italian
CONDUCTOR: Osmo Vänskä
Mendelssohn:  Hebrides Overture

WEEK SIX
CONDUCTOR: Bernard Haitink
Shostakovich:  Symphony No. 10 in E Minor, Op. 93

WEEK SEVEN
CONDUCTOR: Cliff Colnot
Prokofiev:  Suite from Lieutenant Kijé, Op. 60
Respighi:  The Pines of Rome
Encores:
  Dvorak:  Romance and Furiant from Czech Suite

WEEK EIGHT
CONDUCTOR: Ludovic Morlot
Wagner:  Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde
Ravel:   Mother Goose Suite

WEEK NINE
CONDUCTOR: Kent Nagano
Schubert:  Symphony No. 9 in C Major, C. 944, Great
Encore:
Hindemith: Final mvt, Marcia from Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber

WEEK TEN
CONDUCTOR: Cliff Colnot
Hindemith:  Symphonic Metamorphosis on Themes of Weber
Stravinsky:  Symphony in Three Movements

WEEK ELEVEN
CONDUCTOR: Bernard Haitink
Beethoven:  Leonore Overture No. 3, Op. 72a
CONDUCTOR: Cliff Colnot
Strauss:  Don Juan, Op. 20
CONDUCTOR: Kent Nagano
Liggette:  Lontano
Encore:
Kurka: Marimba Concerto: Excerpt of 3rd mvt, Allegro con spirito (Yi Wei, marimba)

WEEK TWELVE
CONDUCTOR: Ludovic Morlot
Tchaikovsky:  Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 74, Pathétique

WEEK THIRTEEN
CONDUCTOR: Cliff Colnot
Turnage:  From All Sides
Shostakovich:  Symphony No. 9