Chicago Philharmonic is excited to announce the orchestra’s 22/23 Season finale with acclaimed indie pop artist Kaoru Ishibashi (Kishi Bashi) on Saturday, April 15, 2023 at 7:30pm at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance 205 E Randolph St.
Kishi Bashi is a renowned singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist known for his dynamic blend of indie pop, folk, and classical music. His career began as a part of the indie pop band of Montreal. Since he began his solo career, Kishi Bashi has released five studio albums to critical acclaim, and has collaborated with a diverse range of artists, including Regina Spektor and Sondre Lerche.
The program, conducted by Chicago Philharmonic music director Scott Speck, centers on Kishi Bashi’s Improvisations on EO9066. This project shines a light on the dark period of Japanese American internment during World War II under the Executive Order 9066. Improvisations is divided into six movements or “chapters,” and is performed alongside projected imagery that includes footage of Kishi Bashi improvising melodies in historical sites of Japanese internment camps. The immersive, multimedia experience with Kishi Bashi and the full Chicago Philharmonic features photography by Dorothea Lange and filmmaking of Director JJ Gerber, depicting Japanese-American families before and during their removal and the Pearl Harbor attack. The program will also feature Kishi Bashi hit songs arranged for orchestra.
Opening the concert is Tsukasa Taiko, a Chicago community group dedicated to understanding and strengthening Japanese American, Asian American, and Japanese identities. Literally meaning “drum,” taiko is known for its thunderous sound and stunning, stylized choreography. With a 2,000-year-old history, taiko has its roots in Japanese court, theater, and religious/ceremonial and festival music, where the taiko was just one instrument of many that comprised the ensembles that performed this music. In the mid-20th century, the kumi-daiko style evolved, which featured ensembles made up solely of drums. Since then, kumi-daiko has enjoyed tremendous popularity and in the US, it has become a celebrated symbol of heritage and culture for the Japanese American community.
“We are thrilled to host the incredibly talented Kishi Bashi as our guest artist. His unique style is sure to leave a lasting impression on our audience. We take great pride in being able to bring such a dynamic and exciting artist to our stage, and we can’t wait to see the energy and enthusiasm that he will bring to our community.” said Chicago Philharmonic Executive Director Terell Johnson. “At Chicago Philharmonic, we consider every concert an opportunity to break genre boundaries. Kishi Bashi is a perfect match for us, both as an artist and as a storyteller highlighting an overlooked part of our nation’s past.”
Concert Details
The concert is Saturday, April 15 at 7:30 p.m. at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E Randolph St., in downtown Chicago.
Tickets are general admission and cost $80. A limited amount of tickets are available. They can be purchased at chicagophilharmonic.org.
After Party
Chicago Philharmonic is hosting an intimate ticketed after party. Guests will have the opportunity to interact with Maestro Scott Speck, Kishi Bashi, and Chicago Philharmonic musicians. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres are provided. Van Paugam, a Chicago-based DJ specializing in Japanese music from the 70s & 80s dubbed City Pop, will be featured at the event.
After party attendees will also be entered into a raffle to win a concert poster signed by Kishi Bashi, Scott Speck, and Chicago Philharmonic musicians.
After party tickets are $35 and must be purchased separately from the concert tickets. They are available at eventbrite.com.
About The Chicago Philharmonic Society
Founded by musicians of the Lyric Opera Orchestra in 1979, The Chicago Philharmonic Society is a collaboration of over 250 of the highest-level classical musicians in the Midwest. The orchestra, known as the Chicago Philharmonic, has been called one of the country’s finest symphonic orchestras, and its unique chamber music ensembles perform as Chicago Phil Chamber. The brilliance of Chicago Philharmonic’s structure is in its versatility – the organization curates the best ensemble for each concert from an exceptional pool of musicians, be it classical, jazz, pops, movie concerts, outreach programming, and everything else.
