6/15 – Concert Recap

Rush Hour’s third concert of the season featured Fulcrum Point New Music Project’s Stephen Burns, trumpet; Gregory Flint, horn; Peter Ellefson, trombone; and Lori Kaufman, piano. The artists performed a program of French brass music, with works by Enesco, Defaye, Françaix, Honegger, and Ibert.

Members of Fulcrum Point New Music Project rehearse at St. James before the concert. Pictured from left to right, Gregory Flint, horn; Stephen Burns, trumpet; and Peter Ellefson; trombone.

Fulcrum Point’s Lori Kaufman, piano, concentrates on her music during rehearsal.

Volunteers Kay Collins and Mark Raymo talk with audience members during the pre-concert reception.

Refreshments at the pre-concert reception were provided by Trader Joe’s and Argo Tea.

Fulcrum Point New Music Project’s Stephen Burns (left) meets with Rush Hour Artistic Director Deborah Sobol (center) and Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association President Deborah Rutter at the pre-concert reception.

6/8 – Concert Recap

The second concert of Rush Hour Concerts at St. James Cathedral’s 11th season featured a selection of choral works from the Spanish Renaissance performed by the Chamber Singers of the Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum.

The concert event was sponsored in part by the Consulate General of Spain in Chicago and the Embassy of Spain in Washington.

The student-conducted group, led by 2010 graduate Rachel Carpentier rehearses in St. James Cathedral before the 5:45 p.m. concert.

Embassador Javier Ruperez, Consul General of Spain in Chicago (far left); Artistic and Executive Director Deborah Sobol and Rush Hour Board member Ted Aldrich enjoy the pre-concert reception with members of the Chamber Singers of the Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum.

Student volunteer Felipe Torres from Walter Payton College Preparatory High School welcomes guests to the pre-concert reception.

Click here to find out more about volunteering.

Volunteer Chuck Hamilton and a member of the Chamber Singers of the Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum connect after the concert.

With the June 8 concert event, Rush Hour’s summer fundraising thermometer made its first appearance!  Each donation helps keep the series free and accessible to all.  Click here to find out more about how to donate.

6/1 – Concert Recap

Rush Hour opened its 11th season with an enchanting performance of Johannes Brahms’ String Sextet in B-Flat Major No. 1, Op. 18, featuring Nathan Cole, violin; Akiko Tarumoto, violin; Carol Cook, viola; Yukiko Ogura, viola; Kenneth Olsen, cello; and Brant Taylor, cello.

This week’s concert event was sponsored in part by the Consulate General of Germany in Chicago.

(Pictured in rehearsal from left to right) Akiko Tarumoto, violin; Nathan Cole, violin; Kenneth Olsen, cello; Brant Taylor, cello; Carol Cook, viola; Yukiko Ogura, viola.

Cookies from the Austrian Bakery and strawberries wait to be devoured at the pre-concert reception.

(Pictured from left to right) Deborah Sobol, Artistic and Executive Director, with Onno Hückmann, Consul General of Germany in Chicago, and Janice G. Lorch, President of the Rush Hour Board.

Cellist Brant Taylor (right) chats with friends during the pre-concert reception.

Over 450 concertgoers enjoy refreshments while mingling before the June 1 concert.

8/26 – Concert Recap

Quintet Attacca (Jennifer Clippert, flute; Erica Anderson, oboe; Barbara Drapcho, clarinet; Collin Anderson, bassoon; and Jeremiah Frederick, horn) brought Rush Hour’s ninth season to a spectacular close with the charming and lively music of Brazilian composer Osvaldo Lacerda and Mexican composer Arturo Marquez in Summer Winds.

Nearly 400 people attended our season finale concert, and we extend our thanks to our entire audience of the 2008 season for their enthusiasm, engaged listening, and support.

While this is the last concert of our summer season, Rush Hour does not “hibernate” in the “winter season” — we hope you’ll continue to visit us here at rushhour.org and stay up-to-date on events, happenings, and recommendations for the “culturally curious” leading up to our 10th anniversary season in 2009.

Quintet Attacca in rehearsal

The ensemble discusses their future plans during a recording of Rush Hour Conversations

Audience members gather outside St. James Cathedral during the pre-concert reception

Artistic Director Deborah Sobol with Quintet Attacca

8/19 – Concert Recap

This Tuesday, Rush Hour audiences enjoyed a special concert event with Bruce J. Barber II, organ, in Organ 101: Back to Bach. In addition to hearing Bach’s magnificent works on St. James’ organ, Rush Hour audiences were able to see the physical complexity of Mr. Barber’s performance through the use of a live video feed from the organ gallery projected onto a large screen on the “stage” of the Cathedral.

Before the concert, concertgoers were treated to delicious colorful pastries provided by Austrian Bakery, located at 2523 N. Clark Street in Chicago.

We thank the Consulate General of Germany in Chicago for their generous partial sponsorship of Tuesday’s performance.

