Musical Tasting: French Impressionism with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra

This season, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra will perform and especially large number of pieces by beloved French composers. Join us for a very special performance of Maurice Ravel’s Sonata for Violin and Celloby Robert Chen, CSO Concertmaster, and John Sharp, CSO Principal Cello.

The peformance will be followed by a themed wine tasting, led by sommelière Cedar Stoltenow.

Guests will enjoy a complimentary welcome cocktail, gain insight from the artists on the work of French impressionist composers, and hear about the French repertoire and artists featured at the CSO this year.

Doors at 6:00 p.m. Program at 6:30. Please enter via 54 W Chicago Ave.

About the Artists

Photo credit: Todd Rosenberg Photography

Robert Chen celebrates his twenty-fifth season as concertmaster of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. During his tenure as the CSO concertmaster, he has been featured as soloist with many world-renowned conductors, including Riccardo Muti, Daniel Barenboim, Pierre Boulez and Bernard Haitink. He gave the CSO premiere of György Ligeti’s Violin Concerto, Elliott Carter’s Violin Concerto and Witold Lutoslawski’s Chain Two, as well as the world premiere of Augusta Read Thomas’s Astral Canticle. In addition to his duties as concertmaster, Chen enjoys a solo career that takes him around the world. Most recently, he toured Europe as soloist-conductor with the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, Chen has been an artistic partner of the Northbrook Symphony Orchestra since 2019.

Photo credit: Todd Rosenberg Photography

Appointed as one of the youngest principal cellists in the history of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, John Sharp has served in that position during the tenures of Sir Georg Solti, Daniel Barenboim, Pierre Boulez, Bernard Haitink and Riccardo Muti.  A top prize winner of the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, he has appeared as soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Mstislav Rostropovich in the Britten Symphony for Cello and Orchestra, in a recording of Strauss’ Don Quixote conducted by Daniel Barenboim, and with Itzhak Perlman and Daniel Barenboim in performances of Beethoven’s Triple Concerto. He has performed as a soloist under the baton of Riccardo Muti, Sir Georg Solti, Pierre Boulez, Bernard Haitink, Lorin Maazel, Charles Dutoit and Michael Tilson Thomas.

About the Sommelière

Cedar Stoltenow began her career in wine in 2017, after leaving the field of computational linguistics in search of a more balanced life. Cedar passed the WSET levels 2 and 3 within the year, and spent 2018 working harvests in both New Zealand and Napa Valley. She received her WSET Diploma in 2023.

Currently, Cedar works for the French Trade Commission, promoting French wine and spirits in the US market. In addition to her day job, Cedar also runs her own wine education and consulting business, Un Pot de Vin, which offers private wine education, event planning, and sommelier services, and she teaches WSET courses in Chicago with Fine Vintage. Working in wine offers Cedar a chance to share her love of wine, food, and travel with others, creating sensory experiences that make lasting memories.

My goal is to make wine more accessible, understandable, and above all, fun, for others. My passion is creating an experience around wine that brings people together, making the wine world more inclusive and approachable.

You can follow Cedar on Instagram @unpotdevin.

About the CSO

Founded in 1891, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is consistently hailed as one of the greatest orchestras in the world.

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra commands a vast repertoire ranging from Baroque to contemporary. Performing in over 150 concerts each year, the CSO’s talented musicians are the driving force behind the ensemble’s famous sound heard on best-selling recordings as well as in performances in Chicago and on tour throughout the United States and around the globe.

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 and the 66 on Chicago Ave. A Divvy station 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.

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.

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.