In the 20th century, many artists working in the United States were drawn to the city as subject matter. Towering skyscrapers, crowded intersections, and dynamic street scenes that emphasize the fast ...

October 29 – November 8, 2026A story that nurtures curiosity and care, reflecting how the Wirtz Center helps young artists grow and transform the world around them. Music, book, and lyrics by Jane Kel...

November 13 – 22, 2026A charming tale of connection and revelation brought to life by emerging storytellers who explore love, identity, and human connection with freshness and developing craft.  Book ...

Joachim Schamberger, director; Yelisey (Eli) Zelman, conductor; members of the Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra  With music by Matthew Recio and a libretto by Royce Vavrek (Dog Days, Proving...

November 20 – 22, 2026A daring collaboration that confronts haunting questions of race, power, and belonging and showcasing the Wirtz Center as a laboratory for fearless storytelling and necessary art...

NOV 20-22  Hal & Martha Hyer Wallis Theater  1949 Campus Drive  A daring collaboration that confronts haunting questions of race, power, and belonging and showcasing the Wirtz Center as a laboratory f...

January 28 – 31, 2027A powerful exploration of justice, community, and truth embodying the Wirtz Center’s commitment to performance as a lens for understanding the world.  By Emily Mann Directed by Ge...

February 12 – 14, 2027A powerful collaboration that explores migration, generational rupture, and the cost of survival, affirming the Wirtz Center as a space where emerging artists confront global sto...

February 19 – 28, 2027A celebration of imagination and courage, echoing the Wirtz Center’s mission to elevate bold young voices and empower the artists of tomorrow.  Book by Dennis Kelly Music and Lyr...

March 12-14, 2027Centered in the Wirtz Center’s mission to develop new work, my conscience is clear uses dance to ask how our values move through the world — and whether our conscience truly is clear....

April 23 – May 2, 2027A bold reinterpretation that questions power, identity, and performance, reflecting the Wirtz Center’s commitment to reexamining inherited stories through fearless creative lense...

May 7-9, 2027A ferocious, darkly playful collaboration where emerging artists push form and fear, using myth, humor, and horror, to expose the rites of girlhood and the damage beneath cultural obsessi...

May 21 – 30, 2027A daring reimagining of a classic that celebrates the power of language and literature, showcasing how the Wirtz Center fuses tradition and innovation to shape tomorrow’s storytellers...

MAY 29 - JUN 6 An inviting first encounter with live performance, where the Wirtz Center sparks imagination early and nurtures the next generation of storytellers and audiences alike.  Devised by Elli...

Join Block Museum staff for an online talk considering artwork from the Block’s collection that reflects on the complexities of knowledge, fate, desire, and guilt, themes central to the 2026-2027 Camp...

Urban historian Lewis Mumford noted “the city creates the theater and is the theater”.  Picturing the Modern Metropolis: Prints and Photographs from The Block's Collection provides the opportunity to ...

Part of Keyboard Conversations with Jeffrey Siegel Jeffrey Siegel, piano The 2026-27 series begins with Beethoven’s joyous Polonaise, beloved Für Elise, and humorous Bagatelles, as well as Schubert’s ...

Part of the Tichio-Finnie Vocal Master Class Series  Known for her deeply expressive and richly beautiful voice, mezzo-soprano Marietta Simpson has sung with major orchestras throughout the US, under ...

To celebrate Northwestern University’s Homecoming and Reunion Weekend, and in conjunction with Picturing the Modern Metropolis, the Block Museum offers a special program on the newly opened Obama Pres...

In Fall 2026, The Living Room highlights a multi-year campus partnership with the Northwestern Department of Athletics and Recreation and the student-athletes they support. Each month, an artwork sele...

Part of the Skyline Piano Artist Series “Liu’s music making was seriously serious, solemn even, and super sensitive, with power, richness, and deliberateness…” —The Boston Musical Intelligencer  Piani...

The Music of McCoy Tyner and John Coltrane Derrick Gardner and Kevin Fort, conductors  Pianist, composer, and NEA Jazz Master McCoy Tyner gained widespread recognition for his work with the John Colt...

Join us in the gallery for a talk with Eduardo Bello, 2025–26 Block Museum Interdisciplinary Graduate Fellow and co-curator of Picturing the Modern Metropolis: Prints and Photographs from The Block’s ...

Ben Bolter, conductor; Beyond This Point percussion duo  The ensemble offers a collaborative performance with Chicago-based percussion duo Beyond This Point. Percussionists John Corkill and Adam Rosen...

Foundations Robert Taylor, conductor  Marking the centennial of Northwestern University Bands, the Symphonic Wind Ensemble opens the 2026-27 concert season with music that has shaped the ensemble’s h...

Kim Fleuchaus, flute; Mark Maxwell and Anne Waller, guitar; Annie Hsiao, Karen Kan-Walsh, Barbara Kreader Skalinder, Yeeseon Kwon, Heidi Mayer, Susan Osborn, Tamara Sarajishvili Dominguez, Jia-Yee Tan...

Everything Old Is New Again Shawn Vondran, conductor; Stromboli Brass Quintet (Sophie Urban and Lydia Hanje, trumpet; Katy Meffert, horn; Wesley Connor, trombone; Mitch Brady, tuba)  As Northwestern U...

Welcoming Hands  Andrew Megill, conductor  The choir’s first concert of the year explores compositions of the past and present blending prayer, meditation, pain, and hope. With music from the 17th cen...

Glories of the German Baroque Stephen Alltop, conductor  The Millar Choir presents two outstanding works for voices and strings from the early German Baroque: Dieterich Buxtehude’s Membra Jesu nostri ...

The Music of Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell  Darius Hampton and Joe Clark, conductors  Pianist and composer Thelonious Monk had a lasting impact on the jazz world through his unique improvisational st...

In Fall 2026, The Living Room highlights a multi-year campus partnership with the Northwestern Department of Athletics and Recreation and the student-athletes they support. Each month, an artwork sele...

Donald Schleicher, conductor; Christopher Guzman, piano  The Chamber Orchestra presents an all-Beethoven program, opening with the composer's turbulent Coriolan Overture, followed by his Piano Concert...

Derrick Gardner, conductor  A variety of compositions and arrangements for large jazz ensemble. 

Part of the Segovia Classical Guitar Series “...unrivaled joy, technical élan, and questing spirit.” —Los Angeles Times  Bill Kanengiser, John Dearman, Matt Greif, and Douglas Lora, guitar  The Grammy...

Donald Schleicher, conductor; Cameron Akioka, piano (Northwestern Concerto Competition winner)  The Symphony Orchestra gives a nod to Halloween with the first of its fall performances, opening with St...

Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present moment with curiosity and without judgment. It involves tuning into breath, body, thoughts, feelings, and surroundings. People often prac...

She-e Wu, director  An evening of eclectic rhythms. 

Sacred Place A. J. Keller, conductor  University Chorale explores the concept of the sacred through transcendent music of nature, love, and communal ritual. The centerpiece of the program is Alex Berk...

Principal harpist of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Marguerite Lynn Williams has received critical praise for her “ravishing harp artistry” (Charleston Today) and “seamless technical polish and lyric sen...

Vibrant Virtuosity Stephen Alltop, conductor  Talented soloists are showcased in sparkling concertos by Antonio Corelli and Antonio Vivaldi, as well as Georg Philipp Telemann’s Concerto in D Major for...

Daniel Shanahan, James Lee, Özge Samanci, and Sylvester Johnson, panelists  Join a panel of Northwestern University faculty for a discussion focused on the ways in which they are using AI and explorin...

