Chicago Philharmonic Sets 2017 'Side-by-Side' Series in the Parks

The Chicago Philharmonic will present its third year of Side by Side with the Chicago Philharmonic as part of the Chicago Park District's 2017 Night Out in the Parks series.

Students and community musicians are invited to apply to bring their instruments and join Chicago Philharmonic musicians in rehearsing and performing orchestral concerts in Chicago parks. Participation and audience attendance is free and open to the public.

The programs are a continuation of the Chicago Philharmonic's ongoing efforts to connect with wide-ranging audiences and bring classical music opportunities to underserved neighborhoods of the city. In the 2016 Night Out in the Parks program, the Chicago Philharmonic presented side-by-side performances at Ping Tom Memorial Park, Humboldt Park, and Columbus Park. This year the orchestra expands the program offering with a fourth concert at the South Shore Cultural Center.

Dates and locations for this summer's programs are as follows:

June 24: Columbus Park Refectory (5701 W Jackson Blvd)

July 8: Ping Tom Memorial Park (1700 S. Wentworth Ave)

August 5: Humboldt Park Boathouse (1301 N Sacramento Ave)

August 13: South Shore Cultural Center (7059 S South Shore Drive)

All programs will include a side-by-side rehearsal at 3:30pm for all those performing with the orchestra and a public side-by-side concert at 6:00pm. Those attending as audience members are encouraged to picnic.

For the four performances, the musical program will be as follows:

Key - Star Spangled Banner

Suppé - Light Cavalry Overture

Copland - Hoe-Down

Anderson - Syncopated Clock

Bizet - Selections from Carmen Suite No. 1

Williams - Leia's Song

Holst - "Mars" from The Planets

Bernstein/Mason - WSS Medley

Lowden - Armed Forces Salute

Sousa - Stars and Stripes Forever

Spots for community musicians will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, and registration is required at www.chicagophilharmonic.org/side-by-side-with-the-chicago-philharmonic. Those who register are guaranteed a place in the orchestra and receive advance access to sheet music.

"Side by Side" is one of the Chicago Philharmonic's outreach programs, which include Chi Phil AMP (an in-school mentorship program for underserved schools), Families to the Phil (which underwrites hundreds of symphonic tickets for students and families), and Spotlight (a mentorship program that provides professional experiences for outstanding young musicians.)

The Chicago Philharmonic Society is a collaboration of 300 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 at Harris Theater in downtown Chicago.

Side by Side with the Chicago Philharmonic is presented as part of the ChicagoPark District's Night Out in the Parks series, supported by Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Arts programming in neighborhoods across the city advances the goals of the Chicago Park District and the Chicago Cultural Plan. Now in its fifth year, the 2017 Night Out in the Parks series will host over 1,000 cultural events and programs at more than 250 neighborhood parks throughout the city, making community parks a safe haven and hubs of activity. Projects will vary from traditional performances and concerts, to movies, peace rallies, community workshops, nature based programs, dance pieces, festivals, and more. The Chicago Park District has partnered with more than 100 arts and community organizations to expand and produce this successful initiative.