A dynamic afternoon of new music featuring bold performances and thought-provoking works. Baritone Brad Jungwirth joins the Chicago Composers’ Consortium for Talking to Heart, a program of vocal and instrumental premieres. Caroline Jesalva’s Out of Context redefines solo violin with five experimental works. Pianist Shannon McGinnis and soprano Corrine Costello present Anything But A Dream, a moving set of modern art songs. Constellation Men’s Ensemble presents “Pouring From Empty Cups” which includes “Man Up/ Man Down” by Robert Maggio - an unflinching choral exploration of masculinity in America.

Celebrate contemporary music with powerful performances from Crossing Borders Music, La Caccina, and Holocene. Crossing Borders’ program Chicago Composers: The Next Generation features new works by youth composers from North Lawndale and Garfield Park, alongside premieres by emerging African-American composers including Jessica T. Carter and AJ Isaacson-Zvidzwa. Vocal ensemble La Caccina presents Weird Sisters, exploring the stories of mythological and historical witches through music. Holocene offers Expanding, an immersive sound experience that shifts focus beyond the human perspective.

Join Alyssa Arrigo and Leila Bowie-McLenahan as they present works by four brilliant local composers, many inspired by Chicago’s rich history and poetry. Chicago: Living History brings together compositions that reflect the city’s dynamic stories. The Black Moon Trio performs Convergence: Health Equity in a Changing Climate, exploring environmental racism and health inequities through music, illustration, and videography, highlighting the resilience of affected communities.

Aśe presents Revolt for Freedom, a powerful reimagining of history, flipping the narrative by empowering enslaved Africans to reclaim their humanity from Europeans. Nick Zoulek’s Worlds of Brass, Breath, and Reeds explores the saxophone as a biofeedback mechanism, blending voice, breath, and technology for a maximalist solo performance. Ty Boque’s Nestbuilder weaves six works into intricate, luminous soundscapes, where breath, voice, and body create delicate, ethereal worlds.

Fonema Consort’s Desire Paths features experimental works by contemporary Latin American composers, blending noise-driven textures with expressive chamber music. Works by Darlene Castro, Carlos Zarate, Michele Abonado, and Juan Campoverde highlight dynamic, raw soundscapes. Emigre and Exile by Arcomusical and Krissy Bergmark explores global migration through dance music rooted in African aesthetics, with music by Matt Ulery and others. Midwestern Tongues by Stare at the Sun uncovers underappreciated choral works from composers across the American Midwest.

Hammer & Bow features the Flannau Duo and Quijote Duo, bringing together viola, cello, piano, and percussion in a unique exploration of co-creation and unifying musical forces. Awakening by Picosa, inspired by James Joyce’s Finnegans Wake, delves into themes of death, rebirth, and renewal across political, historical, and social dimensions, offering a transformative musical journey into emergence and change.