• Read a message from Advisory Board Co-Chairs Pedro Guerrero and Juan Solana
• Get your tickets to the next event: Noche de poesía
• Join us for a free preconcert tango class
• See a special offer from our friends at Lyric Opera of Chicago
• Check out the Latino Alliance member spotlight: Juan Solana
• View recent photo highlights
• Use your special membership pricing on an upcoming concert
• Learn more about IMPACT
• Explore sounds and stories on Experience CSO
• Join the CSOA team
• Stay connected!

Amigos,

Now with four Nuestras noches events under our belts, it’s amazing to think that we only have two more times to gather this season (apart from the additional featured concerts). As always, we are forever grateful for you all showing up to the CSO’s incredible concerts and the Latino Alliance’s events. We are always thrilled to visit Symphony Center for our concerts and receptions — during these frigid winter months, that’s no small feat! We are energized at the prospect of seeing folks we’ve met at previous events, but also even more excited to connect with folks who have never been to Symphony Center, or who are joining us for the first time in a while.

As we approach our final Nuestras noches events for the season, we ask that you join us in this endeavor of welcoming folks to — and back to — Symphony Center through our 2025/26 Season of concerts with special Latino Alliance pricing. 

¡Hasta pronto!

Pedro Guerrero & Juan Solana
Co-Chairs, Chicago Symphony Orchestra Latino Alliance

Chilean poet Pablo Neruda’s evocative writing is the inspiration for Neruda Songs, Peter Lieberson’s heartbreakingly sensuous song cycle, performed by 2025/26 CSO Artist-in-Residence Joyce DiDonato and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. After the concert, join the Latino Alliance for a meet-and-greet with conductor Edward Gardner and Joyce DiDonato in Grainger Ballroom. 

Specially priced concert tickets start at $40 using promo code LASEASON. A separate ticket to attend the reception is free.

Your concert ticket pricing will be adjusted after you have added your seats to the order. When ordering your concert ticket, follow the prompts to add your free reception ticket to the order. A separate ticket to attend the Latino Alliance reception is free and required. For questions or assistance, contact Patron Services.

Direct from Argentina, Tango After Dark ignites the stage with the captivating artistry of tango. Led by World Tango Champion Germán Cornejo, a stellar cast of dancers, singers and musicians performs Astor Piazzolla’s iconic music. The show illustrates the “splendid, sensual, imposing extravagance of Argentine tango at its very best” (DanceTabs). Don’t miss this electrifying performance!

Warm up for the evening with the passion and elegance of Argentine tango! Enjoy a preconcert tango class hosted by the Latino Alliance, with support from the Consulate General of Argentina in Chicago, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. in Grainger Ballroom. The class will be led by Jorge Niedas, co-founder, artistic director and choreographer of Tango 21 Dance Theater, who will guide participants through the fundamentals and spirit of tango. Open to all Tango After Dark ticketholders on a first-come, first-served basis until capacity is reached. No separate ticket required. Doors open at 5:45.

Specially priced concert tickets start at $40 using promo code LASEASON.

Your concert ticket pricing will be adjusted after you have added your seats to the order. For questions or assistance, contact Patron Services.

Step into Frida Kahlo’s vivid world in this immersive opera that brings her paintings to life with a lush cinematic score. On Día de los Muertos, Frida is given a single chance to return from the afterlife and reunite with Diego for a bittersweet celebration of love, grief, memory and art.

Members and friends of the CSO Latino Alliance are invited to use promo code CSOLA to enjoy $99, $69 or $39 tickets to any performance!

$99 for Steiner Parquet 1-3 and First Balcony 1-2
$69 for Steiner Parquet 4-5 and First Balcony 3-4
$39 for Upper Balcony 1-2

A front-row seat to passion, rhythm and Lake Michigan breezes

By Ramiro J. Atristaín-Carrión, Founding Co-Chair, Emeritus, CSO Latino Alliance

It hits even harder when the music feels like home. Juan, a native of Spain, still lights up talking about Manuel de Falla’s The Three-Cornered Hat under Maestro Riccardo Muti — Spain’s rhythms, his Spain, roaring to life with the CSO. He felt the same jolt with Joaquín Turina’s Danzas fantásticas under Jesús López-Cobos: heritage, artistry and excellence landing like a perfect musical bullseye.

Behind the scenes, Juan is just as energized — maybe even more. Some of his favorite moments come from rolling up his sleeves with the CSO Artistic staff and the Latino Alliance Programming Committee. Each season, he says, feels like a creative adventure: shaping programs, discovering artists and cooking up new ways to wow members at receptions and events. It’s where collaboration meets imagination … and yes, occasionally a little joyful chaos.

Then I had to ask the classic dinner question. If Juan could sit down with any composer or conductor the CSO has worked with — past or present — his answer was instant: Riccardo Muti. No pause. No deliberation. A decisive choice, and a fitting one, given the unforgettable musical moments Muti has brought to life on the Orchestra Hall stage.

When the music fades and the hall lights dim, Juan’s sense of joy doesn’t miss a beat. Outside the concert world, he finds freedom sailing on Lake Michigan (even when it’s “de-iced” — figuratively and rhetorically, as he likes to say) and cycling along the Chicago Lakefront Trail. Skyline, fresh air, motion. Much like the CSO itself, Juan believes the best things in Chicago aren’t just heard or seen — they’re experienced live.

Invest in Chicago’s young musicians.

Your support of IMPACT helps local students access life-changing music education through the CSO’s Negaunee Music Institute.

On Sunday, March 15, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association hosts IMPACT: Showcasing Education and Community Programs of the CSO. A special concert and fundraising benefit, IMPACT features performances by the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, students from the Percussion Scholarship Program, musicians from the CSO and more.

Co-chaired by League member Margo Oberman, CSOA Trustee Paul Watford and Overture Council president Matthew Fry, the IMPACT Host Committee aims to raise $200,000 in support of these programs. The Latino Alliance is working to help raise $5,000 to support IMPACT and the CSOA’s education and community engagement department, the Negaunee Music Institute. The Negaunee Music Institute is committed to transforming lives in the greater Chicago area, across the United States and around the world. Learn more about the profound effect of its many programs.

IMPACT is a wonderful way to experience this transformative programming; tickets for the event are free and open to the public. Event packages and sponsorships grant you access to pre- and postconcert festivities, reserved seating and recognition on the IMPACT webpage. Learn more »

If you can’t attend the event, you are welcome to contribute a fully tax-deductible gift to the CSO’s educational and community engagement programming. Make a gift today »

Latino Alliance members are invited to apply for full-time, part-time and internship opportunities and become part of a world-class institution where artistry, innovation and community come together. Join the CSOA behind the scenes and help shape the next chapter of the institution’s legacy. 

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.