Photo: 25th Anniversary Concert with Lincolnwood Chamber Orchestra, March 26, 2023, at the Lincolnwood Community Center
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS
by Philip Simmons
Five years ago, when reflecting on our 20th Anniversary, I wrote about the origins of American Music Festivals. Today, we look to the future.
Our 25th Anniversary concert brough many of Chicago’s communities together to celebrate the power of music to transform lives. It demonstrated our dedication to providing musical opportunity, as we share cultural experiences and enjoy lasting collaborations with organizations and individuals of all backgrounds. The concert acknowledged the humble beginnings of the Lincolnwood Chamber Orchestra, the founding of American Music Festivals in the emerging democracies of Eastern Europe, and our work promoting equity, peace, and understanding.
The world keeps changing, but for us cultural exchange still means diversity. There is always more to explore, more room under our tent. We champion the warhorses, embrace new music, and infuse our programming with the folk traditions of the world. Our messaging is always a positive one. Through the vibration of our music making—the harmony, the search for a never-ending melody, and the reliability of a steady beat we move people and communities forward. While sustaining, and at times creating, orchestral heritage.
In addition to our programming in Chicago we have created a new initiative: New Frontiers in Hawaiian Music. We are presenting “American Music Festivals in Mexico, 2023” with concerts in Guadalajara, Zacatecas, and San Luis Potosi. We continue to build relationships with international performing arts organizations to present American works alongside music of our hosts. As we share our story, we learn more about people, their individual life stories, and how music resonates in each of us.
With the artistic vision firmly in place we now look to build upon our organizational strengths, creating a stronger platform in the USA and abroad. Getting the word out about our music making, and the influence the fine arts can have in people’s lives. As we continue to branch into new communities and strengthen our commitment to even greater diversity, our messaging must be strong and clear.
As we look forward to the next 25 years, American Music Festivals invites you to get involved. Whether your love is the music, a passion for community engagement, or a concern for universal equity, there is a place for you with American Music Festivals.
