Each year, Civic Regular Members receive a stipend that is paid bi-weekly and intended to offset living expenses. For the 2024/25 Season, each Regular Member of the Civic Orchestra will receive a stipend of $9,500, contingent upon completion of all required activities.

The illustrious conductors of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra provide artistic vision and leadership to the entire CSO organization. Their performances on the podium inspire audiences worldwide. Explore biographical information about these legendary and versatile musicians.

An orchestra is a group of musicians with a variety of instruments, which usually includes the violin family. A symphony orchestra (often just called “a symphony” for short) is an orchestra that has both the number of players and types of instruments required to play a symphony.

How often do the musicians rehearse? Most musicians practice daily, but the number of orchestral rehearsals dedicated to any given program is variable. Our Orchestra usually has 8 “services” scheduled in a week, which can be broken up into, as an example, 6 rehearsals and 2 concert performances.