Breaking Barriers Festival

Event Schedule

Wednesday, July 24 – Saturday, July 27

Wednesday Friday Saturday

Breaking Barriers 2024 Lead Sponsor: In Honor of Sandra K. Crown

Composer Events Partner: New Music USA

Day 1 • Wednesday, July 24

“An Earthling’s Guide to The Moons Symphony”

6:00 p.m. at Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics, Northwestern University

1800 Sherman Avenue, Floor 8 Cafe, Evanston, IL

Explore the fascinating worlds of the outer Solar System through music and science with The Moons Symphony composer Amanda Lee Falkenberg, several of the astronauts and scientists who helped shape the stories of the symphony and the LUNAR program, and Ravinia Chief Conductor Marin Alsop, who led the work’s acclaimed recording with the London Symphony Orchestra in 2022.

Details

Moderator:

Mat Kaplan, Space science communicator, The Planetary Society

Speakers:

Dr. Ashley Davies, NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory Principal Scientist and volcanologist Prof. Michele Dougherty, Principal Investigator, European Space Agency’s JUICE mission; Imperial College London Dr. Thomas Spilker, Space flight architect, planetary scientist, veteran of Voyager, Cassini, Genesis, and ESA Rosetta Nicole Stott, NASA Astronaut; Artist and Founding Director, Space for Art Foundation Elizabeth “Zibi” Turtle, Principal Investigator, Dragonfly mission; Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory Amanda Lee Falkenberg, The Moons Symphony composer; Creator of LUNAR (Learning Under New Artistic Regimes) Marin Alsop, Ravinia Chief Conductor

Panel Collaborator: CIERA, Northwestern University

This day’s event is not hosted at Ravinia. Attendance is free, but separate RSVP requested, as capacity is limited.

RSVP to the Panel
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Day 2 • Friday, July 26

“Women Leaders in Music and Space” Panel and Dinner

4:30 – 7:15 p.m. in the Tree Top Lounge

Details

Moderator:

Michelle Larson, PhD, President & CEO, Adler Planetarium

Speakers:

Marin Alsop, Ravinia Chief Conductor Vicky Kalogera, PhD, D.I. Linzer Distinguished University Professor in Physics and Astronomy; CIERA Director, Northwestern University Amanda Lee Falkenberg, The Moons Symphony composer; Creator of LUNAR (Learning Under New Artistic Regimes)

Panel Collaborator: The Chicago Network

Observe Our Solar System Through Telescopes

All evening on the North Lawn (open to all concertgoers)

Details

Join members of the Naperville Astronomical Association as they share views of the planets, moons, and cosmos beyond our Earth with portable telescopes.

Activity Collaborator: Naperville Astronomical Association

Performance: The Planets and The Moons Symphony

7:30 – 9:00 p.m. in the Pavilion

Ravinia Chief Conductor Marin Alsop leads the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and singers from the Apollo Chorus of Chicago in the universally beloved suite The Planets by Gustav Holst, whose music has influenced countless composers for screen, stage, and concert hall.

From those seven astrological figures, composer Amanda Lee Falkenberg shifts the eye and the ear to seven awe-inspiring satellites in our solar system through The Moons Symphonic Suite, performed by Alsop and the CSO with stunning visual sequences on-screen on the Pavilion. Insights from planetary scientists and humankind’s explorations of our cosmos are woven into the musical stories of each moon, from tumultuous Io to misty Enceladus, to share authentic visions of the mystique beyond our sky.

Artists

Program

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Marin Alsop, conductor Apollo Chorus of Chicago

Gustav Holst: The Planets Introduction to The Moons Symphony by Amanda Lee Falkenberg with Elizabeth “Zibi” Turtle, Prof. Michele Dougherty, and Nicole Stott Amanda Lee Falkenberg: The Moons Symphonic Suite

Concert Sponsors: Jennifer Steans and James Kastenholz, in memory of Lois Steans; Ellen Rudnick and Paul Earle; The Planets Consortium

Telescopes and Cosmos

9:00 – 10:00 p.m. on the North Lawn (open to all concertgoers)

Details

Return your eyes to the skies after the concert, with special cosmo drinks available at the BMO Rooftop for 21+ guests.

Activity Collaborator: Naperville Astronomical Association

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Day 3 • Saturday, July 27

“Innovation of Science and Music” Brunch Roundtables

11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. in the Tree Top Lounge

Modeled after New Music USA’s impactful “Table For 10” events, scientific leaders, musical conductors and composers, and guests are brought together at roundtables for lively brunch conversations beginning with provided prompts. After brunch, Marin Alsop and Augusta Read Thomas will give a 15-minute talk about the afternoon’s composer and conductor workshop.

Participants include:

Producers:

Vanessa Reed, President & CEO, New Music USA Amanda Lee Falkenberg, Composer

Space Specialists:

Dr. Ashley Davies, NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory Principal Scientist and volcanologist Prof. Michele Dougherty, Principal Investigator, European Space Agency’s JUICE mission; Imperial College London Mat Kaplan, Space science communicator, The Planetary Society Dr. Thomas Spilker, Space flight architect, planetary scientist, veteran of Voyager, Cassini, Genesis, and ESA Rosetta Chris Stott, Founder & CEO, Lonestar Nicole Stott, NASA Astronaut; Artist and Founding Director, Space for Art Foundation Elizabeth “Zibi” Turtle, Principal Investigator, Dragonfly mission; Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory

Conductors:

Marin Alsop, Ravinia Chief Conductor Kristin Jurkscheit, Executive Director, Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship Carolyn Kuan Laura Jackson Mei-Ann Chen Alexandra Arrieche Karin Hendrickson Valentina Peleggi Lidiya Yankovskaya Lina González-Granados Maria Badstue Irene Delgado-Jiménez Julia Cruz Alena Hron Hannah Howard Andresen Juliano Aniceto

Composers:

Amanda Lee Falkenberg Paul Myer Hopkins Stacy Garrop Augusta Read Thomas Vanessa Reed, President & CEO, New Music USA Soomin Kim Autumn Maria Reed Huan Sun Genevieve Knoebel

Presented by: New Music USA

“Inside the Composers and Conductors’ Studios” Workshop Observation

1:00 – 3:30 p.m. in Bennett Gordon Hall

Three composers selected from a New Music USA call for scores collaborate with three Taki Alsop Conducting Fellows to bring new works to life. Under the guidance of Marin Alsop and Augusta Read Thomas with musicians from the Chicago Philharmonic, this workshop will highlight the many perspectives that contribute to an orchestral premiere.

Details

Composers:

Soomin Kim (St. Paul, MN) – star / ghost / mouth / sea Autumn Maria Reed (Delafield, WI) – ROBIN’S EYE VIEW Huan Sun (Bloomington, IN) – Stem

Conductors:

Hannah Howard Andresen, 2024 Taki Alsop Award Recipient Nefeli Chadouli, 2024 Taki Alsop Associate Fellow Karin Hendrickson, 2013 Taki Alsop Honoree

Orchestra:

Chicago Philharmonic

Honorable Mention:

Genevieve Knoebel (Urbana, IL) – Ophis

Workshop Collaborators: New Music USA and Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship