Wheaton College Hosted Events

Enjoy a festive evening of dance music from 16th century renaissance branles to contemporary French Bal Folk tunes. This concert will feature a rare instrument with roots in medieval Europe: the hurdy gurdy. While an ancient instrument, it is enjoying a rise in popularity today throughout the world. This concert is free and open to the public. No tickets required.

Join us for 3 nights of the best classical accordionists from around the world. Thursday night features the UMKC Accordion Ensemble conducted by the world renowned Joan C. Sommers, as well as World Champion Peter Soave on Bandoneon accompanied by a string quintet. Friday night features Radu Ratoi, 2024 winner of the Young Concert Artists Susan Wadsworth International Auditions and the accordion duo, “Two Accordions”. Saturday night features the 50 piece ATG Festival orchestra and the Canadian Accordion/Clarinet duo of Bridge & Wolak.

The Wheaton Municipal Band, one of the nation’s oldest and finest, has been performing for the Wheaton community and Chicagoland since 1930. Funded by the city and the “Friends of the WMB,” the band attracts top talent every summer, including musicians, conductors, and composers. It has been invited to perform three times at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Conference in Chicago. Each summer, the band moves from Memorial Park to Edman Chapel for an indoor concert, offering an exceptional musical experience for the audience and featuring world-class guest performers. This event is free and open to the public.

Dvořák expertly weaves the heartbeat of Czech folk dances into his soulful Violin Concerto. It’s a perfect vehicle for Augustin Hadelich, who “conveys the music’s rousing energy, while somehow maintaining a breezy lilt” (The New York Times). Framing the program are Kodály’s whirlwind portrait of Hungarian village life and the rustic warmth of Brahms’ Second Symphony.

Sensational teen Himari illuminates Bruch’s First Violin Concerto in her CSO subscription debut. Blacknificent 7 composer Joel Thompson’s To See the Sky, “a shifting palette of grooves, colors and moods” (Bachtrack), and Mozart’s electrifying Jupiter Symphony frame the program.

Experience the sweeping elegance of Tchaikovsky’s Polish Symphony, a work brimming with dance-like vitality and imperial grandeur. Riccardo Muti and the CSO also delve into the evocative world of Nino Rota — composer of The Godfather and The Leopard — capturing the drama, lyricism and charm of one of the 20th century’s most celebrated composers.