Repertoire

The Ensemble programs diverse works ranging from Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms to William Bolcom, Chick Corea, Paul Schoenfield, Augusta Read Thomas and other living composers. Orion's impressive repertoire offers its fortunate audiences a remarkably broad chamber music experience. The Ensemble's expansive commitment to chamber music embraces the works of the classical through modern standard repertoire as well as an extensive range of new pieces for piano quartet and clarinet. Orion continues to inspire composers with commissions for new works written especially for its unique combination of instruments. As the Chicago Tribune's John von Rhein wrote upon Orion's 10th anniversary, "It seems like only yesterday that a remarkable chamber group of musicians calling itself the Orion Ensemble was born. The Orions … quickly established themselves as one of the Chicago area's most vibrant, versatile and distinctive ensembles, at home in every period but especially committed to enlarging the repertory of its unusual combination of piano quartet and clarinet."

Orion received the 2000 CMA/ASCAP "Award for Adventurous Programming" for its cutting-edge performance series "Inside Look at Contemporary Music Initiative."

Season 32 (2024-2025)
Concert 1: To Melody!
Concert 2: To Hope!
Concert 3: To Life!
Concert 4: To Joy!

Season 31 (2023-2024)
Concert 1: From Vienna with Love
Concert 2: Powerful Masterpieces
Concert 3: Parlez-vous Français?
Concert 4: Tribute to Paquito D'Rivera

Season 30 (2022-2023)
Concert 1
Concert 2
Concert 3
Concert 4

Season 29 (2021-2022)
Concert 1
Concert 2
Concert 3
Concert 4
Concert 4.1: WFMT Live Broadcasts

Season 28 (2020-2021)
Concert 1: All-Beethoven Live and Livestream Concert
Concert 2: Live and Livestream Concert
Concert 3: Live and Livestream Concert
Concert 4: Live and Livestream Concert

Season 27 (2019-2020)
Concert 1
Concert 2
Concert 3
Concert 4 (canceled)

Season 26 (2018-2019)
Concert 1: Vienna, City of My Dreams
Concert 1.1: WFMT Live Broadcasts
Concert 1.5: Fall Benefit Concert
Concert 2: Russian Passion
Concert 3: French Musical Treasure
Concert 4: A Brahms Finale

Season 25 (2017-2018)
Concert 1: A Beautiful Oboe and Friends
Concert 2: Let's Tango
Concert 3: Old Meets New
Concert 4: Quintessential Quintets

Season 24 (2016-2017)
Concert 1: Collage of Colors
Concert 2: Serenade by Three: Orion Beginnings
Concert 3: Connections
Concert 4: Wit and Passion

Season 23 (2015-2016)
Concert 1: French and German Tapestries
Concert 2: Harp Fantasy
Concert 3: American Landscape
Concert 4: Musical Enchantments

Season 22 (2014-2015)
Concert 1: Stepping Out
Concert 2: Rhapsody
Concert 3: Jubilation
Concert 4: Celebration

Season 21 (2013-2014)
Concert 1: Celebrating Brahms
Concert 2: Danube Destinations
Concert 3: Sounds of Russia
Concert 4: Czech and American Romance