Academy 20th Anniversary Celebration Concert

The Music Institute of Chicago’s Academy, a nationally recognized pre-college conservatory program for gifted high school pianists and string players, kicks off its 20th anniversary with a performance by the Academy Orchestra and special guest Academy alumni.

Conducted by Academy Director James Setapen, the celebration brings together performances from among the more than 300 current and former students, including members of the 2018 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition Junior Division Gold Medal-winning Kairos String Quartet (Joshua Brown and Thompson Wang, violins, and Lydia Rhea, cello, along with Academy alum Vivian Van de Sype Cucu, viola); violinist Karisa Chiu; and cellist Alexander Hersh. The concert concludes with current and former Academy members joining together to perform Beethoven’s spectacular 7th Symphony. 

 Come join us to honor 20 years of the Music Institute's Academy, celebrate this year's Academy graduating seniors, and enjoy music by Mendelssohn, Saint-Saëns, Dvořák, and Beethoven.

The Academy has provided a comprehensive musical education for those who aspire to professional careers for nearly 20 years. With the goal of creating musicians for the 21st century, the Academy provides gifted students with the tools, knowledge, and inspiration to be leaders in classical music performance and education. Academy alumni consistently become successful ambassadors for music, excelling as solo artists, chamber musicians, orchestra members, and educators.