Concert: Rediscovering Marguerite Canal, Compositrice Extraordinaire

The Alliance is honored to host a rare performance of work by an extraordinary French composer, whose work has been forgotten—erased, even—by history.

Duo partners for nearly two decades, Sara Su Jones and Tatyana Stepanova have given recitals at the Harvard Club of New York as well as in Reykjavik and Washington, DC. Their eclectic, creative programs highlight striking but little-known works, and Sara Su’s insightful commentary and storytelling enliven the duo’s performances.

This special concert, introduced by longtime WFMT host Dennis Moore,will give audience members the opportunity to discover the work of a marvelous but now virtually unknown French composer and musical trailblazer, Marguerite Canal (1890–1978). Canal was the first French woman to conduct an orchestra (in 1917) and the second woman (in 1920) to win the prestigious Grand Prix de Rome composition prize, whose past winners included Bizet and Debussy. An exceptional singer, pianist, and organist, Canal composed more than 100 art songs, as well as works for orchestra, chorus, chamber ensembles, and solo piano.

Guests will enjoy complimentary French wine, sparkling water, and croustilles during the performance.

Doors at 6:00 pm. Concert at 6:30. Please enter via 54 W Chicago Ave. Each table of (4) includes complimentary chips and (1) bottle each of French wine and sparkling water. Non-alcoholic wine will be available upon request.

*Please kindly indicate your seating requests when registering and we’ll do our best to accomodate your party. Tickets are non-refundable after Wednesday, November 4—*merci pour votre compréhension.

About the Artists

Acclaimed duo Sara Su Jones and Tatyana Stepanova has appeared multiple times on “Live from WFMT,” and their Chicago-area performances include the Driehaus Museum’s Third Wednesday concert series, the Noonday Concert Series at Fourth Presbyterian Church, Evanston’s Dawes House, and sold-out recitals at Glessner House, the Cliff Dwellers Club, and Newberry Library. Sara Su and Tatyana recently embarked on a recording project focusing on under-recorded works by remarkable composers who happen to be women, with the first tracks projected to be released on YouTube and streaming services in late 2026.

Hailed as a “violinist of enviable gifts” by a Chicago Sun-Times music critic, Sara Su Jones was the 2022 winner of The American Prize (instrumental soloist) and has been a featured soloist on WBEZ and BBC Radio. Sara Su has given recitals in London, Lisbon, and Reykjavik, including at Harpa (home of the Iceland Symphony) and at the Residence of the U.S. Ambassador to Iceland. Sara Su earned an A.B. (Economics) and J.D., both with honors from Harvard. She worked as a management consultant at McKinsey (New York) and as a lawyer at Ropes & Gray (Boston) before founding her educational-coaching business. sarasujones.com

Tatyana Stepanova has been praised by the Chicago Tribune as a “fine” and “persuasive” pianist. A Kyiv native and graduate of the Tchaikovsky (Kyiv) and Rimsky-Korsakov (St. Petersburg) State Conservatories, she has performed with members of the Chicago Symphony and the Lyric Opera orchestra. Tatyana teaches at Midwest Young Artists and has also served as a faculty accompanist at Northwestern. She is a sought-after teacher and chamber-music coach; her students have won prizes in the CSO Young Artists and Walgreens National Concerto Competitions, as well as in the Fischoff, Discover, Barnett, and M-Prize national chamber music competitions.

Getting Here

The Alliance Française de Chicago is one block from the CTA Red line stop at Chicago Ave. Best bus routes are the 22 on Clark St and the 66 on Chicago Ave. A Divvy stations is located in front of the 54 W Chicago Ave entrance.

Parking Information

$12 for 12 hours at InterPark at 100 W Chestnut St. Validation is available at reception.

Photography Notice

Please be advised that students, members, and attendees at cultural events or programs may be photographed, and these images may be used for marketing purposes.