Thoughts from the Managing Director: Introducing the 2009 Summer Interns

2009 marks the fourth summer of our internship program, which gives college students hands-on participation in operations, decision-making, and the continued evolution of Rush Hour in its mission. We are fortunate to have three intelligent and energetic young women with a passion for live music and community building with us this summer, thanks to generous funding from the James S. Kemper Foundation.

(L to R): Ariela Rotenberg, Eliza Warren, Maggie Mendenhall

In the spirit of our “bullet point” artist bios, here is a brief introduction to our 2009 summer intern team.

Maggie Mendenhall

• Recently graduated from Barnard College in New York City and will be attending Loyola Law School in Chicago in the fall
• Previously interned with Linda Gaunt’s P.R. firm in New York City and for Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. (IL) and Congresswoman Julia Carson (IN)
• Loves shopping online and watching the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, Sunday morning news talk shows, and any VH1 dating show
• “Rush Hour’s mission to make quality classic performances accessible to all appealed to me. I like interacting with the artists and having the opportunity to contribute substantively to Rush Hour’s success.”

Ariela Rotenberg

• A rising senior majoring in French Studies and Theater at Wesleyan University, she is currently beginning research for her thesis in Theater: a study of Irish oral performance
• Last summer, she had the pleasure of performing at a Rush Hour concert for the “Impromptu Interplay” poetry recitation concert
• She enjoys reading anything by Dave Eggers or Italo Calvino
• “Rush Hour does a great thing for the Chicago community in supplying the city with free music in such a friendly way. I love the program, and the people, and the snacks.”

Eliza K. Warren

• A rising senior at Smith College in Northampton, MA, she is pursuing a degree in Sociology
• Musical Director/President of the Smith College Noteables, an all-female a cappella group, as well as a member of Smith’s Gold Key Society of tour guides
• Enjoys photography, traveling, arranging music, and being in her hometown of Portland, ME
• “I wanted to get involved with Rush Hour because it seemed like an organization that really puts its audience first. You don’t have to be a classical music buff to go and enjoy a Rush Hour concert and every time I see a new concert or meet a new artist, I feel like I have learned something and experienced music in a way I never have before.”

- Julie Hutchison
Managing Director

6/23 – Concert Recap

Part of the city-wide celebration of the Burnham Plan Centennial, this week’s Rush Hour concert, “EVERYDAY PEOPLE,” featured the poetry of Chicago native Kevin Coval and the music of American composers Charles Ives and George Gershwin.

Poet Kevin Coval performed three Chicago-themed poems: “late to you on the blue line,” originally written for a 2007 Rush Hour concert event, and “but the yellow line” and “kiss me beneath the red line”, both of which were written for Tuesday’s concert. Pianist James Giles alternated music with the poetry, performing “The Alcotts” movement of Charles Ives’ Piano Sonata No. 2, “Concord, Mass., 1840-60″ and George Gershwins’ three Preludes for Piano.

Rush Hour especially thanks the Poetry Foundation for their support of Tuesday’s concert event.

Poet Kevin Coval, Artistic Director Deborah Sobol, and pianist James Giles

James Giles pauses to autograph a book for a fan after the concert

Kevin Coval runs through his new poems written specifically for the Rush Hour concert

Concertgoers beat the heat with tasty iced teas courtesy of Argo Tea

Thoughts from the Artistic Director: A Feast of Words and Music

Whenever my daughter is in town, the family is treated to great cuisine. She is an advocate of the culinary arts, or, in the vernacular, a “foodie.” Not only does she envision remarkable meals, she creates them, from start to finish. As the happy beneficiary of this process, I find myself swept up into a world of ingredients, of color, texture and of course, taste. I’ve been immersed in this intriguing world again for the last several weeks, so it was no surprise that I found myself this past weekend thinking of parallels to today’s program.

A few definitions:
• Note: a single tone of definite pitch made by a musical instrument or the human voice.
• Word: a distinct element of speech, used with others to form a sentence.
• Music: the art or science of combining vocal or instrumental sounds (or both) to produce beauty of form, harmony and expression of emotion.
• Poem: a piece of writing that partakes of the nature of both speech and song that is nearly always rhythmical, usually metaphorical…something that arouses strong emotions because of its beauty.

