For Immediate Release Contact: Jill Hurwitz,

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1 For Immediate Release Contact: Jill Hurwitz, GRANT PARK MUSIC FESTIVAL S 78 th SEASON CONCLUDES ON AUGUST 18 IN MILLENNIUM PARK WITH DVOŘÁK S THE SPECTRE S BRIDE FEATURING THE GRANT PARK ORCHESTRA AND CHORUS AND SPECIAL GUESTS Other August Highlights Include a Collaboration with Lyric Opera s Ryan Opera Center, a Night of Latin Music, Guest Artists Chee-Yun, Christian Tetzlaff, Tanja Tetzlaff and More CHICAGO (June 27, 2012) Summer in Chicago wraps up in August with the final weeks of the Grant Park Music Festival, led by Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Carlos Kalmar and the Grammy Award-nominated Grant Park Orchestra, along with Chorus Director Christopher Bell and the Grant Park Chorus in the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Chicago s Millennium Park. In August, the Festival s exciting programming features the Grant Park Chorus along with guest artists and soloists from around the world, as well as a collaboration with the Lyric Opera s Ryan Opera Center and a night of Latin music. The Grant Park Music Festival season runs June 13 through August 18, All concerts are free and take place on Wednesday and Friday evenings at 6:30 p.m., and Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m. (unless otherwise noted). The concert on August 3 and 4 will take place indoors at Millennium Park s Harris Theater for Music and Dance. Throughout the season, the Festival celebrates the 50 th anniversary of the Grant Park Chorus with a series of special events, including two world premiere commissions for orchestra and chorus and the release of the Grant Park Chorus first ever a cappella recording. Entitled Songs of Smaller Creatures and other American Choral Works, the CD features Christopher Bell leading the chorus in works by American composers Abbie Betinis, Paul Crabtree, David Del Tredici, Stacy Garrop, Ned Rorem, Lee Kesselman and Eric Whitacre. The recording will be available for sale at performances of the Grant Park Music Festival and through Cedille Records. August begins with Scheherazade under the baton of Carlos Kalmar (August 1). It moves indoors to the Harris Theater for two performances of The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires with guest violinist Chee- Yun (August 3 and 4); and continues at the Pritzker Pavilion for Brahms Double Concerto with returning guest artist violinist Christian Tetzlaff joined by his sister and frequent collaborator, cellist Tanja Tetzlaff (August 8). The Grant Park Chorus joins the orchestra for Haydn: The Seasons featuring guest artists Layla Claire, Benjamin Butterfield and Ben Wager (August 10 and 11). Later that week, the rising stars from the Lyric Opera s artist-development program take the stage with Ryan Opera Center: Mozart and Strauss (August 15). The season ends when the Grant Park Chorus returns for Dvorak: The Spectre s Bride featuring guest artists Aleksandra Kurzak, Brendan Tuohy and Stephen Hegedus (August 17 and 18). -more-

