"For performers and audiences alike, Music in the Loft is an unforgettable experience. The intimacy, acoustics, impressive setting, and consistently high artistic standards all highlight the features of chamber music at its very best." ~ The Ying Quartet

Music in the Loft came into being in spring 1992 with a single series of five Sunday afternoon concerts. Featured on the first season was a young string quartet whose members had only recently completed their schooling and who were attempting to establish themselves professionally. They called themselves the Ying Quartet. Then, relatively few had heard of them. Today, they are a household name in classical music circles. Winners of such prestigious chamber music awards as the Naumburg and Coleman Chamber Music Awards, the Ying Quartet now performs around the world on five continents. They have been profiled in the New York Times, appeared on television’s most prestigious cultural programs, participated in the country’s major music festivals, and now serve on the faculty at the Eastman School of Music. Their story exemplifies the mission of Music in the Loft: to discover the most gifted of today’s young musicians, on the brink of major careers, and to provide them with performance opportunities in a major city in an intimate, nurturing, and acoustically superior setting.

A list of young artists who have performed at Music in the Loft at the start of their careers reads like a “Who’s Who of Chamber Music Today”: The Corigliano Quartet, winners of the Naumburg Chamber Music Award; the Pacifica Quartet, winners of the Naumburg Chamber Music Award; the Avalon Quartet, winners of the Fischoff, Coleman, and Carmel competitions; the Amelia Trio, who perform with Yo-Yo Ma in his Silk Road Project; pianist Adam Neiman, who a few years ago made his debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; Chu-Fang Huang, recent winner of the Cleveland Piano Competition and a finalist in the Van Cliburn Competition; the Biava Quartet, recent winners of the Naumburg Chamber Music Award; and Rachel Barton, one of today’s most sought-after soloists - to name a few.

The final concerts of the Music in the Loft series feature young award winners. These are gifted young musicians who are still students, but who have already won important competitions. They audition a year before their concert and in this way can work with their teacher towards this special event. Many of the students Music in the Loft has selected have been from the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra, Music Institute of Chicago or Midwest Young Artists, as well as from teachers who call Music in the Loft to suggest students.  In April of this year, 2008, Music in the Loft is holding its first competition for 10-17 year olds who are performing chamber music . The competition is
generously funded by Jules M. Laser and will take place at the Music Institute of Chicago.  First prize is $1000 and a live broadcast on WFMT and a concert at Music in the loft . Second prize will be $500.

In the fifteen years of its existence, Music in the Loft has doubled the number of its concerts, adding a second Friday/Saturday evening series in 1995. It has also tripled its audience. Its concerts now regularly play to capacity audiences (the capacity of the Loft
is 102), who come from Chicago, its northern and western suburbs, and as far south as Valparaiso. This striking growth in audience and general awareness has in large part been due to the outstanding publicity received from WFMT, the former WNIB, the Chicago Reader, the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago magazine, and on television. These outlets have taken the message of Music in the Loft to a much wider public, which has responded and voted with their repeat attendance.

In 1998, Music in the Loft added a secondary mission to its core goal of presenting the best in young chamber music performers: that of spotlighting outstanding young composers, giving them opportunities to have their works performed, as well as commissioning new works.

As its first composer-in-residence, Music in the Loft chose Ricardo Lorenz.  Three
of his works were performed during the 1998/99 season along with a new work
Music in the Loft commissioned for the Pacifica Quartet and percussionist Yousif
Sheronick.  Under close consultation with Ricardo Lorenz, Music in the Loft organized
a retrospective of 20th-Century music in December 1999 at the residence of Chicago entrepreneur Jerry Kleiner.  This became the first in a series of Kleiner Benefit Concerts.
For this retrospective Music in the Loft commissioned Ricardo Lorenz and Lita Grier to write what it called “postcards to the next millennium.”

For the 2002-2003 season, Music in the Loft chose Carter Pann as composer-in-residence, and five of his works were performed throughout the season, one at each series concert, including a world premiere commissioned by Music in the Loft for the Amelia Trio.

The 2003-2004 composer-in-residence was Pierre Jalbert, a professor of composition at Rice University. Music in the Loft commissioned a piece for saxophone set to former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins’s “The Invention of the Saxophone.” WFMT Vice President Steve Robinson narrated the premiere of this work.

