grant park concerts annual week classical music concert series held chicago illinois usa features grant park chorus featured guest performers festival earned non profit organization status claims nation free outdoor classical music series chicago tradition chicago mayor suggested free concerts lift spirits great depression tradition symphonic grant park music festival concerts began festival housed millennium park section loop community area chicago season festival moved season festival occasion festival held harris theater instead held music shell festival began music shell located original location moved relocated time festival financial supporters primary locations change festival times nationally broadcast consistently enjoyed efforts world leading classical musicians recently festival organizers agreed release concerts public compact disk recordings funding originally series completely funded responsible performer concert advertising marketing administered orchestra auditions coordinated scheduling season list guest artists advertising costs printed media designed graphic designers funded tradition posters buses chicago trains stations field houses continued relief funding ended evolved coordinate fund raising festival coordinated general marketing membership program hosting fund raising events selling festival supplemented funding million range festival staff discontinued relationship resumed responsibility sole marketing fund raising department end 1990s festival recognized non profit organization developed ties relationship city department taking charge administrative duties festival featured grammy nominated grant park symphony orchestra chorus sponsored park district provides half operating costs contributes logistical support remaining funding come variety private sources including foundations corporations thousands individual patrons park district pays salaries principal conductor chorus director members orchestra grant park chorus festival receives grants broadcast fees million total festival million budget covered raised private philanthropy money finances guest major collaborations history concert occurred completion original july march past national_broadcasting_company nbc cbs broadcast free concerts summer boasted attendance approximately million concerts single concert attendance record set lily concert shared stage husband described largest audience career estimated drawn current attendance approximately thirty annual concerts estimated thousand total free festival picnic like atmosphere 1930s concerts presented national radio broadcasts dozens radio stations addition lifting spirits able provide musicians living wage minimum wage hour musicians paid today hour concert early years 1940s performed festival festival developed professional grant park symphony orchestra began nationally syndicated live festival resident conductor served role scheduling grant park music festival appearance actual july appearance won moscow april international fame winning world elite music competitions result greeted celebration included tape parade michigan avenue grant park music festival appearance major event 1960s festival took adventurous direction featuring works likes highlighted schedule new direction leader newly formed grant park chorus directed death festival introduced interactive daytime young people concerts led times youth audience members gordon introduced opera concert festival 1970s saw declining attendance festival derived popularity sing television regular conductor largest draws concert manager served 1980s festival earned reputation performing works american musical composers focused living american composers 1980s saw host elite principal 1990s saw wide ranging performances russian opera prince narration bat orchestral accompaniment championship celebrations celebrated return visit season visit attendance figures estimates exceeding officially served principal conductor festival took elaborate search yield successor festival reached agreement record produced cds decade boston landmarks orchestra founded purpose providing free summer concert series boston claims provide annual free summer music series july festival moved state art pavilion shares space regular world music series music borders jazz series chicago variety annual performances chicago chicago symphony orchestra nonetheless festival remains core summer program wednesday friday saturday evening performances weeks heart summer end grant park music festival season august festival grant park orchestra presented winning composer adams written request honor victims september attacks celebrated anniversary collaboration festival decade festival hosted innovative array talents chinese player player portuguese singer cuban classical jazz rivera hungarian mediterranean singer performances performance schedule includes consecutive weeks performances wednesday friday saturday mid june mid august currently performances usually begin wednesday friday saturday band shell seats reserved subscribers seats released public minutes performance lawn seating free commonly adorned blankets families hosts occasional grant park music festival events orchestra chorus open rehearsals performance season sessions usually running approximately festival represented staff trained guides called field questions provide educational talks rehearsals rehearsals programs available 1930s concerts lured prominent performers world conductor pianist 1940s saw broad spectrum performers including soprano actor singer performers included claire beginning 1950s chicago mayor greeted opening night crowds nearly year year tenure performers 1950s tenor 1960s upheld tradition diverse audiences performers conductor tenor soprano host dance companies spanish dance company performed works 1970s festival hosted soprano vocalist dancers featured included aaron dancer soprano appearances 1980s featured performers included quartet bass soprano harmonica player included performers 1990s included soprano conductor led works father soprano new millennium decade festival welcomed battle dawn tenor pianist vocalists maria del rock band performers include pianist soprano soprano performed festival principal conductor guests season included chorus performing works composers 2010s included scheduled grant park screening bbc nature documentary planet earth live july live orchestral accompaniment featuring score time composer served conductor reception describes festival city greatest notes series popular special editions notes festival continuing uphold depression era mission lifting hearts suggests arrive festival hour early good lawn seats notes afternoon rehearsals good substitute evening performances
Grant Park Music Festival