2 Grant Park Music Festival in August/ADD 2 Audiences can learn more about the music and history of the Grant Park Music Festival at the new Club 615 pre-concert lecture series taking place on Saturdays at 6:15 p.m. throughout the season (excluding July 14) in the Jay Pritzker Pavilion s Choral Rehearsal Room, located on the east side of the Pavilion. Hosted by Derek Matson and other guest lecturers, Club 615 provides an engaging way to learn about the evening s program, with insights shared by the Festival s conductors, composers and musicians. Lectures are minutes long and begin at 6:15 p.m. (doors open at 6 p.m.). The concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. For more information about the Grant Park Music Festival including membership and group seating, visit grantparkmusicfestival.com or call For additional information, visit Grant Park Music Festival on Facebook or follow the Festival on GRANT PARK MUSIC FESTIVAL AUGUST SCHEDULE Scheherazade Wednesday, August 1, 6:30 p.m. Grant Park Orchestra; Carlos Kalmar, Conductor Carpenter: Adventures in a Perambulator Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade This pair of adventurous musical voyages will entice audiences of all ages. Rimsky-Korsakov s lush music, inspired by stories from The Arabian Nights, is paired with a 1914 work from Chicago composer John Alden Carpenter that follows the rollicking travels through the city of a baby in a buggy. The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires NOTE: Location is indoors at the Harris Theater Friday, August 3, 6:30 p.m. Saturday, August 4, 7:30 p.m. Grant Park Orchestra; Carlos Kalmar, Conductor; Chee-Yun, violin; Sarah Ponder, Mezzo- Soprano Ginastera: Estancia: Four Dances Piazzolla: Four Seasons of Buenos Aires De Falla: Three-Cornered Hat The master of Argentinian tango's homage to the changing seasons in his home country provides a new twist on Vivaldi's famous work, along with Latin American and Spanish masterpieces. Violinist Chee-Yun (born in Seoul, Korea) was the winner of the 1989 Young Concert Artists International Auditions and the 1990 Avery Fisher Career Grant. She performs regularly with the world's foremost orchestras, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, the London Philharmonic, and the Toronto, Houston, Seattle, Pittsburgh and National symphony orchestras. Additionally, she has appeared with the Atlanta Symphony, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and has performed with such distinguished conductors as Hans Graf, James DePriest, Michael Tilson Thomas, Krzysztof Penderecki, Neeme Järvi, Pinchas Zukerman, and Giancarlo Guerrero. Her recent recording of the Penderecki Violin Concerto No. 2 on Naxos was acclaimed as "an engrossing, masterly performance" (The Strad Magazine) and her recording Serenata Notturno, an album of light classics, went platinum within six months of its release. -more-

3 Grant Park Music Festival in August/ADD 3 Brahms Double Concerto Wednesday, August 8 at 6:30 p.m. Grant Park Orchestra; Carlos Kalmar, Conductor; Christian Tetzlaff, Violin; Tanja Tetzlaff, Cello Beethoven: Coriolan Overture Brahms: Double Concerto Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 1 A program from the heart of the German musical tradition, featuring works by three of the great 19th century composers. Popular Festival guest artist, violinist Christian Tetzlaff returns, joined by his sister and frequent collaborator, cellist Tanja Tetzlaff. Violinist Christian Tetzlaff (born in Hamburg, Germany) performs frequently at major festivals including those in Edinburgh and Lucerne, and at the BBC Proms. He appeared with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Vladimir Jurowski, Philharmonia Orchestra and Esa-Pekka Salonen, and NDR Sinfonieorchester and John Storgards. He continues to be a regular guest soloist with orchestras such as the Orchestre de Paris and Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich. Tetzlaff s discography for Virgin Classics and other labels includes the major concerto repertoire, Bartok Sonatas with Leif Ove Andsnes, and the three Brahms Violin Sonatas with Lars Vogt. Christian Tetzlaff has received several awards for his recordings: the Diapason d Or, the Edison prize, and several Grammy nominations. He has been a guest soloist with the Grant Park Music Festival numerous times in recent years, having performed Dvořák's Violin Concerto in 2010 and Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in Cellist Tanja Tetzlaff (born in Hamburg, Germany) has won several international competitions including first prize at the Erste Internationale Musikwettbewerb in Vienna in She plays as a soloist as well as in chamber ensembles throughout Europe, the USA, Australia and Japan and regularly plays at international festivals in Risør, Bergen, Feldkirch, Schwetzingen, Delft and Heimbach, on the Berliner Festwochen, the Beethoven-Fest Bonn, the Bremer Musikfest and the Klangbogen-Festival in Vienna. She gives concerts with most of Germany`s renowned orchestras as well as with great international orchestras such as the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, the Radio Symphony Orchestra Moscow, the Camerata Salzburg and the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Brisbane. She will be making her Grant Park Music Festival debut his summer. Christian and Tanja Tetzlaff perform together as part of the Tetzlaff Quartert (formed in 1994). The quartet recently released a CD of String Quartets by Sibelius and Schöenberg and the New York Times wrote that their, "supremely lyrical, exactingly detailed playing combined with impeccable balance and unanimity, resulted in an overwhelming performance..." Haydn: The Seasons Friday, August 10, 6:30 p.m. Saturday, August 11, 7:30 p.m. Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus; Carlos Kalmar, Conductor; William Gray, Guest Choral Director; Layla Claire, Soprano; Benjamin Butterfield, Tenor; Ben Wager, Bass Haydn: The Seasons Rich with evocations of the natural world, Haydn's ebullient oratorio conjures up festive wine parties, thunderstorms, hunting expeditions, peasant dances, and a stirring ode to labor.

