America's definitive 'third stream' orchestra combining jazz and classical music.
What is Third Stream?
Gunther Schuller coined the term "Third Stream" in 1957 to describe a new musical genre merging jazz and classical traditions.
Chicago Jazz Philharmonic was recognized with the prestigious 2016 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, and most recently the esteemed Chicago Cultural Treasures award in 2021. >See all awards and accolades
Chicago Jazz Philharmonic presents Third Stream as a way to bridge communities, educate the next generation of musicians, encourage cross-cultural dialogue, and expand creative practice.
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"Bristling innovation and mainstream melody-making, classical modernism and free jazz improvisation - all these elements, and others, converge when CJP takes the stage."
— Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune
Performance
In ensembles ranging from the full 60-piece orchestra to the double quartet, Chicago Jazz Philharmonic performs a wide repertoire combining jazz and classical idioms in original arrangements and world premieres, locally and internationally.
Serving under-resourced schools and families in need to provide equity and access to impactful music education programs, in-school and in the community, meeting students where they are and bringing out the best in them.
From Cuba to Bulgaria, and universities around the U.S., CJP partners with orchestras in residency programs that combine immersive performance and cultural exchange through Third Stream repertoire.
