Blue Man Group to Join CYSO for Free Concert in Millennium Park, 7/1

Blue Man Group, in conjunction with the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras (CYSO), will return to the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park for a collaborative performance on Wednesday, July 1 at 6:30 p.m. The free public performance will feature a program of full orchestral works performed by CYSO's inaugural summer orchestra, as well as collaborative performances and thrilling surprises with Blue Man Group.

"Last year's concert was great and this year's will be bigger and better," says CYSO Music Director Allen Tinkham. "The partnership between Blue Man Group and CYSO brings a highly entertaining and innovative spin to a classical music performance that our musicians relish and audiences won't want to miss."

At the July 1 event, Blue Man Group and CYSO will unite for a medley of classical favorites by Amilcare Ponchielli, Franz von Suppe and Richard Wagner. CYSO is also scheduled to perform three full length classical works: Sergei Rachmaninoff's "Symphonic Dances," op. 45, Dmitri Kabalevsky's "Colas Breugnon," op. 24: Overture and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's "Capriccio Italien," op. 45.

The Blue Man Group and CYSO performance event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit cyso.org.

CYSO's Symphony Orchestra has earned an international reputation as a premier orchestral ensemble featuring extraordinary young musicians from the Chicago area. Allen Tinkham was appointed Music Director of CYSO in 2001. During his tenure, CYSO has won eight of its 11 ASCAP National Awards for Adventurous Programming of Contemporary Music, as well as four Illinois Council of Orchestras awards (two Programming of the Year Awards and two Youth Orcehstra of the Year Awards). Under Tinkham's direction, CYSO ensembles have performed at Orcehstra Hall, Millennium Park, Ravinia, Carnegie Hall and several international locales. CYSO has taken the stage three times at Lollapalooza, Chicago's legendary rock music festival, the first time in August 2007 when it became the first ever classical music ensemble to do so. They will team up with The National's Bryce Dessner for a May 17 concert at Orchestra Hall and Ben Folds at the Chicago Theatre June 6.

Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra (CYSO) has provided musical education through orchestral programs and performance opportunities of the highest caliber since 1946. CYSO currently serves 475 Chicago area musicians ages 7-18 through three full orchestras, two string orchestras, multiple steel orchestras and supplemental programs that include chamber music ensembles, music theory and composition. It also reaches the diverse population of Chicago Public School students, educators and community members each year through its Music Pathways program. Music Pathways includes an In-School Residency Program with several partner Chicago Public elementary schools, Clinics for partner Chicago Public high schools, free Community Concerts, a Private Lesson Program for current CYSO students and Neighborhood Ensembles. CYSO, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization is investing in the future of music and the next generation of leaders. For more information, visit cyso.org or call 312.939.2207. CYSO also can be followed on Twitter at twitter.com/ChiYSO. Like CYSO on Facebook at facebook.com/ChicagoYouthSymphonyOrchestras.

Blue Man Group is a unique and thrilling multi-sensory experience that fuses innovative theatrical spectacle and powerful original music with hilarious comedy to create a performance experience unlike any other. The iconic, silent, inquisitive Blue Man character has remained consistent since the show's opening, but the world he reacts to is continuously changing, allowing for a production that continuously evolves. One of the world's most popular theatrical productions, today's Blue Man Group is a blend of signature material that has been in the show since the opening, as well as newer passages that examine the influence of technology on today's world with a funny and perceptive look at contemporary communication vehicles. The performance then closes with a pulsating finale that has audiences up and out of their seats, featuring an original Blue Man Group music score.

Currently, Blue Man Group theatrical shows can be seen in New York, Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, Orlando, Berlin and on tour throughout the U.S.

The company's music, featuring custom made instruments and signature, percussive sound, can be heard on five albums, including the Grammy-nominated "Audio," as well as various film and television projects. As the company grows, it remains true to its vision of providing exciting experiences in a variety of media, appealing to a broad range of age groups and cultural backgrounds.

For more information, visit blueman.com.

Pictured: "CYSO Music Director Allen Tinkham with Blue Man Group Chicago". Photo Credit: Blue Man Group.