This post was submitted by Ben K.

As I’ve written before, one of the great things about living in Chicago is the diverse nature and great wealth of arts and culture here.  The Chicago Sinfonietta is another of the excellent organizations dotting the Chicago cultural landscape.

Founded in 1987 by music director Paul Freeman, the Sinfonietta was created on a principle of inclusion and diversity in a genre of musical performance that typically wasn’t overflowing with minorities.  Now, according to the Sinfonietta “over fifty-five percent of the Sinfonietta’s musicians, fifty-six percent of its Board of Directors, and forty-two percent of the staff are people of color; subsequently, forty-six percent of the audience is people of color.”

In addition, the Sinfonietta offers outreach programs to bring classical music to elementary and high-school students, laying the groundwork for future generations of classical music practitioners and enthusiasts.  In addition, their Project Inclusion program provides fellowships to upcoming and talented musicians of color.  Through these programs and their performances, they’ve consistently displayed that they are not only a top-notch cultural organization, but also one that is making an impact.  Indeed, they are a model for organizations around the country looking to make a real difference in their community, while offering the best in their artistic discipline.

It was with great pleasure that on March 29 I went to see the Sinfonietta perform at Symphony Center (home of the big dog in town, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra) in their program “Las Américas,” to be conducted by rising star Alondra de la Parra.  Ms. de la Parra has been causing a stir in the classical world for her energetic conducting skills and quick rise to popularity.   And in classical music, a scene typically thought of as tired and stuffy, it is clear to see why she has made such a splash. She is a woman,  she is from Mexico City and she is only 29 years old.

Moving to New York City after high school, she founded the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas in response to what she perceived as a need for new outlets for young musicians.  Audacity mixed with tenacity can prove to some amazing results, and Ms. de la Parra is much more than a great story, She is a true talent, and boy did she deliver with the Sinfonietta.

It certainly helps that she has a flair for fashion, appearance, and personality.  It is impossible not to enjoy watching her conduct as she drives the musicians forward.  She walked out on the stage in a perfectly tailored women’s tuxedo with tattered and bustling tails and a ruffled white shirt at the neck and sleeves; hair slicked and pulled back; makeup perfect.  My friend leaned over to me and exclaimed that favorite of gay adjectives: “Fierce.”

And she was fierce as ever, in both appearance and performance.  The first half of the concert consisted of two pieces, Astor Piazzolla‘s Tangazo and Arturo Márquez‘s Espejos en la Arena, both fast-paced and rhythmic.  To watch Ms. de la Parra as she smiled and pushed the Sinfonietta forward through a mix of unique use of instruments and traditional playing was a joy.  The cellist Tony Rymer joined the stage for Espejoes en la Arena, a beautiful call and answer piece between the cello and the full orchestra, to which Rymer answered with perfect intensity.

Alondra de la Parra is the real thing.  I encourage you to go to her website to find out more information at www.alondradelaparra.com, and where you may get to see her perform next, as  I assure you she is so in demand that she has quite the busy schedule.  Also you can follow her on Twitter.

Next up for the Chicago Sinfonietta is the “Harlem Renaissance” on May 16 at Dominican University in River Forest, Il, and May 17 in Orchestra Hall at Symphony Center in Chicago.  Featuring the Harlem Quartet, an all-Black and Latino ensemble, along with the Sinfonietta, the concert will highlight works from Mozart, Brahms, Abels, and Kodály.  You won’t be disappointed.

Learn more about the Chicago Sinfonietta at www.chicagosinfonietta.org. You can also follow them on Twitter as well.

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