Ascension Festival of Music 2024 - 2025

Ascension is proud to host and present a wonderful series of concerts.

All concerts are at 4:00 pm.

september 22, 2024: john goodwin

Born in Alabama, John was captivated by music from an early age. At just three years old, he was playing favorite songs on the piano by ear. His love for music deepened during his formative years at the prestigious Alabama School of Fine Arts, and he pursued further studies in Memphis and Birmingham, completing a Master's Degree in Piano Performance from Northwestern University. Now residing in the Chicagoland area, John and his wife have raised two sons in a home filled with love and music. He currently serves as a rehearsal pianist for Uniting Voices Chicago, the Chicago Symphony Chorus, and the chorus of Music of the Baroque.

november 3, 2024: Chicago horn consort

With a roster boasting some of the most active musicians in the Chicago area, the Chicago Horn Consort is the city's only all-professional horn choir.  Since 2008 the CHC has been performing a year-round calendar of events at libraries, schools, concert venues and churches.

Recent notable appearances include "Picasso on the Plaza" at the Daley Center and the “Tribute to Dale Clevenger Appreciation Concert” with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

 Many concerts in the region involve CHC members, including the Chicago Symphony, the Lyric Opera, the Elgin Symphony, Lake Forest Symphony, Chicago Sinfonietta, Ars Viva! Symphony, Grant Park Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony, “Star Wars In Concert,” Barry Manilow, Mannheim Steamroller, Josh Groban, Celtic Woman, Andrea Bocelli, and shows on any stage in the theatre district and surrounding areas.

february 2, 2025: a journey with mozart, featuring kaia string quartet

This season we journey from the memorable Beethoven Birthday Concert of 2019 to a celebration of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The KAIA String Quartet will be joined by Ascension musicians presenting a selection of Mozart’s masterful compositions.

april 6, 2025: trevor mitchell

His musical use of a beautiful and powerful tenor voice have provided Trevor with a major national and international career. Ascension was honored to have him as the soloist for Dubois’ Seven Last Words on Good Friday and looks forward to his return on this series. Austria, Italy, Ukraine, and Great Britain have enjoyed his talents. With an affinity for the music of Bach resulting in engagement at many Bach Festivals, he has also sung major works of Handel, Beethoven, Mozart, and Britten. In Chicago he has enjoyed appearances with Chicago a cappella, the Elgin Symphony, Bella Voce, and the Newberry Consort and is heard on recordings of Cedilla Records, a Sony Classical release of Mozart’s Coronation Mass, Chicago a cappella’s CD of the music of Hanukkah.