Notes and words are like carrots and onions. They are interesting in themselves, but find remarkable transformation when combined with others of their kind in the hands and hearts of gifted women and men. Knowledge, skill, craft and passion are common ingredients (no pun intended!).

Charles Ives and George Gershwin took individual notes and made fabulous music that now resonates with everyday folk in everyday situations. Pianist James Giles brings that music to life for us today.

Poet Kevin Coval takes individual words, adds large doses of his Chicago heritage and love of family and people in general, and turns an “El” line into a living character in the ongoing play of our city.

Food, music, poetry…good things, great things, all.

One could say the same, I think, of people – interesting in themselves, but remarkable when combined in community for a larger purpose, which brings me to the final significant “ingredient” in my thoughts today: YOU!

You are the everyday people who come every week to Rush Hour, bringing your own individual sensibilities to this feast of great live music. Just as great culinary creations are useless until enjoyed by dinner guests, so too, music and poetry need humans experiencing them to fill out their expression and meaning.

Now let us all enjoy these individual ingredients and their beguiling transformation into a delightful feast for the ears and eyes!

Rush Hour on ABC 7′s “Chicagoing”

Get an extra half hour of Rush Hour this Sunday, June 21 from 11:00 – 11:30 A.M on ABC 7′s Chicagoing, hosted by Bill Campbell.

Tune in for interviews with Artistic Director Deborah Sobol and Executive Director Megan Balderston, as well as music from the artists of Fifth House Ensemble.

6/16 – Concert Recap

This week, Rush Hour presented a special extended encore performance of 2007′s “A Cello Celebration” for 6 cellos, which was voted “audience favorite” of Rush Hour’s first nine seasons.

“A CELLO CELEBRATION ENCORE: Cellists of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera, and Friends” brought cellists Whitney Allen, Stephen Balderston, Mark Brandfonbrener, Richard Hirschl, Kenneth Olsen, Patrick Smith, Gary Stucka, and Brant Taylor, as well as soprano Maire O’Brien and conductor Michael Mulcahy to Rush Hour for a concert of Heitor Villa-Lobos’ Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 and No. 1 and an arrangement of Nimrod from the Enigma Variations of Sir Edward Elgar.

Many thanks to the performers and volunteers for creating a spectacular concert event that is sure to be an audience favorite for years to come!

The artists preparing for the evening’s performance

Rush Hour fans braving the downpour to attend the concert event

Artistic Director Deborah Sobol with cellist Brant Taylor

Cellists Brant Taylor and Stephen Balderston with soprano Maire O’Brien

Thoughts from the Executive Director: The Cello “Back Story”

If you’ve ever sat right behind the dugout at a baseball game, chances are you’ve seen or heard the team members banter with each other. Athletic feats notwithstanding, their foibles are fodder for off-color and inside jokes, lighthearted teasing, and reminders that these prodigies are, after all, mere mortals.

I’ve known this group of cellists for many years from my perch as a groupie, colleague, and camp follower. The older generation has celebrated with me as my children were born, and the younger have babysat them. I’ve watched them in awe as they performed works of inspiring technical and spiritual genius, and in amusement as they’ve deadpanned after other performances, “Let’s just leave quietly as if nothing happened.”

I hope that you too can sense the magic that occurs when good friends and colleagues come together to play works they love, and I certainly hope the poetic and majestic strains of the music ring in your ears for many days to come. But if you are like me and enjoy seeing and hearing the “back story,” watch these musicians as they communicate with each other while they play. You won’t hear anyone shout, “Do you hug your mother with that bow arm?” but you will see unspoken communication and gestures of love, respect and fun. That undercurrent is the basis of Rush Hour concert events and I’m pleased to give you the insider tip that it is impossible to manufacture—it’s either there, or it’s not.

Tonight, it’s there.

- Megan Balderston
Executive Director

6/9 – Concert Recap

This Tuesday, the Rush Hour audience was treated to a spirited performance by WIRED – the flute section of the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE). Flutists Claire Chase and Eric Lamb enthralled the crowd with selections of G.P. Telemann, Sebastian Huydts, Philippe Hurel and W.F. Bach.

