🎻🎶 Strings & Soul: Yo‑Yo Ma & Angélique Kidjo Light Up the Park 🎼 🌍

🎻🎶 Strings & Soul: Yo‑Yo Ma & Angélique Kidjo Light Up the Park 🎼 🌍

Sarabande Africaine: Angélique Kidjo & Yo‑Yo Ma free concert at Millennium Park

Join world-renowned cellist Yo‑Yo Ma and five-time Grammy winner Angélique Kidjo for Sarabande Africaine, a free live concert at Chicago’s iconic Jay Pritzker Pavilion. This unforgettable evening blends classical elegance with vibrant West African rhythms—bridging cultures and generations in a one-of-a-kind musical collaboration.

📅 Tuesday, August 26, 2025
🕡 6:30 PM (arrive between 4:00–4:30 PM to get a spot on the lawn)
📍 Millennium Park – Jay Pritzker Pavilion, 201 E Randolph St., Chicago
🎟️ Admission: Free & open to the public
👉 Want guaranteed seating? VIP reservations are available through CSO (we are not doing VIP seating as there are high fees for those seats!)
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✨ Why You Should Be There
🎵 Yo‑Yo Ma — international cello legend with 19 Grammys, known for groundbreaking collaborations and global cultural initiatives.
🌟 Angélique Kidjo — Beninese‑French powerhouse artist, hailed as "Africa’s premier diva," with five Grammys and a recent Polar Music Prize.
This is not just a concert—it's a cultural dialogue across time and continents, fusing Ma’s classical mastery with Kidjo’s dynamic vocals and storytelling in an uplifting celebration of shared humanity.
Presented by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association and DCASE, in collaboration with Villa Albertine.
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🧺 Group Info & Meetup Plans
We'll start gathering around 4:00–4:30 PM.
💥 In 2019, Yo-Yo's concert filled Millennium Park by 5:30 PM—latecomers were turned away. Plan to come early and allow extra time for security lines.

🔍 Where to Find Us
We’ll be in the front section of the Great Lawn, closest to the Pavilion seats. Look for our Meetup sign on a stick if permitted! (See event photo for exact spot.)

🌿 Plan Your Evening
📍 Venue map & seating info: https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/dca/Millennium%20Park/MP%20Venue%20Map%202022.pdf
🚨 Know before you go – security details: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/millennium_parksecurity.html
🎶 The Yo‑Yo Ma concert begins at 6:30 PM. Our group will begin assembling around 4:00–4:30 PM.
💡 This event will be PACKED—when we attended Yo-Yo's concert in 2019, the park reached capacity by 5:30 PM and latecomers were turned away. Get there early!

🔎 Look for us IN THE FRONT SECTION OF THE LAWN, CLOSEST TO THE FRONT SIDEWALK, near the Pavilion seats.

I’ll have a Meetup sign on a stick (if allowed) so you can spot us. 📍
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🍷 Bring the Picnic Vibes
🧺 Wine, snacks, blankets, and lawn chairs are welcome.
🛒 Mariano's on Randolph and Macy’s on State are nearby for last-minute goodies.

🍽️ Suggested items to share:

• Cheese & crackers
• Fresh fruit
• Baked goods
• Hummus & chips

🎉 Helpful extras (if you can!):
Cups, napkins, toothpicks, paper plates.

🚗 If you’re driving or live nearby and can bring a small low table, please do—it makes it much easier to share wine & snacks. My regular tables are too tall for this crowd.
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📵 Please Note Our RSVP & No-Show Policy:
✅ Update your RSVP by the start time of the event.
✅ Check in with the host (me, Giovina) when you arrive.
🚫 3 no-shows without notice = 3-month RSVP restriction.

📲 If you're running late or can’t find us, text/call me at (312) 835‑4259.

Let’s enjoy a magical night of music, connection, and culture under the stars. Don’t miss it! ✨🎻🌍