Saturday, October 18
Step into a vibrant celebration of sound, spirit, and light with “Bollywood & Beyond”—just in time for Diwali, the Festival of Lights. Bursting with color and energy, the evening opens with Symphony Masala, conducted by Roger Kalia, former Freeman Conducting Fellow, and starring North American Bollywood sensation Anuradha “Juju” Palakurthi.
From timeless hits to contemporary favorites, this first half brings the irresistible joy of Bollywood to the symphonic stage. Then, our journey expands. In the second half, Maestra Mei-Ann Chen leads a luminous, East-meets-West program with music from China, Taiwan, India, and France—including selections from the legendary 2011 Chicago Sinfonietta concert where our founding conductor Maestro Paul Freeman passed the baton to Maestra Chen.
Rooted in heritage and elevated by imagination, this concert is a resounding tribute to global creativity and connection.
Repertoire includes:
- Traditional Selections from Symphony Masala
- Tyzen Hsiao: The Angel from Formosa
- Reena Esmail: Teen Murti
- Maurice Ravel: Mother Goose Suite
- An-Lun Huang: Saibei Dance No. 3 from Saibei Suite No.2, Op.21