The Chicago Symphony Orchestra's Statements on the Passing of Maestro Claudio Abbado

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra and its Music Director, Riccardo Muti, mourn the passing of the great conductor Claudio Abbado, who, among his many musical achievements, was the Principal Guest Conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra from 1982 to 1985.

Maestro Muti said, "I am deeply saddened by the loss of a great musician, a man who for many decades has marked history in the world of conducting and musical interpretation for international institutions. His work is an immense testimony to the importance of European and Italian culture around the world. I admire him for the strong courage he showed in the face of a long and terrible illness, and for the seriousness and profundity that characterized his life as a musician and as a Maestro."

"We express our profound condolences to his family, friends, colleagues and fans around the world," said Deborah F. Rutter, President of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association.

Martha Gilmer, Vice President of Artistic Planning and Audience Development (the Richard and Mary L. Gray Chair), worked with Abbado during his tenure as Principal Guest Conductor. "Claudio Abbado was inquisitive, and brought many new works to Chicago," Gilmer said. "His commitment to a wide range of music, his constant searching and his curiosity were an inspiration to work with. The last time I saw him, he asked me to tell the musicians of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra how much he loved and respected them and the time he had with them."

About the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (cso.org)
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is consistently hailed as one of the greatest orchestras in the world. Its music director since 2010 is Riccardo Muti, one of the preeminent conductors of our day. The venerable Pierre Boulez is the CSO's Helen Regenstein Conductor Emeritus; celebrated cellist Yo-Yo Ma is the CSO's Judson and Joyce Green Creative Consultant. Composers Mason Bates and Anna Clyne are the CSO's Mead Composers-in-Residence.

The renowned musicians of the CSO annually perform more than 150 concerts, most at Symphony Center in downtown Chicago and, in the summer, at the suburban Ravinia Festival. The CSO also appears in other U.S. cities, and frequently tours internationally. Since its founding in 1891, the Orchestra has made 57 international tours, visiting 28 countries on five continents. At home and on tour, tickets are always in high demand and frequently sold out; occasional performances and rehearsals are free.

People around the globe enjoy the extraordinary sounds of the Orchestra and the Chorus through CSO Radio broadcasts and webcasts worldwide and through CSO Resound, a best-selling record label. Recordings by the CSO have won 62 Grammy Awards®. Through its Institute for Learning, Access, and Training, the CSO offers a variety of youth, community and education programs, all of which are based on the concept of Citizen Musicianship, using and promoting the power of music to contribute to our culture, our communities, and the lives of others.

The parent organization for the CSO is the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association (CSOA). It also includes the acclaimed Chicago Symphony Chorus, conducted by Duain Wolfe, and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, a training ensemble conducted by Cliff Colnot. Under the banner of a series entitled Symphony Center Presents, the CSOA also presents prestigious guest artists and ensembles from a variety of musical genres-classical, jazz, pop, world, and contemporary. Deborah F. Rutter, a highly regarded arts executive, is president of the CSOA.

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