WIRED’s Claire Chase and Eric Lamb greet a visiting children’s choir at the pre-concert reception

The view of the scores before Tuesday’s concert

Executive Director Megan Balderston with board member Sara Su Jones and friend at the pre-concert reception

Fanfare President Reba Levy and friend at the Fanfare post-concert happy hour at Jake Melnick’s

6/2 – Concert Recap

Over 525 concertgoers filled St. James Cathedral for the June 2nd kickoff of Rush Hour’s 10th anniversary season. Newcomers to the “Rush Hour experience” and loyal fans alike mingled while enjoying Argo tea, wine, and refreshments from Trader Joe’s.

13 renowned artists from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera Orchestra, and the Chicago Chamber Musicians dazzled the audience with their performance of W.A. Mozart’s Serenade No. 10 in B-Flat Major (“Gran Partita”).

Many thanks to the musicians, volunteers, Argo Tea and Trader Joe’s, and the staff of St. James Cathedral for helping to make the first concert of our 10th anniversary season a rousing success!

Rehearsing the “Gran Partita”

A beautiful view of St. James Cathedral

Audience members waiting in line before entering St. James for the pre-concert reception

Artistic Director Deborah Sobol with hornists Jeremiah Frederick, Gail Williams, Matthew Oliphant, and Valerie Whitney in the green room after the concert

Rush Hour Artistic Director and Artists on WFMT

Artistic Director Deborah Sobol and the woodwinds of Fifth House Ensemble are appearing on 98.7 WFMT’s “Impromptu” this afternoon.

The program will begin shortly after the 4pm news break.
Tune in on 98.7 WFMT or via live streaming at wfmt.com.

Thoughts From The Artistic Director: The Rush Hour Experience

The term “Rush Hour experience” has emerged in the course of the last few seasons, be it in conversation on a local Chicago street corner or in a national news piece on NBC.  There are several ingredients. First, a user-friendly format that is reliably the same each week, combined with programming which is completely different, one week from the next. Additionally, its weekly audiences are culturally curious, uninhibited about “leaving their comfort zones,” open to new experiences or eager to dip into the familiar on a regular basis to re-charge their humanity. The result: a weekly summer gathering place for all ages and backgrounds, an island of calm to assuage the ever-increasing demands of our contemporary lifestyles. It is a weekly intersection with great art in the form of great live musical performances, which take us to the 35,000 foot level, help us experience our common humanity, and then enable us to get back to our daily lives with intention and inspiration.

Rush Hour audiences are indeed culturally curious, and we strive to honor that curiosity. This season, 56 artists from around the country will offer 13 programs of great music. They will meet and greet you at our weekly pre-concert receptions and share their excitement about their work with you. Our staff has been hard at work all winter to create many “entry points” into the Rush Hour experience, from our rich weblog and website (rushhour.org) to weekly program booklets. You can listen to our podcast series Rush Hour Conversations on our website, where you can hear extended interviews with artists, Rush Hour advisors, and other trailblazers and innovators in the arts and culture world today, hosted by me and other members of the Rush Hour team. We invite you to join us online to expand and continue your weekly experience here.

People often ask me how they can “access” or “better appreciate” classical music. My answer is unnervingly simple: All you need is your ears and your humanity. There are many ways to bring both of these to Tuesday’s performance. Here are a few to consider: the richness of 13 woodwind instruments and string bass, working together to make one sound, one expression; the human emotion/human psychology conveyed in sound through the lens of Mozart’s genius; the miraculous ability of these sounds, this music, written nearly 200 years ago to resonate with us today; the physical, practicality of how the artists make this sound with their instruments – (seemingly without breathing!); the uniqueness of each instrument’s range or tessitura and how it blends with its neighboring instrument (how different the wooden clarinet in construction from the brass horn, yet how unified their sound is together!); and last, but not least, what happens to you, the audience, the listeners, in a space as generous as St. James Cathedral filled with other engaged, active “listeners,” joining the artists performing, to create the energy of what we now know is the “Rush Hour experience.”

- Deborah Sobol
Artistic Director