Driehaus Museum and CSO to Host 2026 Chamber Concerts at Murphy Auditorium
The series begins April 28, 2026 with an ensemble performance exploring the artistic movements that shaped the Museum’s historic buildings and collection.
The Driehaus Museum and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association have revealed the 2026 dates of their popular chamber concert series in the Museum's historic Murphy Auditorium. The series kicks off on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, from 6:30-8: 00PM with an ensemble performance exploring the artistic movements that laid the groundwork for the design and aesthetics of the Museum's historic buildings and collection. Tickets are $50 and include admission to the Museum during regular hours.
Driehaus Museum Executive Director Lisa M. Key stated, “Last year, our partnership with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra marked a joyful new chapter for both the Driehaus Museum and the city we serve. When two of Chicago's cultural institutions come together, it is truly a gift to our community, and the resounding enthusiasm for the inaugural concert series in 2025 affirmed just how much this city embraces that spirit of collaboration. Bringing the series back this year was a natural decision. The CSO's extraordinary musicianship resonates beautifully in the Murphy Auditorium's intimate, historic setting, and together we are creating experiences that invite all Chicagoans to feel inspired, connected, and uplifted. We are so grateful to the Zell Family Foundation for their belief in this partnership.”
Cristina Rocca, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's Vice-President of Artistic Administration agreed, saying, “We are thrilled to continue our partnership with the Driehaus Museum, a collaboration that allows us to bring the intimacy and brilliance of CSO chamber music to one of Chicago's most breathtaking historic settings. These programs offer a unique opportunity to experience the extraordinary artistry of our musicians in a space that beautifully complements the elegance and depth of the repertoire in connection to the artworks exhibited. We look forward to another season of shared commitment to artistic excellence and to deepening the connection between our music and the community.”
UPCOMING PROGRAMS
The Art of Expression
Tuesday, April 28, 6:30 pm
Musicians from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra - Rong-Yan Tang (violin), Susan Synnestvedt (violin), Youming Chen (viola), Olivia Huh (cello) - will present a captivating ensemble performance exploring the movements that directly led to the art and aesthetic of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, including Beethoven String Quartet No. 3 in D major, Op. 18, “Lobkowitz” and Ravel String Quartet in F Major.
The United States at 250
Wednesday, June 24, 6:30 pm
Musicians from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra - Matous Michal (violin), Gabriela Lara (violin), Danny Lai (viola), Olivia Huh (cello) - will present an ensemble performance celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, featuring patriotic works such as Barber “Adagio” from String Quartet in B Minor, Op. 11; Price Five Folksongs in Counterpoint; Johnston String Quartet No 4, The Ascent (Amazing Grace); and Dvořák String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96, (American).
George Bellows: Motion and Music
Tuesday, September 29, 6:30 pm
Musicians from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra will present an ensemble performance inspired by the Museum's recent gift of 32 George Bellows lithographs from Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols. Spanning nearly three decades of Bellows' career, these expressive works capture scenes of athletes in motion, family life, bustling city streets, and the intimate atmosphere of the artist's studio. The program will create a dynamic dialogue between music and the remarkable new additions to the Museum's collection. The program will include Gershwin Lullaby for String Quartet; Price Adoration for String Quartet; Ives Largo Risoluto No. 1 and 2; Ives Hallowe'en; and Bloch: Piano Quintet No.1 B.
Carving out History
Tuesday, November 3, 6:30 pm
Musicians from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra will present an ensemble performance inspired by the Museum's solo exhibition devoted to pioneering sculptor Emma Stebbins, one of the first American women to receive major sculptural commissions, best known for her work Angel of the Waters (1873) in the Bethesda Fountain in Central Park. This program will celebrate Stebbins' deeply expressive neo-classical art infused with themes of devotion, resilience, and the human spirit.
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