Nichols Concert Hall
My view of 2019 included plenty of great music from all over Chicago, especially my photographer debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. I braved the polar vortex along Lake Michigan and gazed at the night sky in far west Texas. And right in the middle of all of it, I stepped in front of the camera to ask Bridget a very important question. Wishing you joy and beauty in 2020!
January: My visit with a snowy owl on Northerly Island.
January: the polar vortex gripped the city, so I went outside.
February: the Lunar New Year parade winds through Millennium Park.
March: Punditry in all its glory at the Spertus Institute.
April: Gauthier Dance Company at the Harris Theater, mixing it up with the audience.
May: The Chicago Children’s Choir painting the town red in Millennium Park.
May: David Finckel and Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center at Harris Theater.
May: Marc-André Hamelin in recital against a spring sunset at Northwestern.
May: Jane Glover and Music of the Baroque opening its Musical Feast Gala.
June: My exhibit of jazz photography extends through the summer at PurePoint Financial.
July: the Bitter Jester Music Festival rocking out under Fourth of July fireworks.
July: after a 4-hour photo shoot, I ask Bridget to marry me and she says yes!
August: Kurt Elling belts it out at the Green Mill.
September: Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg addresses an adoring audience at the 30th Anniversary Gala for Cedille Records.
September: Music of the Baroque opens its 49th season.
September: Third Coast Baroque opens its season at Nichols Concert Hall.
October: The Chicago Children’s Choir concludes another record-breaking Red Jacket Optional gala.
October: Scott Speck and the Chicago Philharmonic open their 30th season - my 6th as their photographer.
October: Fourth Coast Ensemble sings to a packed room at the Logan Center.
October: Vladimir Kulenovic leads the Lake Forest Symphony.
October: Victor Yampolsky leads the Northwestern Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in Beethoven’s Ninth.
October: Wu Man gives a wide-ranging recital on the pipa at the University of Chicago.
November: I make my debut covering the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as Maestro Riccardo Muti honors Acting Principal Horn Daniel Gingrich.
November: Wynton Marsalis drops some wisdom in the schools during the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra’s weekend residency in Chicago,
November: the Marcus Roberts Trio joins the Chicago Philharmonic for one killer rendition of Gerswhin’s Piano Concerto in F.
November: bonus shot of Marcus Roberts.
November: the Pleiades Cluster (right) and a billion other stars, appear above Big Bend National Park.
November: a magical sky on the border above the Rio Grande and Santa Elena Canyon, Big Bend National Park.
December: Ashley Bryan (96) celebrates the release of his memoir, Infinite Hope, at the Univ of Pennsylvania.
Spring has come and gone, and I spent most of it among wonderful artists and beautiful moments. Here's a sample of everything I saw:
The Chicago Children's Choir singing their hearts out in grand spaces. Galas for Bella Voce and Music of the Baroque. A beautiful spring evening on stage at Millennium Park. A surprise proposal and engagement tomfoolery. The Chicago Philharmonic's Scott Speck puts on the conducting gloves. Lots of portraits of lovely and talented artists. And the best rooftop view a photographer could ask for.
All photos © copyright 2018 by Elliot Mandel. All rights reserved.
Chicago Children’s Choir at Navy Pier.
Patrice Michaels and Kuang-Hao Huang for Cedille Records.
Bella Voce Gala at the Museum of Contemporary Art.
Pianist Shannon McGinnis.
Scott Speck’s entrance before leading the Chicago Philharmonic’s season finale.
Chicago Children’s Choir in Millennium Park.
Composer/conductor/bassoonist Steve Ingle.
Audio/video engineer Aaron Gottl.
Nicole Cabell and Craig Terry for Harris Theater’s “Beyond the Aria.”
“Beyond the Aria” overlooking Millennium Park.
Jamie surprises Erica after a run with a ring.
She said yes.
Engagement session with Kristi and Greg in Lincoln Park.
Engagement silliness.
The Zukerman Trio at the Music Institute of Chicago.
Jane Glover toasts the crowd at Music of the Baroque’s gala.
Back for chamber music at St. James Cathedral for the International Music Foundation.
The view from the roof after a storm.
Photographing a concert of Bach music makes me a happy boy, so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to shoot the opening concert of the Bach Week Festival at Nichols Concert Hall in Evanston last week. A beautifully varied program began with Desiree Ruhstrat and Mathias Tacke playing the Double Violin Concerto, followed by the Cantata No. 82 with bass Douglas Anderson. Brandenburg Concertos 2 and 5 closed the concert before a post-concert candlelight performance of early music with Mirja Lorenz (recorder) and Joel Spears (theorbo).
All photos © Copyright 2015 by Elliot Mandel. All rights reserved.
Violin soloists Desirée Ruhstrat and Mathias Tacke
Violinists Desirée Ruhstrat and Mathias Tacke, and cellist David Cunliffe
Harpsichordist Jason Moy, cellist David Cunliffe, bassist Collins Trier
Bass Douglas Anderson with Jason Moy, David Cunliffe, and Collins Trier
Conductor Richard Webster and Douglas Anderson
Bach Week Festival Orchestra in Nichols Hall
Violinist Renée-Paule Gauthier, flutist John Thorne, oboist Judith Kulb, with Jason Moy and David Cunliffe
Flutist John Thorne and violinist Stefan Hersh with Jason Moy
Mirja Lorenz (recorder) and Joel Spears (theorbo) perform early Baroque music by candlelight.
Joel Spears plays the prelude to Bach's Suite No. 3 for Cello on the theorbo.
Mirja Lorenz and Joel Spears from above
Some scenes from the Chicago Philharmonic's Valentine's Day weekend concert at Nichols Concert Hall, including a performance by Visceral Dance Chicago and Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante with violinist David Perry and violist Carol Cook. Conductor Scott Speck led the Philharmonic through an energetic program ending with Strauss's Champagne Polka; a champagne toast finished off a beautiful afternoon.
