Chicago Stories
Chicago Stories tells the stories of our neighbors and our city through new music.
In January of every year we invite three composers to write new works for us. We ask them to get to know Chicagoans and Chicago communities. Then, collaborating with our performers - who play really unique and awesome instruments! - they develop all new music based on those stories and interactions. We don't get in the way of the creative process. Our composers have total freedom to select their content, to create songs with words or purely instrumental pieces, and to select what instruments are used. The result is a Chicago-centric story set to powerful music that honors our neighbors and our city.
Eric Malmquist interviews Iman for his new work. Eric interviewed members of the Assyrian refugee community for his new work, Two Assyrian Songs.
Anna Steinhoff, Laura Osterlund, Brandi Berry Benson, Thomas Alaan, an Eric Malmquist collaborate on the interpretation of Two Assyrian Songs.
Laura Osterlund and Thomas Alaan perform I. Iman from Two Assyrian Songs. The movement tells the story of Iman as she escaped from Iraq in the 1980s.
Chicago Stories Projects
Chicago Stories: Book Two
Den Theatre // October 7, 2017 @ 7:00 PM
Armour Square Park // October 6 @ 6:30 PM
Loyola Park // September 29 @ 6:30 PM
The Great Migration - Regina Harris Baiocchi
Stories of the Bloomingdale Trail - Ronnie Kuller
The Swedes in Chicago - Kurt Westerberg
Chicago Stories: Book One
October 14 & 15, 2017
Solo! and Two Songs - Amos Gillespie
Yes. and Really - Heidi Joosten
Two Assyrian Songs - Eric Malmquist