Introductions

Saturdays at 11:00 am

Members of the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras perform during a live broadcast of Introductions from Millennium Park. (Photo: Tipping Point Photography)

Hear talented pre-college classical musicians from the Chicago area

Introductions is WFMT’s weekly Saturday morning program that features talented pre-college classical musicians in the Chicago area. Soloists and chamber ensembles perform live in WFMT’s Levin Performance Studio. Large ensembles, including orchestras, choirs, and bands, are recorded at their home venues and broadcast at later dates. The program also features youth music competition winners. While many Introductions alumni pursue careers outside of music, some have gone on to study at some of the most prestigious music schools around the world and maintain careers as professional musicians.

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Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras Spring 2025 concert

July 19, 2025, 11:00 am

This week on Introductions, the flagship group of Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras performs music of Margaret Bonds and Peter Tchaikovsky. This was recorded on May 18, 2025 in Orchestra Hall in downtown Chicago.

Zoe Strange, 18, flute

July 26, 2025, 11:00 am

Zoe is joined by fellow Plainfield Central High School classmates Caleb McMillin & Lucas Vergara plus pianist Yoko Yamada-Selvaggio for a recital of Nielsen, Reinecke, Arnold, Daiki Kato and Sergei Golovko.

Caspian Quartet, Trio Minela & Quartetto Speranza

August 2, 2025, 11:00 am

Three chamber groups who reached the semifinals of this year's Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, including the Bronze Medal-winning Quartetto Speranza.

Purple Hippopotami & The Bone Rangers

August 9, 2025, 11:00 am

We hear from two of Merit School of Music's top chamber groups: flute quartet The Purple Hippopotami and trombone quartet The Bone Rangers.