Welcome to our 25th Season!

by rcochicago

Please join us for the first concert of our 25th season — we have a season of firsts and familiar favorites planned for you!

First this season is our annual Halloween celebration — featuring a world premier performance of a piece commissioned by the RCO. As always, our Halloween concert is immersive – everyone will be in costume and we encourage you to join in the fun! Or, bring a treat to share during the post-concert trick-or-treat reception.

Date: Sunday October 25, 2026

Time: 4 p.m.

Location: Queen of Angels Church at Queen of Apostles Parish, 2330 W Sunnyside Ave, Chicago, IL 60625

Program:

Malcolm Arnold: Tam O’Shanter, Op. 51

Jean Sibelius: Swan of Tuonela from the Lemminkainen Suite No. 3, Op 22

Gillian Rae Perry: A Ghost Story, A Love Story

World Premiere, Commissioned by the Ravenswood Community Orchestra

Selim Palmgren: Aus Finnland, Op. 24

Edvard Grieg: Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46,

Movement 4: Tanz in der Halle des Bergkonigs

General Info:

— Concerts are free to attend, but consider a cash donation at the door

— Please stay for a post-concert reception with the musicians and RCO fans

— Street parking is available and there is a parking lot on the northwest corner of Sunnyside and Western. 

Accessibility information: The concert will take place in the lower level of the Queen of Apostles Church. There are three steps up to the building, and ten stairs down to the lower level. There is a ramp on the exterior and an elevator/lift down to the lower level. Please ask if you need assistance. There are bathrooms on the lower level as well.

A note for all concertgoers: We are thrilled to have you—and music lovers of all ages—with us in the hall. To help us create the best possible environment for our musicians and your fellow audience members, please take a moment to review a few guidelines before the music begins:

Silence all electronics: Please completely turn off or silence your cell phones, watches, and other devices.

Remain seated during the music: To minimize visual distractions, please stay in your seat while the orchestra is performing. If you must leave, please wait until intermission or a designated pause between pieces.

A note for families: We love welcoming children to our concerts! We kindly ask parents and guardians to ensure that little ones remain safely in their seats during the music. Even small movements near the stage or aisles can catch the eye of our performers and disrupt their concentration.

Thank you for your cooperation and for supporting live orchestral music. Enjoy the show!

Thank you! Stay Tuned for Big Things for our 25th Anniversary Season!

by rcochicago

Thank you to everyone who devoted countless hours to practicing for this season’s concerts! And, thank you to all of our audience members who attended our concerts and made contributions — we appreciate all of the support you’ve given us this season — financial and otherwise!

2026-2027 will be the RCO’s 25th Anniversary Season! Stay in touch with us via this website, facebook or instagram for special announcements coming!

Do you have a suggestion or idea for the RCO? Is there a special piece of music you’d like to hear, or a place where you think we should play or rehearse? Please fill out the quick survey here to give us your thoughts — all ideas are welcome!

Season Finale! Sibelius, Satie and Granados

by rcochicago

Sibelius: Symphony No. 1

Satie: Gymnopedie Nos 1 & 3, arranged by Debussy

Granados arr. Langey: Intermezzo from Goyescas

Please enjoy the video of our concert on May 17, 2026:

General Info:

— Concerts are free to attend, but consider a cash donation at the door

— Please stay for a post-concert reception with the musicians and RCO fans

— Street parking is available and there is a parking lot on the northwest corner of Sunnyside and Western. 

Accessibility information: The concert will take place in the lower level of the Queen of Apostles Church. There are three steps up to the building, and ten stairs down to the lower level. There is a ramp on the exterior and an elevator/lift down to the lower level. Please ask if you need assistance. There are bathrooms on the lower level as well.

Thank you for your support of the RCO!

Heroism, Chaos, and Creation

by rcochicago

Thank you to everyone who attended our adventure into early music! Please enjoy this video of the concert, and we’ll see you next time!

Please join us for our adventure into the world of Baroque music! For this program, the RCO collaborated with the Bach + Beethoven Experience. The BBE ensemble, under the direction of Brandi Berry Benson, worked with Principal Conductor Eli Chen and Music Director Richard Corrigan to develop the program and choose the music. Then, Brandi and fellow BBE ensemble members conducted sectional rehearsals with RCO members, sat in on full orchestra rehearsals and provided guidance and resources on Baroque music performance practices.

The RCO is grateful to BBE for their collaboration and support. Please consider making a donation to BBE to help support this work. The link to make a donation is here, or you can zelle or paypal to bbe@bbexperience.org

Sunday, March 8, 2026, 4 p.m.

Queen of Angels Church, 2330 W. Sunnyside, Chicago, IL

Program:

Byrd: Battell Suite

Telemann: Burlesque de Quixotte

Rebel: Les Elemens

General Info:

— Concerts are free to attend, but consider a cash donation at the door

— Please stay for a post-concert reception with the musicians and RCO fans

— Street parking is available and there is a parking lot on the northwest corner of Sunnyside and Western. 

