Best of 2016: Classical Music
Since joining the team at Third Coast Review last winter, I have had the privilege of seeing and reviewing several excellent concerts. While 2016 was unpleasant and disappointing in many […]
Windy City Treble Quire and Gay Chorus Deliver Fine Holiday Fare
Holiday vocal concerts always give me trepidation. While choral concerts often include popular songs that crowd out the classical repertoire, during the holidays, any manner of music, classical and popular, […]
Civic Orchestra of Chicago Marathons Bach With Yo-Yo Ma
At the end of a frenzied day of performances across the city, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago concluded Wednesday’s Bach Marathon with a free concert of all six Brandenburg Concertos […]
Fifth House Ensemble Trio Performs Romantic Works With Passion
In a program entitled Autumnal Reflections, a trio from the 11-member Fifth House Ensemble gave a rousing performance of three romantic era works at the Driehaus Museum on Wednesday night. […]
Faust and Melnikov Turn to Beethoven for their Chicago Debut With Mixed Success
Violinist Isabelle Faust and Pianist Alexander Melnikov gave a charming and clean, if occasionally restrained, performance of Beethoven sonatas on Friday night at Mandel Hall at the University of Chicago […]
Preview: Orion Ensemble Goes Back to Its Roots
In its second offering of the 2016-17 season, the Orion Ensemble goes back to its roots with three of its founding members playing music from the 20th century. Serenade by […]
A Three-Part Suite with Philip Glass at the Chicago Humanities Festival
When Philip Glass sat down at the piano bench at the Symphony Center’s Orchestra Hall, he began playing “Metamorphosis II.” His repetitive yet meditative playing placed the audience under his […]
Lyric Opera’s Longer! Louder! Wagner! The Second City Wagner Companion A Fleeting Primer
Jesse Case (left) plays piano as well as Richard Wagner alongside bonafide opera singers Jonah D. Winston (center) and Tracy Cantin (right) in “Longer! Louder! Wagner,” a collaboration between the Lyric […]
Third Coast Mixtape No. 8: Contemporary Classical Music from the Ear Taxi Festival
This mix tape was inspired by the Ear Taxi Festival (ETF), an extraordinary event that, over six days, shined a bright light on Chicago’s contemporary classical art music scene. From […]
Ear Taxi Festival: Final Thoughts on an Awesome Experience — and a Few More Reviews
The six-day Ear Taxi Festival (ETF), which concluded on Monday evening, was an extraordinary event that shined a bright light on Chicago’s contemporary classical art music scene. Our local scene […]
Ear Taxi Festival Day 4: A Concert Not To Be Missed
Day 4 of the Ear Taxi Festival (ETF) continued the excellence and excitement that had been ginned up in the previous days, but ended up in an especially spectacular […]
Ear Taxi Festival Day 3: Fascinating Sounds and More World Premieres
Halfway through its six-day run, the Ear Taxi Festival (ETF) continues to showcase Chicago’s rich contemporary classical music scene, with 88 local composers presenting 54 world premieres played by over […]