The Chicago Sinfonietta (Photo: Chicago Sinfonietta)
The Chicago Sinfonietta has announced that the company will be pausing all programming until 2027. The announcement comes right before the orchestra’s final concerts of the season, set to take place on May 8 and 10, 2026.
In a statement on their website, Chicago Sinfonietta cites a lack of return to pre-pandemic audience revenue as the main driver behind their suspension. It specifically notes that the organization is not closing, but entering a Strategic Renewal Period. The orchestra hopes to reorganize a model that had up to this point relied on grants, and will explore alternative methods of funding and sustainable programming options going forward.
The Sinfonietta’s final program of 2026, “American Rhapsody,” features music of Gershwin, William Dawson, and a world premiere by Seth Pae honoring the 100th birthday of Miles Davis. After the conclusion of this concert, Chicago Sinfonietta’s scheduled artistic and educational events will be canceled until the organization’s 40th anniversary in 2027. The sole exception is the orchestra’s flagship Martin Luther King Day concert series, currently scheduled for January 2027.