The Illinois Council of Orchestras has awarded Chicago Philharmonic “Orchestra of the Year” (2018), “Programming of the Year” (2019), “Community Relations of the Year” (2019), “Executive Director of the Year” (2020), and “Conductor of the Year” (2021).
Chicago Philharmonic presents a robust and varied collection of concerts throughout the year including in the summer. Upcoming concerts include a live concert version of The Batman (2022) at the Auditorium Theatre May 6, several concerts at Ravinia Festival over the summer, Somo un Somos Pueblo a free community event celebrating Chicago’s Mexican and Puerto Rican communities in Millennium Park August 26, and a concert with opera star bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green October 14 at the Harris Theater. Find out more about Chicago Philharmonic at chicagophilharmonic.org.
About Maestro Scott Speck
With recent performances in London, Paris, Moscow, Beijing, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Washington, Scott Speck has inspired international acclaim as a conductor of passion, intelligence, and winning personality. Scott Speck was named Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of Chicago Philharmonic in June of 2013 and has been Music Director of the Joffrey Ballet since 2010. He has become a frequent guest for the Chicago Symphony’s family concerts. His work with Chicago Philharmonic earned him the award “2021 Conductor of the Year” from the Illinois Council of Orchestras. For more information, visit www.scottspeck.org
About Kishi Bashi
Kishi Bashi is the pseudonym of singer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter Kaoru Ishibashi. Born in Seattle, Washington, Ishibashi grew up in Norfolk, Virginia where both of his parents were professors at Old Dominion University. As a 1994 graduate of Matthew Fontaine Maury High School, he went on to study film scoring at Berklee College of Music before becoming a renowned violinist. Ishibashi has recorded and toured internationally as a violinist with diverse artists such as Regina Spektor, Sondre Lerche, and most recently, the Athens, Georgia-based indie rock band, of Montreal. He remains based in Athens.
Shortly after Ishibashi debuted his full-length solo album “151a” on Indianapolis label Joyful Noise Recordings, NPR All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen listed Kishi Bashi as his favorite new artist of 2012. Kishi Bashi has since been invited to play in major festivals such as SXSW and Austin City Limits and gone on an extensive US tour with supporting acts such as The Last Bison (from his native Hampton Roads, Virginia).
He released his album “Omoiyari” (a Japanese word for the idea of creating compassion toward other people by thinking about them) in 2019, in support of his feature length documentary “Omoiyari: A songfilm by Kishi Bashi” which explores minority identity and the Incarceration of Japanese Americans in WWII. After 4 years in the making and over $100,000 donated by backers across the globe, the film officially premiered at the SXSW Film Festival in March 2022.
In 2020 Kishi Bashi scored the entire soundtrack for the touching Apple TV+ kids show “Stillwater” with composer Toby Chu, and released it as an album featuring 18 tracks of uplifting orchestral tunes. In 2022 he announced the re-issue of his debut album “151a” in honor of the 10 year anniversary of its original release, as his first double LP which includes original demo’s of all the album tracks. “151a (Demo-arigato Version)” is available now on all streaming platforms. For more information, visit www.kishibashi.com
About Tsukasa Taiko
Tsukasa Taiko is a program of Asian Improv aRts Midwest that offers taiko drum instruction, education, and performances. Its mission is to preserve, develop, and pass on the traditional concepts of Japanese art as a cultural legacy, while also expanding and evolving the art of taiko.
As a community group dedicated to understanding and strengthening Japanese American, Asian American, and Japanese identities, Tsukasa Taiko respects tradition while developing artistic excellence and connoisseurship. Nevertheless, Tsukasa Taiko’s programs are open to all. Its student and performing groups are composed of a range of ages from toddlers to grandparents, as well as representing an array of ethnicities. Tsukasa Taiko offers year round group music classes, private lessons, and a variety of special workshops for traditional Japanese musical instruments, including taiko, shamisen (3-stringed lute), and shinobue (bamboo flute) to all ages and skill levels. For more information visit www.taikolegacy.com