4 Grant Park Music Festival in August/ADD 4 Ryan Opera Center: Mozart and Strauss Wednesday August 15, 6:30 p.m. Grant Park Orchestra; Carlos Kalmar, Conductor; Ensemble Members of The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center Mozart: Cosí fan tutte Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier (Final Scene) A chance to hear rising opera stars from the Lyric Opera's renowned professional artistdevelopment program as they perform great ensemble scenes from a pair of sophisticated and touching operas. Featuring John Irvin, Joseph Lim, Evan Boyer, Tracy Cantin, J nai Bridges, Emily Birsan (Cosi fa Tutte); Kiri Deonarine, Cecelia Hall, Tracy Cantin and Will Liverman (Der Rosenkavalier). The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center was established in 1974 as the professional artist-development program for Lyric Opera of Chicago. Since its inception, the Ryan Opera Center has been recognized as one of the premier programs of its kind in the world. That standing is maintained by providing the finest up-and-coming singers with unparalleled training and experience. Gianna Rolandi is director of the program. The Ryan Opera Center, "an elite singer-training program...is known as a launching pad to big-time careers..." Chicago Tribune Dvořák: The Spectre s Bride Friday, August 17, 6:30 p.m. Saturday, August 18, 7:30 p.m. Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus; Carlos Kalmar, Conductor; William Gray, Guest Choral Director;Aleksandra Kurzak, Soprano; Brendan Tuohy, Tenor; Stephen Hegedus, Bass Dvořák: The Spectre s Bride Dvořák s haunting, underperformed cantata, based on a legend about a young girl who is swept away by a ghostly rider, provides a galloping and suspenseful finale to the Festival's 78th season. Grant Park Music Festival Acclaimed by critics and beloved by audiences, the Grant Park Music Festival is the nation s only free, summer-long outdoor classical music series of its kind. The Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, located between Michigan and Columbus Avenues at Washington Street, is the official home of the Grant Park Music Festival. The Festival is led by Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Carlos Kalmar along with Chorus Director Christopher Bell, Executive Director Paul Winberg and Board President Beth Rodriguez. The 2012 Grant Park Music Festival season marks Christopher Bell s 11 th season as chorus director of the Grant Park Chorus. Bell also serves as chorusmaster for the Edinburgh International Festival, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra Junior Chorus and the Belfast Philharmonic Choir. He was largely responsible for the formation of the National Youth Choir of Scotland (NYCoS) in 1996 and is its artistic director. He has also worked with many other major orchestras in the UK and Ireland, including the Royal Philharmonic, Royal Scottish National, BBC Scottish Symphony, City of London Sinfonia, and London Concert. The Grant Park Music Festival is proudly presented by the Grant Park Orchestral Association with key support from the Chicago Park District, and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, and thousands of individual supporters.

5 Grant Park Music Festival in August/ADD 5 The Grant Park Music Festival gratefully acknowledges the generous support from its 2012 sponsors: American Airlines and Fairmont Chicago Millennium Park, Season Sponsors; BMO Harris Bank, Grant Park Chorus 50th Anniversary Sponsor; and ComEd, Fifth Third Bank, JP Morgan Chase and Co., Millennium Park Garages and Mariano s Fresh Market, Concert Sponsors. The Grant Park Music Festival is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency. Millennium Park Millennium Park, managed and programmed by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, is an award-winning center for art, music, architecture and landscape design. The result of a unique partnership between the City of Chicago and the philanthropic community, the 24.5-acre park features the work of world-renowned architects, planners, artists and designers. Among Millennium Park s prominent features are the Frank Gehry-designed Jay Pritzker Pavilion, the most sophisticated outdoor concert venue of its kind in the United States; the interactive Crown Fountain by Jaume Plensa; the contemporary Lurie Garden designed by the team of Gustafson Guthrie Nichol, Piet Oudolf and Robert Israel; and Anish Kapoor s hugely popular Cloud Gate sculpture. # # #