In Saturday’s (3/21) Chicago Sun Times, Andrew Patner writes, “The Chicago Sinfonietta, a pillar of Chicago’s classical music scene and the American orchestra with the greatest diversity among its players, is launching an international search for a successor to its founder and music director, Paul Freeman. Freeman, 73, launched the Sinfonietta in 1987 to bring together twin goals of diversity and musical excellence that he had focused on since his early years as one of the few African-American symphony orchestra conductors. The group draws a large and varied audience to its regular series of eclectic programming at both Orchestra Hall and Dominican University in River Forest. The Sinfonietta, with an annual budget of about $2.7 million, also is the official orchestra of the Joffrey Ballet at the Auditorium Theatre. … A search committee of board members, Sinfonietta executive director Jim Hirsch and outside music consultant Evans Mirageas will look for a new musical leader. Four musicians and other board members will serve on an advisory committee. Hirsch said Friday that he hoped ‘we can identify someone by early 2011 and have that person take things on with the 2011-12 season.’ ”
Posted March 23, 2009
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