Collaborative Arts Institute of Chicago Rebrands as Art Song Chicago, Launches 15th Anniversary Season
2025–26 lineup includes works by Jake Heggie, Schumann, Florence Price, and Viet Cuong.
As it marks its milestone 15th anniversary, Collaborative Arts Institute of Chicago has officially rebranded as Art Song Chicago. The new name reflects the organization’s longstanding mission to champion art song and vocal chamber music throughout the city.
“As we step into our 15th anniversary season, we are thrilled to embark on this new chapter as Art Song Chicago,” said Executive Director Eric Ferring. “This new name reflects who we've always been at our core: passionate champions of art song in the city we call home.”
Artistic Director and Grammy Award-winning tenor Nicholas Phan added, “Art Song Chicago captures the essence of our mission: to advocate for the art of song and to shape Chicago into a vibrant, international hub for this deeply human and powerful form of musical storytelling.”
2025 Collaborative Works Festival
Songs of War and Peace
September 4 & 6, 2025 at Roosevelt University’s Ganz Hall
The season opens with the annual Collaborative Works Festival, exploring the timely theme Songs of War and Peace. The program features works by Mahler, Schumann, Duparc, Mohammed Fairouz, Errollyn Wallen, Matthew Recio, Damien Geter, and Viet Cuong’s Second Shore, receiving its regional premiere.
Artists include sopranos Raquel Gonzalez and Vanessa Becerra; mezzo-sopranos Sophia Maekawa and Zoie Reams; baritones Evan Bravos, Leroy Davis, and Schyler Vargas; pianist Kuang-Hao Huang; CSO principal horn Mark Almond; and Eighth Blackbird’s Lisa Kaplan (piano) and Matthew Duvall (percussion). Phan and Ferring also perform.
2025–26 Lieder Lounge Series
Three intimate recitals highlight global talent and bold programming:
November 16, 2025 – Departure
Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, countertenor | John Churchwell, piano
Includes rarely performed Korngold Songs of Farewell, Schumann’s Liederkreis, Jewish liturgical repertoire, songs by Florence Price and H. Leslie Adams, and a world premiere by Jake Heggie.
January 25, 2026 – Dichterliebe
Samantha Hankey, mezzo-soprano | Myra Huang, piano
This recital reimagines Schumann’s Dichterliebe from a female perspective, paired with Poulenc’s 3 Songs by Lorca and selections from the cabaret canon.
May 1, 2026 – Girls of Yellow Diamonds
Helen Zhibing Huang, soprano | Alice Chung, mezzo-soprano | Yasuko Oura, piano
A program of underrepresented works by Asian-American women composers, this recital reflects on identity, heritage, and joy through an intersectional lens.
Founded in 2010, Art Song Chicago (formerly CAIC) has presented nearly 100 performances and is known for its high-caliber programming and education initiatives. For more information and season tickets, visit artsongchicago.org.
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