In 2004-2005 Stacy Garrop, a faculty member at Roosevelt University, was composer-in-residence. The Enso Quartet performed her first string quartet. Pianist Anthony Padilla performed Stacy Garrop’s Tango; the Lincoln Trio with clarinetist Wagner Campos performed Little Bits, and Music in the Loft commissioned a second string quartet, which was performed by the Biava Quartet (winner of the Naumburg Chamber Music Award) and premiered at Yale University on November 8, 2005.

In 2005-2006, Music in the Loft chose Vivian Fung - a faculty member at Juilliard - as composer-in-residence and commissioned her to write a quartet in memory of Ted Shen, former music critic of the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Reader. This work was premiered in 2005 by the Maia String Quartet and John Bruce Yeh, clarinet.  In January
2006, harpist Nuiko Wadden premiered a newly commissioned work by former composer-in-residence Pierre Jalbert.

The 2006-2007 season celebrated the achievements of some of Music in the Loft’s former composers-in-residence. The Biava String Quartet performed Stacy Garrop’s quartet and David Ying and Elinor Freer performed Carter Pann’s Differences for Cello and Piano. Additionally, Music in the Loft commissioned a new quintet by Ricardo Lorenz for the Pacifica Quartet and guitarist Rami Vamos that had its premier in November 2006. In January 2007, the Lincoln Trio performed Pierre Jalbert’s Trio, and our Young Award Winners concert featured the BAM Piano Quartet and Rebecca Brown, guitarist.

In 2007/08 Music in the Loft chose Zhou Tian, a young Juilliard student from Shanghai as its composer-in-residence.  The Biava Quartet played his first quartet and Music in the Loft commissioned a piece for the Jupiter Quartet and his trio was performed by the Jupiter Trio.

Matthew Tomassini is our composer-in-residence this coming season 2008/09

It is very satisfying to note that these commissioned works have a life outside of Music in the Loft and are being played at other venues. The Biava Quartet has added Stacy Garrop’s quartet to their repertoire, the Pacifica Quartet has been performing Ricardo Lorenz’s quartet, and the saxophone piece by Pierre Jalbert was recently performed in Houston.

Cedille Records approached Music in the Loft to make a Composer-in the Loft CD.
Five of our composers-in-residence and a number of  outstanding musicians performing
their works are on this remarkable CD which became available in Sept. of 2007.  Strad
magazine said “it is a treasure trove.”

Another project Music in the Loft will be doing with Cedille is the Billy Collins Suite.
Music in the Loft commissioned 5 composers to write works set to a number of Billy Collins poems.  The instruments will include, violin, harp, clarinet, flute, piano and cello
as well as voice and narration with Steve Robinson of WFMT.  The Billy Collins Suite will first be presented at  Music in the Loft’s annual Kleiner Benefit to be held at Lyon & Healy on May 4, 2008.  Recording sessions will follow over the next days and weeks.

 Along with the series concerts, Music in the Loft has from the beginning also offered Single Special Programs.

Music in the Loft presented  a Valentine Day’s Concert on Sunday, February 11, 2008
with Wendy Warner, cello and Irina Nuzova, piano.  This was held at the Music Institute
of Chicago. 

Music in the Loft once again will have its annual jazz concert on Saturday evening on September 13th, 2009 featuring the notable pianist Miguel de la Cerna, Harrison Bankhead, bass and Ernie Adams, percussion.

In alternative years Music in the Loft has presented the winners of the Sphinx String Competition at a free concert also at the Cultural Center.  So far we are the only organization to bring the Sphinx winners here.  Next season we will have Elena Uroiste, violin and winner of the 2007 Sphinx Competition perform in the Loft in October of 2008.

John Von Rhein wrote of these diverse programs “Music in the Loft is an invaluable chamber music series which does much to advance the careers of important young musicians.” Andrew Patner declared on WFMT: “Music in the Loft is probably the premiere presenter of young artists in Chicago.” 

Music in the Loft is honored by the place it has earned in Chicago’s musical life.  With
the continued help of donors including the NIB Foundation, the Illinois Arts Council, the
Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation, the Irving Harris Foundation, , and the Alvin H. Baum Family Fund - along with contributions from the audience and a dedicated Board of Directors - it pledges to uphold the standards it has established, continuing to expand the scope of its unique contribution to music in Chicago.   

Fredda Hyman
Founder, Artistic and Executive Director

Updated: April 3, 2008