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Chicago Symphony Orchestra October 2026 Schedule & Tickets

Chicago Symphony Orchestra October 2026 Schedule & Tickets

Key Takeaways

  • October 2026 at Symphony Center features five Chicago Symphony Orchestra program runs plus chamber, jazz, and gala events, giving listeners many ways to hear the CSO.
  • Klaus Mäkelä leads the first two runs, while guest conductors Giancarlo Guerrero and Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider take the podium later in the month.
  • Programming highlights include Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast, Brahms’ A German Requiem, and several chorus-forward nights for vocal-orchestral fans.
  • Tickets for main-stage concerts start around $55–$59, with pay-what-you-wish chamber options and free community performances for tighter budgets.
  • OnesToWatch Live gathers the full October 2026 CSO calendar and ticket links so readers can compare dates, programs, and seating quickly.

Browse All October CSO Tickets

Upcoming October 2026 CSO Dates and Tickets at a Glance

Every date below is at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL.

Past and Early October 2026 CSO Dates

Early October includes Mäkelä’s Mahler 9 run, which overlaps the present date. Two performances have passed, and two remain on the calendar.

Five CSO Program Runs: Matching Dates to Programs

1. Mäkelä Conducts Mahler 9 — Oct. 1–4

Klaus Mäkelä, the CSO’s Zell Music Director Designate, conducts Mahler’s Symphony No. 9 with the orchestra from October 1–4, 2026. The work, Mahler’s last completed symphony, runs approximately 75 to 90 minutes. Performances take place Thursday and Saturday at 7:30 PM, Friday at 1:30 PM, and Sunday at 3:00 PM. The Chicago Tribune’s Hannah Edgar praised Mäkelä’s Mahler Third for its impassioned ensemble sound, calling the experience “like a blast of fresh alpine air.” Free preconcert conversations led by Carl Grapentine occur 75 minutes before each performance. Tickets start at $59.00+ including fees.

2. Mäkelä, Petrushka & Belshazzar’s Feast — Oct. 8–9 (Plus Symphony Ball Oct. 10)

This Mäkelä program opens with Giovanni Gabrieli’s Canzon duodecimi toni, arranged by CSO Principal Trombone Tim Higgins. Stravinsky’s Petrushka follows, then Gabrieli’s Sonata pian’ e forte in an arrangement by Crees. The concert closes with William Walton’s oratorio Belshazzar’s Feast, composed in 1930–31 and first performed on October 8, 1931, featuring baritone Thomas Hampson.

By the 1970s, Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast had largely fallen out of the repertory, so this pairing with Stravinsky and Gabrieli offers a rare large-scale choral showcase. The Symphony Ball on Saturday, October 10, 2026 at 6:30 PM features Mäkelä conducting Belshazzar’s Feast with the Chicago Symphony Chorus. A 5:30 PM preconcert celebration includes a red carpet experience and prosecco toast for gala guests, marking Mäkelä’s first appearance at the annual gala and the start of the CSO’s 136th season.

These Mäkelä dates sit alongside the OnesToWatch Live listings and round out the early October picture for listeners planning multiple visits.

3. Guerrero with Anne Akiko Meyers — Oct. 15–17

Guest conductor Giancarlo Guerrero leads the Chicago Symphony Orchestra with violinist Anne Akiko Meyers on October 15, 16, and 17, 2026 at Symphony Center. This run offers three consecutive evenings in one weekend, which makes scheduling straightforward. Listeners can choose Thursday, Friday, or Saturday night depending on work and travel plans. Each date features the same core program, so the choice comes down to preferred night and seating.

See Guerrero Weekend Ticket Options

4. Szeps-Znaider with Jian Wang — Oct. 22–25

Violinist-conductor Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider leads the CSO in a program featuring cellist Jian Wang in the Dvořák Cello Concerto. Dates are Thursday October 22, Saturday October 24, and Sunday October 25. There is no Friday performance in this run, so listeners choose between a weeknight and two weekend options. The concerto focus makes this run a clear pick for fans of solo-instrument showcases.

5. Szeps-Znaider: Brahms’ A German Requiem — Oct. 29–30 (Plus Oct. 31)

Szeps-Znaider closes the month with Brahms’s A German Requiem, featuring soprano Louise Alder, baritone Konstantin Krimmel, and the Chicago Symphony Chorus on October 29, 30, and 31, 2026. Brahms’s Ein deutsches Requiem took shape after the death of his mother in February 1865. Earlier sketches fed into the final score, and the full chorus heightens its reflective and luminous character.

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Brahms Requiem run at Symphony Center extends to October 31, 2026, with three performances across that weekend. This program offers the month’s most substantial choral writing and suits listeners drawn to large-scale vocal-orchestral works.

Additional October 2026 Events at Symphony Center

Beyond the main CSO subscription concerts, Symphony Center hosts jazz, recital, and chamber programs that broaden the month’s offerings. The Chicago Symphony Presents series adds two high-profile events.

On October 16, 2026 at 8:00 PM, Branford Marsalis and Dianne Reeves celebrate the music of John Coltrane in a jazz concert at Orchestra Hall. On October 18, 2026 at 3:00 PM, pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet, violinist Lisa Batiashvili, and cellist Gautier Capuçon give a chamber recital at Symphony Center; Thibaudet serves as the CSO’s artist-in-residence for the 2026/27 season.

The CSO Chamber Music series brings the Trillium Ensemble to Orchestra Hall on October 20 at 6:30 PM, with works by Haydn, Schubert, and Tchaikovsky on a pay-what-you-wish basis, minimum $15. CSO Chamber Music returns to Mandel Hall at the University of Chicago on October 11, 2026 at 3:00 PM with a “gastromusicology” program featuring Beethoven, Martinů, Schoenfield, and Brahms; tickets range from $14 to $39, with free admission available for youth.

