CHICAGO — The Grant Park Music Festival has announced its 2024 anniversary season.
The festival, which marks its 90th anniversary of free classical music this summer, runs from June 12 through Aug. 17 in Millennium Park. All concerts are free, and most will take place on Wednesdays and Fridays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.
For the 25th year, the festival will be under the leadership of Artistic Director and Principal Coordinator Carlos Kalmar. According to a news release, the Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus will present a 10-week series from June 12-Aug. 17 at Millennium Park's Jay Pritzker Pavilion and other venues throughout the city, while Christopher Bell returns as Festival Chorus Director.
According to the release, the festival's 90th anniversary season will include a lineup of monumental works, including Beethoven's Symphony No. 5, Rachmaninov's "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini," Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade, Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6 and Mahler's Symphony No. 8.
Other features this season include Star Wars and More: The Music of John Williams, a Broadway tribute, an Independence Day Salute and a concert featuring the music of George Gershwin and friends. Headline soloists this season include virtuoso violinist Christian Teztlaff, cellist Johannes Moser and pianist Garrick Ohlsson.
A special Thursday concert on July 4 will replace the usual Saturday evening concert for July 6, and the festival will include another special Thursday concert featuring the Festival String and Vocal Fellowship on June 27.
Visit grantparkmusicfestival.com for a complete schedule and more information.
