Ravinia Festival Association

TO PRESENT WORLD-CLASS MUSIC, THEATRE AND CULTURAL PRESENTATIONS.

FOUNDED IN 1904, RAVINIA IS BOTH THE LONGEST-RUNNING AND THE MOST ARTISTICALLY DIVERSE OUTDOOR MUSIC FESTIVAL IN NORTH AMERICA. APPROXIMATELY 400,000 PEOPLE VISIT RAVINIA BETWEEN JUNE AND SEPTEMBER EACH YEAR ACROSS MORE THAN 100 SEPARATE EVENTS THAT HIGHLIGHT GENRES AS WIDE-RANGING AS THE AUDIENCES. CLASSICAL MUSIC IS A SPECIAL FOCUS AT RAVINIA DATING BACK TO ITS FIRST CONCERTS, INCLUDING A REGULAR SERIES OF PERFORMANCES BY THE CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, WHICH HAS FORMALLY BEEN IN SUMMER RESIDENCE AT THE FESTIVAL SINCE 1936.

THE RAVINIA STEANS MUSIC INSTITUTE (RSMI) IS HOME TO ARTISTIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS SOUGHT OUT INTERNATIONALLY BY YOUNG PROFESSIONAL CLASSICAL PIANISTS AND STRING PLAYERS, CLASSICAL SINGERS, AND JAZZ MUSICIANS DEVOTED TO HONING AND ADVANCING THEIR TALENTS COLLABORATIVELY. EACH SUMMER 65 ARTISTS RECEIVE FULLY PAID FELLOWSHIPS TO ENGAGE IN COACHINGS AND MASTERCLASSES WITH A FACULTY OF LEADING ARTISTS AND SPECIALISTS, LEARN VALUABLE SKILLS NECESSARY FOR SUCCESSFUL ARTISTIC CAREERS, AND PERFORM ON RAVINIA'S BENNETT GORDON HALL STAGE. RSMI PRESENTS ABOUT TWO DOZEN FREE OR LOW-PRICED PERFORMANCES THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER FOR RAVINIA AUDIENCES AND IN LOCAL VENUES. SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 1988, RSMI HAS SUPPORTED OVER 1,600 EXCEPTIONAL ARTISTS, MANY OF WHOM HAVE CULTIVATED HIGHLY VISIBLE CAREERS IN PERFORMANCE, ARTISTIC LEADERSHIP, AND MUSIC EDUCATION.

RAVINIA'S REACH TEACH PLAY (RTP) PROGRAMS SERVE TENS OF THOUSANDS IN CHICAGO-AREA COMMUNITIES, OPENING DOORS FOR EVERYONE TO ACCESS AND EXPERIENCE THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF LIVE MUSIC. SEVERAL PROGRAMS EXTEND RAVINIA'S REACH INTO CHICAGO AND LAKE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT OTHERWISE HAVE LITTLE TO NO MUSIC CURRICULUM OF THEIR OWN, PROVIDING 20,000 STUDENTS WITH LIVE PERFORMANCES AND INTEGRATIVE ACTIVITIES THAT SPARK A LOVE OF MUSIC AND INVITE EXPLORATION OF VARIED GENRES AND STYLES, AS WELL AS PROGRAMS THAT TEACH THE FOUNDATIONS OF MUSIC AND ENCOURAGE CHILDREN TO ENGAGE IN MUSIC-MAKING AND EXPRESS THEMSELVES CREATIVELY. RAVINIA GIVES STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, DEVELOP THEIR TALENTS, AND CREATE PATHWAYS FOR CONTINUED SUCCESS THROUGH A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS, INCLUDING A COMMUNITY FAMILY MUSIC SCHOOL, EL SISTEMA - INSPIRED ORCHESTRAL PROGRAMS THAT FOSTER SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, AND A MENTORSHIP PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL JAZZ MUSICIANS. CENTRAL TO RTP'S MISSION OF ACCESS, RAVINIA PROVIDES FREE SUMMER CONCERT PASSES TO THOUSANDS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH OVER 150 SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES, AS WELL AS PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND COMMUNITY MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOLS.