Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras (CYSO) hosted its 2023 Gala “Women in Music,” at The Geraghty, 2520 S. Hoyne Avenue, Saturday, Feb. 25. More than $680,000 was raised at this evening of glamour and music in support of CYSO’s music education programs for dedicated young musicians from across the Chicago region. Event chairs were Laura Mandel & Richard Blessen and Pamella Der & Wei Shih. WGN anchor and investigative reporter Lourdes Duarte emceed the event.
The evening began at 6 p.m. with cocktails and the opportunity for guests to have their picture taken at the step & repeat while they mix and mingled to music from CYSO’s young Preparatory Strings students, led by one of the evening's honorees, Daniella Valdez, Director of String Ensembles. At 7 p.m. guests were summoned to dinner to the sound of CYSO’s Symphony Orchestra, led by Music Director Allen Tinkham performing Ellen Taafe Zwilich’s “Avanti!,” as well as the Kaiso Steel Orchestra, led by Scott McDonnell, performing Vanessa Headley’s “Pan in D Galaxy.” As they took their seats, guests were treated to additional performances by CYSO’s Symphony Orchestra of Lili Boulanger’s “d’un Matin de Printemps,” Margaret Allison Bonds’ “Montgomery Variations, VII. Benediction” and Florence Price’s “Symphony No. 1 in E minor, IV. Finale.”
The evening’s program began with welcome comments by gala co-chairs Richard Blessen and Pamela Der, followed by a heartfelt in memoriam delivered by Tinkham for CYSO’s longest serving staff member, Associate Conductor Terrance Malone Gray, a pillar of Chicago's music community who passed away suddenly last summer (1963 – 2022).
After dinner, the evening continued with a live auction led by Chris Liby of Sayre & Jones Auctioneers. A video created by Green River Films highlighting the voices of CYSO students, preceded comments from CYSO Interim Executive Director, Madalyne Maxwell, before a lively paddle raise.
The evening included a performance by CYSO's Jazz Orchestra, led by Director Pharez Whitted, as joined by special guest, celebrated Chicago jazz vocalist Dee Alexander. The ensemble performed Mongo Sanatamaria & Oscar Browns’s “Afro Blue,” and Jimmy McHugh & Harold Adamson’s “I Just Found Out About Love.”
A high point of CYSO’s annual gala is always the presentation of the Note of Excellence Awards. This year’s honorees were Natalie A. Brown, CEO, Mesirow; Daniella Valdez, CYSO, Director of String Ensembles and CYSO alum and groundbreaking musician/artist Laurie Anderson. Following a performance by the CYSO Kaiso Steel Orchestra, Anderson joined Maestro Tinkham and the 120 young musicians of CYSO's flagship Symphony Orchestra for the final performance of the evening, a medley of snippets from some of Anderson's most celebrated works, including excerpts from "From the Air," "Heart of a Dog," and a poignant spoken word meditation on "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star."
Sponsors for CYSO’s “Women in Music” Gala: Premium Level - Sheppard Mullin; Gold Level - Jenner & Block and The Bricker Vinik Family, Cynthia Van Osdol & John Sandwick, US Bank, and Brittany Viola & Justin Bernbrock; and Silver Level – Conagra Brands, Mesirow, Old National Bank, Richard & Linda Price, Pritzker Traubert Foundation and Stephen & Terry Schwartz.
CYSO’s “Women in Music” Gala preceded CYSO’s Symphony Orchestra’s Spring Concert at Symphony Center 7:30 p.m., May 21. Tickets for this concert go on sale in April. For more information visit cyso.org.
CYSO’s 2024 Gala will take place February 2024. More information will be announced in the coming months. For more info visit cyso.org.
About Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras
Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras’ mission is to inspire and cultivate personal excellence through music. After more than 75 years of music-making, CYSO continues to shape generations of young leaders and musicians. Students collaborate and create in a learning environment like no other, developing fundamental skills including leadership, teamwork, and resilience. We are committed to educating, encouraging, and empowering each young musician so that they may pursue personal excellence both on and off stage.
CYSO works with young musicians ages 6-18 in on-site and school-based ensembles and offers community programming reaching audiences of all ages across the Chicago region. Our programs include symphony orchestras, string orchestras, steelpan, jazz band, chamber music, and music composition. We invest in our community through CYSO@CPS school-based ensembles and free concerts that reach more than 10,000 young people annually.
CYSO promotes and provides ensemble-focused programming because we believe in the power of community. A young musician’s time at CYSO is a pathway of opportunity and growth, but they do not walk it alone. By bringing together young people from across the region, CYSO students build bonds with those who come from different backgrounds and share a passion for music. They develop the skills necessary to thrive as an ensemble. Whether or not a student continues musical studies after their time in CYSO, young people leave with increased self-confidence and a deep appreciation for music and the arts.
Major support for CYSO's 2022-2023 season is provided by: the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Ross Bricker and Nina Vinik, Dr. Louanne Carabini and Shawn O'Leary, Pam and Dave Conroy, J. Lawrence and Susan Costin, Crown Family Philanthropies, the Julius N. Frankel Foundation, Kelly and Dennis Howe, the Illinois Arts Council Agency, The MacArthur Fund for Culture, Equity, and the Arts at Prince, Jim and Ginger Meyer, Ms. Jennifer Myerberg and The Alvin and Louise Myerberg Family Foundation, Inc., the Negaunee Foundation, Angela and Dana O’Banion, Bonita and Delano O’Banion, John and Joyce Schladweiler, Mr. and Mrs. Stephen L. and Terry Schwartz, Brittany Viola and Justin Bernbrock, and the Zell Family Foundation.