The Music Institute of Chicago opens its concert home to family homes worldwide through the presentation of “Live from Nichols Concert Hall,” a free chamber music series April 11–May 2 streamed live from its historic Nichols Concert Hall. This series is part of the Music Institute’s 90th anniversary year, which celebrates innovation, access, and excellence in music education, service to the community, and music performance. For information and link to livestream, visit
musicinst.org/nch-live.
Sunday, April 18, 3pm | Claire Aebersold and Ralph Neiweem
Celebrating 40 years as a piano duo, Music Institute artists in residence and faculty members Claire Aebersold and Ralph Neiweem enjoy an international career as proponents of music for both piano duet and two keyboards. They have appeared with orchestras internationally, including the Chicago Philharmonic and the Vienna Tonkünstler, and performed in recitals throughout the U.S. and Europe. They have commissioned significant new works for the piano duo, including pieces by Joseph Turrin and Patrick Byers. The duo’s CDs on the Summit label include Four Hand Reflections and music of Brahms and Schubert. They are founders of the Music Institute’s Chicago Duo Piano Festival and the Chicago International Duo Piano Competition.
Sunday, April 25, 3pm | Third Coast Percussion
Third Coast Percussion is a Grammy Award-winning, Chicago-based percussion quartet. For 15 years, the ensemble has created exciting and unexpected performances that constantly redefine the classical music experience. Third Coast Percussion maintains a busy tour schedule, with past performances in 35 of the 50 states and Washington, D.C., plus international tour dates in Canada, Colombia, Hong Kong, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.
Sunday, May 2, 3pm | Chen String Quartet
CSO Concertmaster Robert Chen and his wife, Laura Park Chen, on violin and their children Beatrice Chen on viola and Noah Chen on cello, have been playing together for six years. Committed to community outreach, they regularly play at Chicago-area retirement homes and hospitals. Robert Chen has been concertmaster of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 1999. Laura Chen is a former member of the first violin section of both Lyric Opera and Grant Park Symphony. Beatrice Chen is a viola student at the Curtis Institute of Music. Noah Chen is a student of Clara Kim at Juilliard Pre-College.