Vacancy has been a key framework for picturing the modern metropolis. From the more recent romanticization of Detroit "ruin porn" to older forms of documentary realism conjuring the forlorn melancholy...

All About That Basie Darius Hampton, conductor  Pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer William James “Count” Basie left an indelible mark on the jazz world with his Count Basie Orchestra and stan...

Part of the Skyline Piano Artist Series “...a constant act of creation—spinning out provocative arrangements and videos, and touring the world with concerts that are engaging, challenging, and downrig...

Adam Unsworth, director  The Brass Ensemble performs a variety of virtuoso compositions and arrangements for brass, including works by Gustav Holst and Dutch composer Jan Koetsier. 

Inna Naroditskaya, presenter  A contemporary of Sergei Rachmaninoff and Alexander Scriabin, Nikolai Medtner composed a substantial number of works for the piano. His distinctive compositional style wa...

Jinjoo Cho and Chihiro Kakishima, violin; James Kang, viola; Luiz Fernando Venturelli, cello; Sasha Kasman Laude, piano  Bienen faculty member and violinist Jinjoo Cho is joined by Bienen students and...

American Voices Michael Parker, conductor  Michael Parker’s inaugural performance as Concert Band conductor features a range of music by American composers. With a range of works both honoring the pas...

Ecstatic Meditations A. J. Keller, conductor  An inspiring program of works from a variety of styles and eras, featuring selections by Thomas Tallis, Ola Gjeilo, Florence Price, and others. 

Birthday Tribute—The Music of Ellis Marsalis and Student Originals  Derrick Gardner and Kevin Fort, conductors  The Derrick Gardner ensemble celebrates the November 14 birthday of the late pianist El...

Join Solome Bezuneh ‘24 and Karan Gowda ‘22, former Block Museum Student Associates, and Isabella Ko, Engagement Coordinator and Educator, in the Living Room for a discussion of the creative process t...

Student Originals Darius Hampton and Joe Clark, conductors  The Darius Hampton and Joe Clark ensembles share original compositions and arrangements by jazz studies students. 

Alan Pierson, conductor  Exciting contemporary selections, including new music by a Bienen student composer. 

Constellations  Robert Taylor, conductor  Featuring works commissioned by Northwestern University Bands, the program showcases music by Reena Esmail, Joel Puckett, and David Maslanka, whose distinctiv...

Anne Waller, director  Music for guitar soloists, small ensembles, and full ensemble. 

Luis Aguilar, conductor  Philharmonia’s first concert of the year opens with the overture to Nabucco, Verdi’s opera loosely based on the biblical figure of King Nebuchadnezzar. The orchestra continues...

Meghan Stoll, conductor  A program of music for treble voices from a variety of genres. 

LIGHT REFRESHMENTS: 5:00 PM-6:00 PM PUBLIC PROGRAM: 6:00 PM-7:30 PM Join us to celebrate the 2025-26 Student Acquisition: and you, all future tense, leak through by artist Antonius-Tín Bui.  Bui’s wid...

A Remarkable Stillness and Serenity of Soul  Andrew Megill, conductor Choir and orchestra unite to present a concert of works centered around peace, love, and faith. On the program is a Mendelssohn ca...

Derrick Gardner, conductor; Virginia MacDonald, clarinet  Featured guest clarinetist Virginia MacDonald is an in-demand bandleader and composer, regularly appearing throughout North America and Europe...

“Whatsoever Things...”  Shawn Vondran, conductor; Liam Kantzler, bass trombone (Northwestern Concerto Competition winner)  The Symphonic Band’s December concert opens with Giovanni Gabrieli’s Canzon p...

Donald Schleicher, conductor; Lena Ying-Ting Wong, graduate assistant conductor; Wanxinyi Huang, viola (Northwestern Concerto Competition winner)  John Corigliano’s Promenade Overture opens the concer...

Stephen Alltop, conductor; Millar Choir; Philharmonia; Northwestern University Brass Ensemble  The beloved holiday tradition combines readings and musical gems to portray the Christmas miracle. The pr...