Programming Patterns Across October

Several programming threads connect the month’s events. In the CSO’s 2026/27 season, the Chicago Symphony Chorus appears in two major October programs: Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast (October 8–10) and Brahms’ A German Requiem (October 29–31). Listeners who prioritize choral-orchestral repertoire have multiple options.

The month also foregrounds less frequently heard works. Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast nearly disappeared from the repertory in the 1970s, and its pairing with Stravinsky and Gabrieli gives the October 8–9 run a distinctive profile. According to the CSO’s chronological season list, October run lengths range from two nights for the Petrushka and Belshazzar program to four nights for Mahler 9. This variety lets listeners align specific programs with their schedules, whether they prefer a single targeted night or several chances to attend.

Listeners interested in Mäkelä before he assumes the Zell Music Director role in September 2027 can focus on the October 1–4 and October 8–10 dates. Those drawn to guest conductors have Guerrero’s mid-month weekend and Szeps-Znaider’s late-October runs.

Practical Reader Guidance

Picking by taste: Mahler 9 suits listeners who want a single-work, emotionally concentrated evening. The Petrushka and Belshazzar program favors variety and visual impact. The Dvořák Cello Concerto run highlights a star soloist. The Brahms Requiem offers late-Romantic depth with full chorus.

Ticket cost: According to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s official site, tickets for Mäkelä Conducts Mahler 9 at Symphony Center start at $59.00+ including fees. CSO Chamber Music at Symphony Center is pay-what-you-wish with a $15 minimum. Boston Symphony Orchestra Community Chamber Concerts are free but require advance reservations at bso.org.

Performance times: According to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s 2026/27 chronological list, CSO classical concerts in October 2026 typically begin at 7:30 PM on Thursdays and Saturdays, with Friday matinees at 1:30 PM and Sunday performances at 3:00 PM. The Symphony Ball on Saturday, October 10, 2026 begins at 6:30 PM, with a preconcert celebration and VIP reception at 5:30 PM. Always confirm times on the ticket page, since individual events can differ.

Venue and seating: All CSO Classical concerts take place in Orchestra Hall at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL, unless otherwise noted. Orchestra Hall seats 2,522 across several tiers. Upper balcony seats often provide clear sound at lower prices.

Dress code: The CSO does not enforce a formal dress code for standard orchestral concerts. Most patrons choose business casual or semi-formal clothing. The Symphony Ball gala is a formal event, while Friday matinees tend to feel slightly more relaxed.

First-timers: Free preconcert conversations, such as those offered for the Mahler 9 run, begin 75 minutes before select performances and require no extra ticket. Arriving early helps with collecting a printed program and getting oriented in the hall.

CSO vs. Chicago Philharmonic: The Chicago Philharmonic’s October 2026 schedule does not include publicly ticketed classical concerts that mirror the CSO’s Symphony Center programming. Recent Chicago Philharmonic events have focused on film-in-concert formats such as The Holiday in Concert and the American Mavericks black-tie event at the Obama Presidential Center. For standard orchestral subscription concerts in Chicago this month, the CSO remains the primary option.

Frequently Asked Questions

What conductors are leading the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in October 2026?

Several conductors share the podium. Klaus Mäkelä, the CSO’s Zell Music Director Designate, leads Mahler 9 (October 1–4, 2026) and the Petrushka and Belshazzar’s Feast program (October 8–9, 2026), followed by the Symphony Ball on October 10, 2026. Giancarlo Guerrero leads the October 15–17, 2026 run with violinist Anne Akiko Meyers. Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider conducts the Dvořák Cello Concerto program (October 22–25), a Mahler 1 program (October 26–28), and the Brahms Requiem (October 29–31).

What time do Chicago Symphony Orchestra concerts start in October 2026?

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Classical Series evening performances typically begin at 7:30 PM on Thursdays and Saturdays, though some earlier seasons listed 8:00 PM Saturday starts. For Curated Series matinees, Friday concerts begin at 1:30 PM and Sunday concerts begin at 3:00 PM. The Symphony Ball on Saturday, October 10, 2026 begins at 6:30 PM, with preconcert events at 5:30 PM. Checking the specific ticket listing remains the safest way to confirm start times.

Where is the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performing in October 2026?

All CSO Classical concerts take place in Orchestra Hall at Chicago Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL, unless otherwise noted. The Chicago Tribune has described Symphony Center as “Chicago’s most prestigious musical address.” CSO Chamber Music events appear at the University of Chicago and at community venues across the city, including Epiphany Center for the Arts, Anderson Chapel at North Park University, and South Shore Cultural Center.

What is the dress code for CSO concerts?

The CSO does not impose a formal dress code for standard orchestral performances. Attire usually ranges from business casual to formal, depending on the night and the audience. The Symphony Ball on October 10 is a gala, so formal dress is expected. For regular Thursday–Sunday concerts, smart casual clothing works well.

Are there any free or lower-cost ways to experience the CSO in October 2026?

For the CSO’s 2026/27 Chamber Music series, tickets to the three Symphony Center performances in Orchestra Hall are pay-what-you-wish with a $15 minimum, and three community venue concerts are free with advance reservations. CSO Chamber Music performances at community venues such as the Beverly Arts Center, Kehrein Center for the Arts, and South Shore Cultural Center are free, with tickets released to the public two weeks before each performance. Free preconcert conversations before select CSO Classical performances also provide added context at no extra cost beyond the concert ticket.

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