For tickets and more information, go to http://www.harristheaterchicago.org.

Stay tuned for updates from Music Director Francesco Milioto as we put the finishing touches on our upcoming season!

We’re also thankful for the many individual donors that have stepped forward this year, who have made a high impact investment in the future of our group. In 2010 the orchestra’s leadership received institutional guidance on the local level, through the Arts & Business Council of Chicago, and on the national side of things with the Kennedy Center’s Devos Institute of Arts Management. We’ve added a new CPA board member through the Illinois chapter of CPA’s for the Public Interest, won a small CityArts Grant through the City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs, and are hoping to be able to finance a financial audit in order to qualify for the next tier of public and private foundation awards. Thanks to all who made 2010 a rousing success, and hope to see you at a concert in the future!

New Millennium Orchestra performs “Adrenaline” by Greg Ward by d_o_j_o

New Millennium Orchestra 1st Mvt Beethoven Sym. #5 by d_o_j_o

New Millennium Orchestra performs an excerpt from Brittain’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings. by d_o_j_o

New Millennium Orchestra performs an excerpt from Biber’s Battalia by d_o_j_o

Hollows perform “Shape Shifter” with NMO electric strings by d_o_j_o

Maybe it’s time to ratchet down the worries about classical music’s survival and the aging of its audience.

Large, long-established orchestras and opera companies may still struggle to attract younger listeners, but young musicians coming into the field are trying out new ways to present and perform the music they love. Bach in bars, Mozart at a cabaret theater—these concerts truly could be at the start of something big.

The New Millennium Orchestra, co-founded six years ago by conductor/pianist Francesco Milioto, brought its brand of innovative programming to the Mayne Stage on the Far North Side Saturday night. The third of the orchestra’s Mixtape series, the idea was to let the artists and audience mix it up with Mozart and house music.

The evening opened with a fast-paced, well-sung survey of 13 of Mozart’s greatest vocal hits. The five young singers—sopranos Juliet Petrus and Saira Frank, mezzo Laurie Seely Vassalli, tenor Cornelius Johnson and baritone Corey Crider—had the musical and dramatic goods for selections that ranged from the delicate Act I trio from Cosi fan tutte to one of The Queen of the Night’s arias from The Magic Flute. (Petrus triumphantly nailed the aria’s fiendish coloratura and top notes.)

Wearing a tan blazer and open-necked shirt, Corey Crider casually strolled the stage during Leporello’s Catalogue Aria from Don Giovanni. His big, clear baritone brimming with malicious mischief, he scrolled through his cell phone to check the Don’s list of conquests. In her little black dress, Vassalli poured out Dorabella’s distress in an aria from Cosi fan tutte, her smoky mezzo tinged with sorrow.

Milioto provided brief, breezy introductions to each number, and he and a string quartet of New Millennium players—violinists Blagomira Lipari, and Chihsuan Yang, violist Dominic Johnson and cellist Dan Klingler—served as the singers’ deft backup band.

After the Mozart, Dominic Johnson, Milioto’s colleague as the orchestra’s co-founder, morphed into a house musician. Pulling dark, droning lines from his amplified instrument, he was one half of the duo Dojo vs. Twitch. Against the backdrop of a giant screen filled with neon-hued, constantly moving visuals, they opened with a brand new work and moved onto the selections from their debut CD, Press Start to Begin.  Their electronic sound was mordant and lyrical, the beat irresistible.

The program was a successful blend of quality music, performers who felt at ease onstage and a first-class venue.  The ensuing dance party, produced by well-known Chicago DJ Adonis Childs, was scheduled to continue until 2 a.m.

Milioto’s credits include assistant-conducting work with the Ravinia Festival and Chicago Opera Theater. Crider is an alumnus of Lyric Opera’s program for young artists; the other singers have worked with Lyric and young artist programs at places like Glimmerglass Opera. All have studied at top-tier schools. These are well-trained, talented young singers who feel as comfortable in a dance club as they do on the opera house stage.

Mayne Stage proved an ideal venue. Its acoustics are excellent, clear without turning the sound harsh or dry.  The room is an intimate, multi-level space whose sleek, Art Deco style brings to mind the classy supper clubs of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movies.

Mixtape III was a lovely way to spend an evening. Why not sit at a comfortable table and nurse a glass of wine while young singers work their way through the Mozart song book? And if the talented young violist and some of his friends follow up with some house-music tunes, so much the better.

Chicago TribuneBy Jessica Hopper, Special to the Tribune10:09 a.m. CDT, April 7, 2011
New Millennium Orchestra is looking to liberate classical music. With its Mixtape Series, the orchestra mashes up new sounds with centuries-old work, in unlikely pairings. This weekend’s event begins with a selection of conductor Francesco Milioto’s favorite Mozart arias performed by the NMO chamber orchestra and ends with a DJ set from Chicago house music producer Adonis Childs. The Tribune spoke to NMO co-founder Dominic Johnson about the group’s vision for classical music’s future, and why Chicago makes it possible.
QCan you explain your Mixtape Series and what inspired it?AThe Mixtape Series, we started it, in part, as a way to highlight some of the other groups some of our orchestra members play in, or other types of music that we are interested or involved in. For example, one of our flutists also plays in the garage band Hollows. Another time we had DJs we knew from when we had events at HotHouse years ago. We’re interested in just using the series to showcase different sides of the music scene, and juxtaposing it with classical, showing people that we are interested in getting different perspectives on music.
QThis particular installment pairs Mozart arias with a very Chicago sound — house music DJs — how did that come together?AOur conductor, Francesco Milioto and I, we actually met when he was conducting an orchestra I was in for a performance of “Candide.” We’ve long wanted to do an opera — but mounting a full-scale opera is extremely expensive. Since Mozart is his favorite, we came up with the idea of doing highlights from different operas. So it’ll be arias, followed by turntablists, DJs, dance music.

QHow do Mozart and house music go together?AThey don’t (laughs). That’s kind of the point — that there is no intrinsic way they go together. It’s just about putting these things together that we like — it needn’t be thematically linked, or even some thoroughly thought-out plan, it’s just about the experience of good music. These are two things I would like to do in a night, together in one (laughs) — classical concert and dancing.
QChicago is one of the few cities where people have truly ecumenical music tastes, in part because there are so many great and diverse offerings. What else makes an event like Mixtape Series possible?APeople are really open to all sorts of music here, but the other aspect is that our musicians are open, as well. They want to try things out. Because there is not a lot of glory to be had — there’s not the same sort of opportunities for recording contracts here that there are in New York or LA — they play to impress each other. I think it’s an amazing thing we are doing here, it really shows the breadth of what’s available to see and experience here.
QPulling classical music out of the concert hall and drawing in new, young fans is something a lot of the major orchestras have been trying to do for years. Who comes to Mixtape shows?AMostly people in their 20s and 30s, a lot of them are musicians and artists, music students and people in other disciplines. It’s a way for them to see what’s happening, and get together.
QIs that something you set out to do, liberate classical music from its usual context and setting?AThe museum quality of classical music, that’s important, but in order to gain new fans and to expand, it needs to step forward toward the audience and truly engage them. You have to be eager — and maybe even gauche — but you have to step toward the audience, step into what they like and then show them something else that they might like.