• Read a message from Maria Angelica Cuellar, member of the CSO Latino Alliance Advisory Board
• Learn more about the past season’s milestones
• View photos from the last event of the season
• Explore articles on Experience CSO
• Join the Latino Alliance for a summer meet-up at Ravinia
• Check out an offer from our friends at Ravinia 
• Stay connected!

On June 12, the Latino Alliance held its final Nuestras noches event of the season, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra delivered an unforgettable experience that transcended notes and rhythms — it was a celebration of mastery, memory and identity. At the helm was Riccardo Muti, who drew out every layer of drama and elegance with his trademark clarity, power and poetic restraint. The CSO musicians played with unity and vitality that left the audience breathless. But the emotional heart of the evening belonged to Esteban Batallán, the CSO’s principal trumpet since 2019, who made his long-awaited solo debut with the orchestra. Performing a pair of demanding, high-flying concertos, Batallán stunned listeners with a purity of sound and control that soared through the hall — not just as a display of technical excellence, but as an expression of something deeply personal.

As one audience member put it, “He didn’t just play the trumpet, he told a story through every breath.” That story continued after the concert during the Latino Alliance reception, where Batallán’s presence radiated humility, pride and a genuine connection with the community. Guests mingled in Grainger Ballroom under soft lighting, the air buzzing with admiration and gratitude. This concert was more than a performance — it was a moment of cultural celebration, of seeing ourselves reflected in the brilliance of an artist who represents both technical excellence and cultural pride. There are concerts that impress, and then there are concerts that stay with you. This was the latter. If this performance moved you, let it be the beginning, not the end. With the Latino Alliance 2025/26 Season on the horizon, promising new artists and unforgettable moments, there’s a seat waiting for you in Orchestra Hall.

Maria Angelica Cuellar
CSO Latino Alliance Advisory Board

This past season has been a milestone one for the Latino Alliance.

Special Latino Alliance ticket pricing was available for more than 130 concerts, helping us welcome new and returning audiences throughout the year. Even more impressive was over 1,500 tickets were purchased through Latino Alliance promo code offers — the highest total in the Alliance’s 11-year history!

Of those tickets purchased through Latino Alliance promotions, 44% were purchased by first-time concertgoers — an inspiring reflection of how the Alliance continues to welcome new audiences and celebrate the cultural vibrancy of Chicago’s Latino community through the power of music at Symphony Center.

Sunday, August 31 | 201 Ravinia Park Rd., Highland Park
2:00 PM: Public Gates Open
6:30 PM: Concert

The ninth annual Fiesta Ravinia is the grand finale of the 2025 Ravinia Festival season, celebrating Mexican culture with a day of family performances and activities throughout the park included in the ticket. Food trucks sell authentic gourmet street bites, and traditional mariachi, dance and other performance groups pop up at every corner. As the afternoon turns to evening, the music moves into the Pavilion for the headline concert.

Setting the standard for regional Mexican music, La Original Banda El Limón has been a defining force since its founding in 1965. As the first Sinaloan band to revolutionize the genre with sound equipment and a dedicated vocalist, they paved the way for modern banda. Their rich history and powerful performances prove why they remain one of the most influential groups in the genre today.

Bringing the magic of Selena to life on the Carousel Stage, the Como La Flor Band recreates the energy and excitement of the late tejano superstar’s most unforgettable performances. From her final Houston concert to the early hits that made her a legend, this tribute act delivers an authentic, high-energy experience, keeping Selena’s spirit alive with every note.

And among the afternoon performances, the Lake County student orchestra of the Reach Teach Play Sistema Ravinia program — featuring musicians from Waukegan and surrounding communities — gives a concert for the whole park to celebrate the joy of learning and making music.

Don’t miss this unforgettable night of cumbia, banda and tejano hits at Ravinia!

Receive 10% off tickets using promo code CSOFRIENDS25 when ordering reserved seats.

Wednesday, July 9 | 201 Ravinia Park Rd., Highland Park
5:30 PM: Dance Floor on the Lawn & Salsa Lessons
7:30 PM: Concert 

Ravinia presents a soulful evening with Chucho Valdés, who celebrated his 81st birthday at Symphony Center at the Noche de la Creación event hosted by the CSO Latino Alliance in the 2022/23 Season.

With a career spanning over 60 years, Cuban pianist, composer and bandleader Chucho Valdés has cemented his legacy as one of the most influential figures in modern Afro-Cuban jazz. Hailed as “a pianist of imperial command, possessed of a dazzling, deceptively casual virtuosity” (The New York Times), Valdés is a seven-time Grammy and six-time Latin Grammy winner, honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Latin Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences in 2018.

This summer, Valdés returns to Ravinia with Irakere 50, celebrating the groundbreaking big-band he founded in 1973. Fusing Afro-Cuban ritual music, Cuban popular music, jazz, rock and classical elements, Irakere forever transformed Latin jazz. Alongside Valdés for this milestone event are two legendary musicians in their own right and former band members — saxophonist and clarinetist Paquito D’Rivera and trumpeter and composer Arturo Sandoval.

Valdés, D’Rivera and Sandoval have filled out their band with the next generation of top jazz musicians to come out of Cuba, including featured guest singer Emilio Frías (a.k.a. “El Niño”), the famed founder and voice of the globally renowned orchestra El Niño y la Verdad.

Receive 10% off tickets using promo code CSOFRIENDS25 when ordering reserved seats.

Tuesday, July 15, 7:30 PM | 201 Ravinia Park Rd., Highland Park

Since releasing Fíjate Bien in 2000, Colombian musician Juanes — born Juan Esteban Aristizábal Vásquez — has become one of the best-selling Latin music artists of all time, winning 26 Latin Grammy Awards and selling over 15 million records worldwide.

Blending rock with folkloric Latin American rhythms and thoughtful lyrics, Juanes has delivered hit after hit, including “Es Por Ti,” “La Camisa Negra,” and “A Dios Le Pido.” Dubbed “a soulful poet with an electric guitar” (The New York Times), his global appeal has solidified his status as one of the most influential Latin artists of the 21st century. After exploring a broader range of contemporary sounds, his 2023 album Vida Cotidiana marked a return to his guitar-driven roots, with Rolling Stone calling it “his best, most soulful album yet.”

This summer, Juanes makes his Ravinia Festival debut, bringing songs from his critically acclaimed new album as well as hits from throughout his career. Join us at Ravinia for a night of unforgettable music, where heartfelt storytelling and the rich rhythms of Latin America come together under the stars!

Receive 10% off tickets using promo code CSOFRIENDS25 when ordering reserved seats.

While supplies last. Orders are subject to a transaction fee. Offer may not be applied to previously purchased tickets or combined with other offers and does not include Discover Reserved Lawn seating. Onsite parking, food, beverages and chair rentals are sold separately.

For more information and to find out how to get involved, email Alyssa Greenberg, audience engagement manager, at greenberga@cso.org.

Forward this newsletter to someone who might be interested in joining the Latino Alliance! Membership is free, and members enjoy access to exclusive special events and ticket offers.