Martin Theatre at Ravinia Classical Concerts

Ravinia is grateful for the support ofRavinia Women’s BoardPremier SponsorA Grammy winner and Musical America Instrumentalist of the Year, Augustin Hadelich returns to “revel in [his] myriad ways of making a phrase come alive on the violin” (Washington Post), fusing Baroque and blues forms in works at the pinnacle of solo music, from Bach and Telemann to Paganini and Ysaÿe to Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson.One of the great violinists of our time, Hadelich is known for his phenomenal technique, insightful and persuasive interpretations, and ravishing tone. Over the past two decades, he has appeared extensively on the world’s foremost concert stages, including the Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic, and many other eminent ensembles.In this recital, Hadelich explores the remarkable expressive range of the solo violin across centuries and traditions. The program opens with the elegant inventiveness of Georg Philipp Telemann before turning to the blues-inflected sound world of Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, whose Louisiana Blues Strut and Blue/s Forms fuse Baroque gestures with the rhythms and spirit of American vernacular music. Virtuosic works by Eugène Ysaÿe and Nicolò Paganini showcase the instrument at its most dazzling, culminating in one of the towering monuments of the repertoire: Johann Sebastian Bach’s Partita No. 2 in D minor, ending with the monumental Chaconne.In the hands of one of today’s most compelling violinists, this journey from Baroque elegance to American blues and Romantic virtuosity reveals the extraordinary expressive possibilities of a single instrument.

The GRAMMY® Award–winning vocal ensemble Chanticleer is known around the world as “an orchestra of voices,” celebrated for its wide-ranging repertoire and dazzling virtuosity. Founded in San Francisco in 1978 by singer and musicologist Louis Botto, Chanticleer quickly became one of the world’s most prolific recording and touring ensembles. The group has sold more than one million recordings and performed thousands of concerts for audiences across the globe. As The New York Times writes, “These men are phenomenal: as fresh as a blade of grass, tightly focused and keenly expressive.”This summer, the ensemble celebrates America’s 250th anniversary of independence with Our American Journey, a program highlighting the diverse voices, songs, harmonies, and rhythms that shape the nation’s shared musical heritage. At the heart of the program is a new commission by composer Trevor Weston, exploring the connections between traditional American hymnody and African American spirituals. Other repertoire traces the evolution of American choral traditions—from Black gospel quartets and shape-note singing to barbershop harmony and vocal jazz.The program also features settings of traditional American bluegrass tunes and beloved folk songs such as “Calling My Children Home” and “Shenandoah,” alongside arrangements of contemporary classics including Queen’s “Somebody to Love” and “Home” from The Wiz.The program revisits Chanticleer’s 2002 album Our American Journey, which was inducted into the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress in April 2025. Building on that recording, the ensemble continues the voyage, exploring how many distinct musical voices have shaped—and continue to shape—America’s choral tradition.