Rush Hour Concerts

Now a beloved Summer tradition, the series brings free, world- class chamber music to Chicago, on Tuesdays, June through August during the evening rush hour at St James Cathedral.

Rush Hour Concerts

When: Tuesdays June 6 - August 22, 2023, 5:45 - 6:30 pm
Where: St. James Cathedral – 65 E Huron Street, Chicago
Cost: Free
Make summer nights classic with concerts featuring Chicago’s best classical musicians and ensembles. Founded by Deborah Sobol in 2000, Rush Hour Concerts are the perfect way to relax after a workday and soak up some beautiful music in a short but lovely format. The best ensembles in the city perform programs designed to enliven commuters and make the most of summer. Each concert is live streamed through the CMC website and excerpted performances are often broadcast on 98.7 WFMT radio.

Rush Hour Concerts - 2023 Season

June 6, 2023 - Season Opener: A Night of Firsts

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor - Piano Quintet, Op. 1
Antonin Dvorak - Piano Quintet No. 1, Op. 5
Lei Hou and Matous Michal, violins
Larry Neuman, viola
Karen Basrak, cello
Victor Asuncion, piano

June 13, 2023 - Master Performers: Janet Sung and Marta Aznavoorian

Claude Debussy - Sonata for Violin and Piano
Clara Schumann - Three Romances, Op. 22
Maurice Ravel - Sonata No. 2 in G for Violin and Piano

Janet Sung, violin
Marta Aznavoorian, piano

June 20, 2023 - A Little Circus Music

Kat Souponetsky - Wandering Through Night
Sergei Prokofiev - Quintet, Op. 39

Scott Hostetler, oboe
Susan Warner, clarinet
Yuan-Qing Yu, violin
Diane Mues, viola
Rob Kassinger, bass

June 27, 2023 - Lynx Project

Program to include music by composers commissioned to set the words of autistic youth to song

Hailey Cohen, mezzo-soprano
Nicholas Ward, baritone
Michael Tran, clarinet
Kimberly Jeong, cello
Florence Mak, piano

July 11, 2023 - Scenes and Souvenirs

Mel Bonis - Scènes de la foret, Op. 123
Eric Ewazen - Ballade, Pastorale and Dance
Franz Doppler - Souvenir du Rigi

Gabriela Vargas, flute
David Cooper, horn
Kuang-Hao Huang, piano

July 18, 2023 - Impressions

Clarice Assad - Impressions
Xavier Foley – String Quartet
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Souvenir de Florence, Op. 70

Musicians to include the Grant Park Music Festival String Fellows and members of the orchestra

July 25, 2023 - Ars Musica Chicago

G.F. Handel - Singe, Seele Gott zum Preise, HWV 206
G.F. Handel - Süße Stille, sanfte Quelle, HWV 205
G.P. Telemann - Trio for Violin, Cello and Continuo in F Major, TWV 42:F1
Antonio Caldara - Risoluto son già tiranno amore
G.F. Handel - Violin Sonata in A Major, HWV 361
G.F. Handel - Meine Seele hört im Sehen, HWV 207
Ars Musca Chicago
Hannah De Priest, soprano
Shelby Yamin, violin
Morgan Little, cello
Jason J. Moy, harpsichord

August 1, 2023 - Deborah Sobol Memorial

Jessie Montgomery - Breakaway
Robert Schumann - Piano Quintet in E-flat Major, Op. 44

Avalon String Quartet
Blaise Magnière and Marie Wang, violin
Anthony Devroye, viola
Cheng-Hou Lee, cello

Kuang-Hao Huang, piano

August 8, 2023 - Ceremonies and Celebrations

Adolphus Hailstork - Fanfare on Amazing Grace
Maddalena Casulana - Suite of Madrigals for Brass Quintet
Jennifer Higdon - Selections from Ceremonies
Jeanne Demessieux - Te Deum for solo organ
Sowerby - Festival Musick

Axiom Brass
Dorival Puccini, Jr. and Christopher Scanlon, trumpet
Abby Black, French horn
Corey Sansolo, trombone
Kevin Harrison, tuba

Stephen Buzard, organ

August 15, 2023 - JCC Chicago Violins of Hope and FilAm Foundation

Arnold Schoenberg - String Quartet in D Major
Florence Price - Quintet for Piano and Strings, No. 2
Ottorino Respighi - Piano Quintet in F minor

Marian Mayuga, violin
Brent Taghap, violin
Larissa Mapua, viola
Ezra Escobar, cello
Magnus Villanueva, piano

August 22, 2023 - Season Finale: Song and Dance

Bongani Ndodana-Breen - Two Nguni Dances
Felix Mendelssohn - Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor

Trio Diorama
MingHuan Xu, violin
Nick Photinos, cello
Winston Choi, piano

“Rush Hour Concerts are a treat every summer. We look forward to going to St James every Tuesday evening for a wonderful 45 minutes of beautiful music in that lovely and welcoming setting.”

- Joyce and Richard Prince, Classical Music Chicago generous supporters

Thank you to our supporters

Rush Hour Concerts are presented in partnership with St. James Cathedral.

Rush Hour Concerts are made possible through the generosity of the Zell Family Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Illinois Arts Council Agency and contributions from individual donors.

Upcoming Performances

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