Austrian Bakery (2523 N. Clark Street in Chicago) provided the delicious pastries at the pre-concert reception

Madtown Media produced the video feed for Tuesday’s performance

Organist Bruce J. Barber II in rehearsal

The Cathedral was “standing room only” during the concert

Bruce Barber gives a tour of St. James’ historic organ after the concert to interested attendees

8/12 – Concert Recap

This week, Rush Hour welcomed Emily Lodine, mezzo-soprano, Capriccio (Donna Milanovich, flute, and Stephen Hartman, harp), and Elizabeth Start, ‘cello for a memorable concert event. The performance featured the poignant I Remember – Based on the Diary of Anne Frank (music by Michael Cohen, text by Enid Futterman), as well selections from Charles Lichter’s Four Hebrew Canons and Ernest Bloch’s From Jewish Life.

We would like to extend a special thank you to Trader Joe’s, who generously provided refreshments at Tuesday’s pre-concert reception.

Thank you, Trader Joe’s!

Donna Milanovich, flute, at the pre-concert reception

Stephen Hartman, harp

Elizabeth Start, ‘cello

Emily Lodine, mezzo-soprano

8/5 – Concert Recap

CINCO Brass Quintet (Guillaume Fortin and Dorival Puccini, trumpets; Anna Mayne, horn; Brian Risinger, trombone; and Jared Bulmer, tuba) joined Rush Hour this Tuesday to perform a diverse selection of repertoire in Brass Outings: Music of Giovanni Gabrieli, André Previn, and George Gershwin.

Jared Bulmer paused the performance after the Gabrieli Canzone per Sonare No. 1 “La Spiritata”, a piece arranged for brass quintet, to discuss the availability of repertoire for his ensemble. The following selection on the program, André Previn’s Four Outings for Brass, was the only piece on the program originally intended for the instruments present in performance. Anna Mayne spoke briefly before Selections From Porgy and Bess (George Gershwin, arr. Jack Gale) to discuss the popularity of the works’ melodies before ending the group’s stunning performance.

Artistic Director Deborah Sobol engages in a Rush Hour Conversation with the members of CINCO Brass Quintet before the performance

Jared Bulmer, tuba, in rehearsal

Dorival Puccini, trumpet and Anna Mayne, horn

Brian Risinger, trombone and Guillaume Fortin, trumpet

Fanfare Committee members Reba Levy and Eli Margulies
stand by the Cathedral doors to greet audience members

Rush Hour Board Secretary Anstiss Hammond Krueck, Norman Pellegrini,
Lady Valerie Solti, and Rush Hour Executive Director Megan Balderston

7/29 – Concert Recap

Third Coast Percussion members Owen Clayton Condon, Robert Dillon, Peter Martin, and David Skidmore dazzled Rush Hour audience members with a dynamic presentation of contemporary percussion music on Tuesday. Beginning with Nico Muhly’s arresting Ta and Clap, the quartet was joined by Constance Schoepflin, flute, for George Crumb’s An Idyll for the Misbegotten and ended with quartet member David Skidmore’s composition In Contact.

In addition to the unique musical presentation, concertgoers enjoyed refreshments generously provided by Trader Joe’s at the pre-concert reception.

Thank you, Trader Joe’s!

David Skidmore and Owen Clayton Condon rehearse before the concert

Robert Dillon and Peter Martin

The group rehearses framed by the stunning Cathedral interior

Owen Clayton Condon demonstrates different sounds for interested concertgoers

Managing Director Julie Hutchison with volunteer Chuck Hamilton

7/22 – Concert Recap

This week, Rush Hour was delighted to welcome Yang Wei, pipa, Brant Taylor, cello, and Artistic Director Deborah Sobol, piano, for their cross-cultural exploration of the works of European and Chinese composers. This “outside the box” program featured unique instrumentation in works of Bach, Beethoven, and Dvorak, as well as 2 pieces from or inspired by the Eastern tradition.

Audience members extended their experience of Chinese culture in the pre-concert reception with delicious egg-custard buns from Chiu Quon Bakery located at 1127 W. Argyle Street in Chicago.

We would like to thank the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Chicago for their partial sponsorship of Tuesday’s performance.

Consul Xinjie Li, Yang Wei, Executive Director Megan Balderston, Artistic Director Deborah Sobol, Consul Zongguang Guo, and Consul Haiquan Yang

Yang Wei, Brant Taylor, and Deborah Sobol in rehearsal

Artistic Director Deborah Sobol smiles with Advisory Committee member Margaret Bergan Davis and Drew Davis after the concert

Yang Wei

7/15 – Concert Recap

This week, we invited the Rush Hour audience to join acclaimed musicians Mathieu Dufour, flute, Karina Canellakis, violin, Yukiko Ogura, viola, and Kenneth Olsen, cello, for a stunning performance of chamber music from the Classical period in Eighteenth Century Virtuosity: Music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Franz Joseph Haydn.

Executive Director Megan Balderston prefaced the concert with a thank you to the Rush Hour volunteers who help “put together” the small details that make our weekly series unique, inviting new audience members to contribute their efforts to future performances. If you’re interested in volunteering with us, please email us at info@rushhour.org, call us at 773.338.9480, or talk with us at an upcoming concert.

Rush Hour would also like to thank the Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation for their generous partial sponsorship of Tuesday’s concert event.

Audience members enjoy the beautiful weather outside the Cathedral

Mathieu Dufour, Karina Canellakis, Yukiko Ogura, and Kenneth Olsen rehearse before the audience's arrival

Executive Director Megan Balderston, Kylie Weller, and Jerry Thomas Azhakathu smile during the pre-concert reception

Violist Yukiko Ogura in rehearsal