Chicago Philharminic AMP Program Expands to West Side Schools

This fall, UIC College Prep High School and Chicago Bulls College Prep High School have been added to the roster of schools served by the Chi Phil AMP (Academy of Music Performance) program.

Chi Phil AMP gives students the opportunity to learn from Chicago Philharmonic Society musicians in a comprehensive, six-week mentorship program. The program includes master classes, side-by-side rehearsals, and a side-by-side performance before fellow students, teachers, and community members. Also included in the program is the opportunity for students and their families to attend a Chicago Philharmonic symphonic concert together.

Both UIC College Prep and Chicago Bulls College Prep are highly diverse public high schools on Chicago's near west side. Since October, eight musicians from the Chicago Philharmonic have been working with band students from UIC College Prep. Their efforts will culminate in a side-by-side concert held on November 15 at 7pm at the school (1231 S Damen Ave, Chicago). Concert highlights include a version of Ravel's Bolero, as well as a brass trio performed by Chicago Philharmonic musicians. UIC College Prep's music program serves over 500 students.

Another installment of Chi Phil AMP will serve students at Chicago Bulls College Prep throughout November and December. The final concert at Bulls College Prep (2040 W Adams St, Chicago) will take place on Tuesday, December 13 at 6pm. Bulls College Prep's music program includes over 600 students. Chi Phil AMP currently serves students in the top orchestra, with administrators' plans being to expand the program to additional ensembles in future iterations. Chi Phil AMP programs will continue at Old Orchard Junior High in Skokie, and master classes will be offered at Chicago Academy for the Arts (CAA) and Music Institute of Chicago (MIC). Support for Chi Phil AMP is provided by the Charles and M. R. Shapiro Foundation and Mathew Lucante Violins. Full support for the programs at CAA and MIC is provided by Judy Guitelman and Dan Epstein, and the Dan J. Epstein Family Foundation.

ABOUT THE CHICAGO PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY

The Chicago Philharmonic Society is a collaboration of over 200 of the highest-level classical musicians performing in the Chicago metropolitan area. Governed under a groundbreaking structure of musician leadership, the Society presents concerts at venues throughout the Chicago area that cover the full spectrum of classical music, from Bach to Britten and beyond. The Society's orchestra, known simply as the Chicago Philharmonic, has been called "one of the country's finest symphonic orchestras" (Chicago Tribune), and its unique chamber music ensembles, which perform as the Chicago Philharmonic Chamber Players (cp2), draw from its vast pool of versatile musicians. The Society's outreach programs connect Chicago-area youth to classical music and provide performance opportunities for members of the community. Founded 26 years ago by principal musicians from the Lyric Opera Orchestra, the Chicago Philharmonic currently serves as the official orchestra of the Joffrey Ballet, continues its 21-year association with the Ravinia Festival, and presents symphonic concerts in Chicago's North Shore region and, beginning in May 2016, at the Harris Theater.

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