negaunee music institute at the cso

CSO-Connect

CSO-Connect, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s flagship school partnership program, brings Chicago Public Schools’ teachers together to develop arts integrated curriculum.

This season, teachers have attended workshops at Symphony Center, where they have explored the program’s theme and repertoire connected to the CSO for Kids concert In Pursuit of Dreams. During these gatherings, teachers have worked with their school colleagues to develop arts integrated curriculum that allows students to find inspiration and reasons to dream, both as individuals and as part of the classroom.

Using this curriculum, teachers were able to provide students the opportunity to discover the dreams of the musicians and composers spotlighted in the concert. In the spring, inspired by their experience at Orchestra Hall and their exploration at school, students will compose original music expressing their individual dreams, and those of their communities and their world.

The February 2023 concert featured the music of CSO Mead Composer-in-Residence Jessie Montgomery. This program, led by guest conductor Tania Miller, took students on a journey that showed that although life has many challenges, we all have the potential to find our own way to create the world we want to live in.

With the support of generous donors, the Negaunee Music Institute provides free tickets and transportation for students at Chicago Public Schools. Over 4,000 students attended the In Pursuit of Dreams concerts.

To support the work of the Negaunee Music Institute, visit cso.org/makeagift.

Youth Education Program Sponsor

CSO-Connect is generously sponsored by Polk Bros. Foundation and Lloyd A. Fry Foundation.

Additional support for the February performances of In Pursuit of Dreams has been provided by Catherine M. and Frederick H. Waddell in honor of their team at Northern Trust: Tyler Converso, Sally Nolan Giegerich, Kim Lewis, Teresa Michols, Aileen Wala, Daniella Shin, Dan Stephans, Anne Stevens, and Marisa Torres.

Support for Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association programming for children and families is provided by Abbott Fund, Archer Daniels Midland Company, John D. and Leslie Henner Burns, John Hart and Carol Prins, Kinder Morgan, PNC, Megan and Steve Shebik, Michael and Linda Simon, the Walter and Caroline Sueske Charitable Trust, and an anonymous family foundation.