AMERICAN MAVERICKS to Make Debut at Obama Presidential Center with Chicago Philharmonic
The invitation-only concert at Elie Wiesel Auditorium features guest artists Kishi Bashi, Njioma Grevious, and more.
The Chicago Philharmonic will present American Mavericks on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, in the new Elie Wiesel Auditorium at the Obama Presidential Center, marking one of the first public performances in the newly opened cultural landmark. The intimate, invitation-only evening is limited to 250 guests, with a pre‑concert cocktail reception inside the Center followed by a full symphonic program.
Led by Artistic Director & Principal Conductor Scott Speck, American Mavericks celebrates the composers who shaped and continue to shape the American symphonic tradition. The program features music by Michael Tilson Thomas, Florence Price, Jessie Montgomery, John Williams, Samuel Barber, Motown favorites, and more - a vivid cross‑section of American musical innovation drawn from the Philharmonic's long‑standing commitment to artistic diversity and collaboration.
“American Mavericks is a representation of all that we stand for at the Chicago Philharmonic — a celebration of our talented, industrious city and country, rooted in joy and curiosity,” said Johnson.
The evening brings together several of the Philharmonic's closest collaborators, including:
- Njioma Chinyere Grevious, violinist and Artist in Residence
- Kishi Bashi, violinist, singer, and producer
- Darryl J. Williams, tenor
- Melissa Joseph, soprano
AMERICA250 PROGRAMMING
American Mavericks is part of Chicago Philharmonic's broader America250 initiative, a year of programming that celebrates the nation's artistic legacy while expanding access to world class symphonic music across Chicago.
The initiative includes the first ever Side by Side with the Chicago Philharmonic presented in partnership with the Obama Foundation, one of three free “Side by Side” concerts serving more than 300 community musicians and thousands of listeners.
The event also ties into the Philharmonic's large-scale programs that bring symphonic music to thousands of people each year, including Top Gun: Maverick in Concert on September 26, a high energy salute to America as part of the Auditorium Philms series, and Home Alone: 2 in Concert featuring the music of John Williams this December.
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