Accessibility information: The concert will take place in the lower level of the Queen of Apostles Church. There are three steps up to the building, and ten stairs down to the lower level. There is a ramp on the exterior and an elevator/lift down to the lower level. Please ask if you need assistance. There are bathrooms on the lower level as well. 

Thank you for your support of the RCO!

A Season for Giving!

by rcochicago

Thank you to everyone who attended our Bold & Bright concert at St. Sylvester/Jesus Bread of Life Parish.

Sunday December 14, 2025, 4 p.m.

St. Sylvester’s Church / Jesus Bread of Life Parish

2157 N. Humboldt Blvd., Chicago, IL 60647

Program:

Leroy Anderson: Christmas Festival

Louise Farrenc: Overture No. 2
Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 1

Georges Bizet: L’Arlesienne No. 2

Leroy Anderson: Sleigh Ride

General Info:

— Concerts are free to attend, but consider a cash donation at the door

— Please stay for a post-concert reception with the musicians and RCO fans

— Street parking is available and there is a parking lot behind the church on the corner of Palmer & Richmond.  

Accessibility information: 

The concert will take place at St. Sylvester’s Church which is fully accessible. Please ask if you need assistance. 

Thank you for your support of the RCO!

Beastly Music!

by rcochicago

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our annual Halloween celebration!

Program:

Amy Beach:  Bal Masqué

Doyle/Williams, arr. Brubecker:  Suite from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Mussorgsky (rev. Rimsky-Korsakov):  Night on Bald Mountain

Stravinsky Firebird (1919) – Ronde des Princesses

Schubert arr. Berlioz:  Erlkoenig

Stravinsky Firebird (1919) – Berceuse and Finale

Eli Chen, Principal Conductor and Richard Corrigan, Music Director

General Info:

— Concerts are free to attend, but consider a cash donation at the door

— Please stay for a post-concert reception with the musicians and RCO fans

— Street parking is available and there is a parking lot on the northwest corner of Sunnyside and Western. 

Accessibility information: The concert will take place in the lower level of the Queen of Apostles Church. There are three steps up to the building, and ten stairs down to the lower level. There is a ramp on the exterior and an elevator/lift down to the lower level. Please ask if you need assistance. There are bathrooms on the lower level as well. 

Thank you for your support of the RCO!

Thank you!

by rcochicago

Thank you to everyone who devoted countless hours to practicing for this season’s concerts! And, thank you to all of our audience members who attended our concerts and made contributions — we appreciate your financial support!

Do you have a suggestion or idea for the RCO? Is there a special piece of music you’d like to hear, or a place where you think we should play or rehearse? Please fill out the quick survey here to give us your thoughts — all ideas are welcome!

Our next concert is slated for October 26 — check back soon for more information. If you love orchestral music, then we suggest you check here to find more concerts!

Flights of Fancy

by rcochicago

Sunday May 18, 2025, 4 p.m. at Queen of Apostles, 2330 W. Sunnyside, Chicago

Program:

Overture from Treemonisha, Words & Music by Scott Joplin, adapted, arranged and orchestrated by T.J. Anderson

Children’s Corner (Le coin des Enfants) by Claude Debussy

  1. Doctor Gradus as Parnassum
  2. Jumbo’s Lullaby (Berceuse des Elephants)
  3. Serenade for the Doll (Serenade a la Poupee)
  4. The Snow is Dancing (La Neige Danse)
  5. The Little Shepherd (Le Petit Berger)
  6. Golliwogg’s Cake-Walk

Idyll (1901), by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Edited by Rotem Weinberg

Suite, Op 39 by Maurice Moszkowski

  1. Allegro molto e brioso
  2. Allegretto giojoso
  3. Intermezzo (Allegretto con moto)
  4. Perpetuum mobile (Vivace)

Eli Chen, Principal Conductor and Richard Corrigan, Music Director

General Info:

— Concerts are free to attend, but consider a cash donation at the door

— Please stay for a post-concert reception with the musicians and RCO fans

— Street parking is available and there is a parking lot on the northwest corner of Sunnyside and Western. 

Accessibility information: The concert will take place in the lower level of the Queen of Apostles Church. There are three steps up to the building, and ten stairs down to the lower level. There is a ramp on the exterior and an elevator/lift down to the lower level. Please ask if you need assistance. There are bathrooms on the lower level as well. 

Thank you for your support of the RCO!

Slavic Folk Echoes

by rcochicago

Sunday March 9, 2025, 4 p.m. at Queen of Apostles, 2330 W. Sunnyside, Chicago

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 1

Max Bruch: Suite from Russian Folk Melodies, Op. 79b

Eli Chen, Principal Conductor and Richard Corrigan, Music Director

General Info:

— Concerts are free to attend, but consider a cash donation at the door

— Please stay for a post-concert reception with the musicians and RCO fans

— Street parking is available and there is a parking lot on the northwest corner of Sunnyside and Western. 

Accessibility information: The concert will take place in the lower level of the Queen of Apostles Church. There are three steps up to the building, and ten stairs down to the lower level. There is a ramp on the exterior and an elevator/lift down to the lower level. Please ask if you need assistance. There are bathrooms on the lower level as well. 

Thank you for your support of the RCO!