Chicago Symphony Orchestra College Night brings classical music to students

Photo courtesy of Todd Rosenberg Photography

Horton said Dvořák’s The Wild Dove and Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances both had themes of death.

Nineth Kanieski Koso, Social Media Editor

April 7, 2025

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra hosted College Night, an event offering more affordable tickets and a chance to meet other young classical music lovers, for more than 120 college and high school students on Saturday.

“I think that as someone who enjoys classical music a lot, it’s really cool to see people of our age and how music brings all of us together in one space,” Weinberg freshman Nathaniel Pistorius said.

The night began with pizza and cookies as students gathered from all across Chicagoland to mingle with like-minded peers. Refreshments were followed by a Q&A with CSO Assistant Principal Bassist Alexander Horton.

Horton answered questions from students while giving advice about everything from how to practice slowly to working with different conductors.

“I would encourage you all to definitely strive for your dreams, obviously, and I think you all understand that the amount of jobs and orchestras is very finite, but there’s always a way to have a career in (music),” Horton said. “I think if you’re creative and you’re open minded, you could definitely do anything.”

Students ended the night by attending a CSO concert, which featured a program of Sibelius’s “The Oceanides,” Dvořák’s “The Wild Dove” and Rachmaninov’s “Symphonic Dances” with guest conductor Karina Canellakis.
Horton said he enjoyed Sibelius’s “The Oceanides” due to the wave-like effect created by the basses, cellos and violas in the composition.

Weinberg freshman Rachel Garich said she purposely did not listen to the pieces performed before the event so she could hear them for the first time at the CSO.

“Just to see something that is a hobby or an interest of mine be taken to such a world class level, it always inspires me with whatever goals that I’m working towards,” said Garich. “Even though I’m an econ major, it still helps inspire me to keep working to that level of excellence that you see in the performances here.”

CSO Community & Family Programs Marketing Manager Kate McDuffie said one of her goals for College Nights is to make young audiences feel represented and heard at the CSO.

McDuffie said she also likes to use College Nights as an opportunity for students from different colleges and universities to connect over a mutual love of classical music.

“Students that come to these events really enjoy a time to just be among people their own age,” McDuffie said. “It’s great that people their own age have similar interests in a way that isn’t really so confined to their school or to their classes. And of course, seeing the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is always a huge highlight of the event.”

CSO Student Ambassadors help organize each College Night, from planning the activities to interviewing a CSO member at the event. McCormick and Bienen junior Ben Kim, a former Daily Staffer, is a CSO student ambassador.

Kim said he helped advertise the event at Northwestern to his friends and music-focused student organizations, like Crescendo for a Cause. Kim also promoted CSO College night to students in the Integrated Science Program who are interested in music.

“I hope (students) just enjoy the whole performance,” Kim said. “Enjoy the music, and hopefully classical music can be just a little bit closer to their lives.”

Email: [email protected]
X: @ninethkk