Bienen students, faculty, and special guests present a concert showcasing the radical work of Italian Fluxus composer, artist, and theorist Giuseppe Chiari to celebrate the centennial anniversary of h...

Part of Keyboard Conversations with Jeffrey Siegel Jeffrey Siegel, piano Siegel explores the composer's exuberant Hungarian Dances, dreamy Ballades, the passionate Rhapsody in B Minor, and deeply pers...

Part of the Winter Chamber Music Festival Lucy Wang and Hao Zhou, violin; Aiden Kane, viola; Tate Zawadiuk, cello  Winner of a 2025 Avery Fisher Career Grant, the Viano Quartet has made a name for its...

Part of the Winter Chamber Music Festival Jesse Mills, violin; Ole Akahoshi, cello; Rieko Aizawa, piano  Hailed for their “eloquent, enthralling” performances (The Boston Globe), the Horszowski Trio h...

Part of the Winter Chamber Music Festival Adrian Steele and Phoenix Avalon, violin; Devin Moore, viola; Joshua McClendon, cello  The Strad praises the Isidore String Quartet’s “pristine cohesion, alwa...

Part of the Winter Chamber Music  Ilya Kaler, violin; Adam Unsworth, horn; James Giles, piano Ilya Kaler is the only violinist to have won the Gold Medal at Moscow’s Tchaikovsky Competition, Helsinki’...

Part of the Winter Chamber Music Festival Robin Scott and Janet Ying, violin; Phillip Ying, viola; David Ying, cello  Praised for their “ideal blend of expressive poise and tonal refinement” (Chicago ...

Part of the Winter Chamber Music Festival Stephen Williamson, clarinet; Susie Park, violin; Kenneth Olsen, cello; Christopher Guzman, piano Bienen clarinet lecturer Stephen Williamson is principal cla...

Part of the Skyline Piano Artist Series “This is an artist we need to hear more of.”  —The New York Times  Award-winning French pianist David Fray was named “Newcomer of the Year 2008” by BBC Music ma...

Part of the Segovia Classical Guitar Series Judicaël Perroy’s career ignited after he won first prize at the 15th Guitar Foundation of America International Concert Artist Competition. He has since pl...

Part of Keyboard Conversations with Jeffrey Siegel Jeffrey Siegel, piano A journey through highlights of the composer's flourishing career in the City of Light: the joyful Ballade No. 3, the devilish ...

Part of the Segovia Classical Guitar Series "I'd put my reputation on the line and say that this is the best guitar duo in the world." —Manuel Barrueco, legendary guitarist Meng Su and Yameng Wang, gu...

Chris Potter, saxophone; Matt Brewer, bass; Kendrick Scott, drums  A world-class soloist, accomplished composer, and formidable bandleader, Chris Potter has been hailed as “easily the most compelling ...

Part of the Skyline Piano Artist Series “His playing is direct and unpretentious, with a quiet charisma and a sense of deeper feeling beneath the surface.”  —The Classical Review  Paul Lewis is intern...

Part of the Segovia Classical Guitar Series "...Mr. Russell possesses a talent of extraordinary dimension.” —The New York Times  David Russell is firmly established in the elite echelon of classical g...

Part of Keyboard Conversations with Jeffrey Siegel Jeffrey Siegel, piano The 2026-27 season concludes with Beethoven’s exhilarating variations on “God Save the King,” Mendelssohn’s soulful Variations ...

Part of the Segovia Classical Guitar Series “Perhaps he is the greatest performer of the instrument of all time.” —The Birmingham Post  North concludes the 2026-27 Segovia Classical Guitar Series with...

Part of the Skyline Piano Artist Series “Giles has a truly distinctive interpretive persona. This was beautiful pianism—direct and unmannered.”  —Harris Goldsmith  James Giles regularly performs in im...