In addition to the annual CSO residency, Ravinia will play host to a spate of guest ensembles, including Music of the Baroque, The Knights, the Lincoln Trio, Chanticleer, the Chicago Philharmonic, and the Chicago Sinfonietta.

Though there is a long way still to go, today’s stages are richer because these pioneering conductors are on them.

Chicago Sinfonietta’s CEO Blake-Anthony Johnson and principal oboist Ricardo Castañeda discussed how participating in classical music has shaped their lives and look back on past performance highlights.

We’re still soaring from our big day last week, when we welcomed some of Chicago’s leading artists to take part in a daylong celebration of WFMT and the music we’ve been presenting for the last 70 years!

How better to mark 70 years of WFMT than with a party!?