Chicago Symphony Orchestra Radio Broadcast Series

Sundays at 6:00 pm
Chicago Symphony Orchestra Radio Broadcast Series

Hear live performances by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra every week

The Chicago Symphony presents a full range of orchestral works under the seasoned baton of music director emeritus for life Riccardo Muti. The top-tier soloists and guest conductors complete the series with artists like Yo-Yo Ma, Hilary Hahn, and Daniil Trifonov; as well as Esa-Pekka Salonen, Mitsuko Uchida, and Bernard Haitink. The two-hour Chicago Symphony Orchestra broadcasts include dynamic and innovative commentary which takes the listener behind the scenes and into the music.

Kanneh-Mason Plays Elgar

July 19, 2026, 6:00 pm

On this week’s broadcast, Paavo Järvi leads the CSO in Beethoven’s Leonore Overture no. 3, followed by Elgar’s Cello Concerto in E minor, featuring Sheku Kanneh-Mason. Rounding out the program is Nielsen’s Fifth Symphony.

Mahler Festival Broadcast: Mahler 7

July 26, 2026, 6:00 pm

This week on CSO radio, Jaap van Zweden leads the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in Mahler’s Seventh Symphony, recorded live at the 2025 Mahler Festival in Amsterdam. Opening the broadcast, Claudio Abbado conducts Mahler’s Rückert Lieder, featuring Hanna Schwarz. The program concludes with a 1930 RCA recording of Karl Goldmark’s Ballet Music from The Queen of Sheba, under the baton of ...

Mäkelä Conducts Rite of Spring

August 2, 2026, 6:00 pm

On this week’s broadcast, Zell Music Director Designate Klaus Mäkelä leads the CSO in Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, Gershwin’s An American in Paris, and Milhaud’s Le Boeuf sur le toit. Opening the broadcast is Seventh music director Jean Martinon conducting Roussel’s Bacchus and Ariadne and Ravel’s Pavane for a Dead Princess.

Ozawa Conducts Beethoven and Bartók

August 9, 2026, 6:00 pm

Seiji Ozawa served as the first music director of the Ravinia Festival from 1964 until 1968 and as principal conductor for the 1969 season. During his tenure, he recorded a number of works for RCA and Angel, including works by Beethoven, Borodin, Schoenberg and Bartók.