Nichols Concert Hall Series

NICHOLS CONCERT HALL | 1490 CHICAGO AVENUE, EVANSTON

Welcome to beautiful and historic Nichols Concert Hall! The 2022-2023 season features an amazing diversity of artists performing classical, jazz, and gospel music designed to connect with every part of our community.  With excellence as a common thread, the Nichols Concert Hall experience is vibrant and rich in musical traditions, truly something for everyone!

 
Unless otherwise noted, tickets are:

  VIP seating: $50 | In advance/Livestream: $25 | At the door:$30

Questions?  Please contact the box office at 847.448.8326

CUARTETO LATINOAMERICANO 

Saturday, October 15 » 7:30 PM

The world-renowned Cuarteto Latinoamericano showcases classical works from Central and South America, including a quartet by Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos. Celebrating 40 years as an ensemble, the Latin Grammy Award-winning string quartet is recognized for premiering more than 100 new pieces and championing neglected musical gems by underrepresented composers. This concert is presented in partnership with the International Latino Cultural Center of Chicago. 

PLUS! Don't miss a special free, public master class on the string quartets of Heitor Villa-Lobos at 4 PM.

TAMMY MCCANN: YES, MAHALIA! 

Saturday, October 29 » 7:30 PM

Chicago jazz favorite and Music Institute Artist-in-Residence Tammy McCann pays homage to gospel pioneer and Chicago legend Mahalia Jackson. “Yes, Mahalia!” is a fresh and soulful re-imagining of Jackson’s music that captures the synergy of her unique sound and pairs it with the sonic power of big-band jazz.

MATTHEW HAGLE: BRAHMS AND HIS CONTEMPORARIES

Saturday, November 5 » 7:30 PM

Pianist Matthew Hagle presents a program inspired by the Op.118 piano pieces of Johannes Brahms.  Described as a "sensitive pianist" by the New York Times and praised for the “rare clarity and sweetness” of his playing by Clavier Magazine, Hagle is a favorite of WFMT listeners and frequent collaborator with CSO musicians.  A Music Institute faculty member and alumnus, Hagle has appeared in concert internationally and throughout the United States.

 "DUKE IT OUT!" NUTCRACKER 

Saturday, December 10 » 2 PM

This unique Nutcracker performance pits the classical (Tchaikovsky) and jazz (Duke Ellington/Billy Strayhorn) versions of the holiday favorite in a spectacular side-by-side showdown. Curated by Dance Chicago, the program features members of Axiom Brass and Music Institute of Chicago Ensemble-in Residence, Quintet Attacca. The performance is a family-friendly 60 minutes. 

General Admission Tickets: $10

 DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. CELEBRATION
Sunday, January 15 » 3 PM  Free Concert!

Co-curated by Tim Rhoze, artistic director of Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre and the Music Institute of Chicago,  scholarship students from the Music Institute, Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative, and Ravinia’s Reach Teach Play program join with Evanston musicians and actors for this annual tribute celebration. Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss will deliver remarks about Evanston’s groundbreaking reparations initiative.  

Reverón Piano Trio | Friday, February 17 » 7:30 PM

The Reverón Trio, co-curator of the Music Institute’s Latin-American programs, returns to Nichols Concert Hall for a second season to shine a spotlight on classical music by Latin-American composers, including a program featuring Villa-Lobos’ Piano Trío No. 1. This trio of virtuoso musicians, originally from Venezuela, has emerged as a leading advocate for the music of Latin-American composers through their performances, research, and composer commissions. 

 MARCUS ROBERT TRIO: RHYTHM 'N BLUE

Saturday, April 15 » 7:30 PM

Jazz returns to Nichols Concert Hall with the celebrated Marcus Roberts Trio. Recognized for their virtuosic style and an a new approach to jazz trio performance that features each trio member equally, the trio has developed a reputation for having almost telepathic onstage communication, lightning-fast musical reflexes, and musical imagination.  

CELEBRATING MUSIC INSTITUTE
OF CHICAGO LUMINARIES

Inna Faliks with the Academy Orchestra
Marta Aznavoorian with Quintet Attacca

Saturday, May 6 » 7:30 PM

Celebrate over 90 years of excellence in teaching and performance with the Music Institute of Chicago. The program features MIC alumnae pianists Inna Faliks and Marta Aznavoorian, Quintet Attacca, and the award-winning musicians of the Music Institute’s Academy Orchestra. Works include Mozart's Piano Concerto in D Minor, KV 466, and the Piano Quintet in E-flat Major, KV 452, as well as Brasileiras No. 5 by Heitor Villa-Lobos, the focus of the Music Institute’s One Composer, One Community program.