Inspired by his album Ilumina—meaning “to illuminate”—this program explores music as a source of light, connection, and discovery.

• World Premiere Repertoire: Featuring 12 new works written specifically for An Tran by an international group of composers.

• Artistic Vision: Blending intimate lyricism, rhythmic vitality, and folkloric inspiration to celebrate the evolving place of the classical guitar in contemporary music.

• A Musical Journey: Through refined virtuosity and deeply personal artistry, Tran invites audiences to experience the guitar beyond the familiar and discover new possibilities in its sound and expression.cription

We’re looking forward to welcoming you this Sunday for an afternoon of flamenco guitar with Grisha Goryachev, joined by a special performance from the Chicago Community Classical Guitar Ensemble.

To better accommodate our audience, the concert will now take place at the Hubbard High School Auditorium (6200 S. Hamlin Ave., Chicago). We are sincerely grateful to the Hubbard High School team for opening their doors and helping us host this special event.

🚗 Parking is available in the lot across the street, behind the school, and along nearby side streets.

We hope you’ll join us for this powerful and intimate afternoon of live music.

We’re thrilled to share our 2025–2026 season—an inspiring year filled with music, movement, and cultural storytelling.

This season also marks the debut of the Chicago Artopia International Guitar Series, featuring three extraordinary performances:

• Leonela Alejandro (Puerto Rico), 2024 GFA winner

• A passionate Flamenco performance with Grisha Goryachev (Russia)

• East Meets West — a powerful musical fusion of classical guitar and Chinese guzheng, performed by Duo Chinoiserie.

Beyond the series, the season continues with An Afternoon with Chopin, featuring acclaimed pianist Mateus Furtado (Brazil).

Celebrate the holidays with the heartwarming Chris White Trio in A Charlie Brown Christmas, joined by the Hubbard High School Choir.

To close the season, we bring you a vibrant Tango finale with Tango 21 Dance Theater.

🎬 We’re also excited to announce that this year, we’ll host our first film screening: For the Left Hand — a Kartemquin Films documentary by Emmy-winning writer-producer Howard Reich. The film tells the inspiring story of pianist Norman Malone, who, despite losing the use of his right hand at age 10, dedicated his life to mastering the left hand and achieving remarkable triumphs.

We can’t wait to share this journey with you. Bring a friend or loved one, and join us for this unforgettable season of sound, story, and dance!

As part of our growing school outreach, this season’s concert series 2025-2026 has brought transformative musical experiences directly into classrooms and school communities. Visiting artists have shared intimate performances and conversations with students at Hubbard High School, Kinzie Elementary, and Curie High School, creating moments of curiosity, inspiration, and connection. These visits reflect Chicago Artopia’s mission to make world-class cultural experiences accessible and rooted in community.

We look forward to expanding this work with more schools across Chicago’s Southwest Side.

View photos from our school visits here

🎬 We’re excited to announce that this year 2025-2026 Concert Season, we’ll host our first film screening: For the Left Hand — a Kartemquin Films documentary by Emmy-winning writer-producer Howard Reich. The film tells the inspiring story of pianist Norman Malone, who, despite losing the use of his right hand at age 10, dedicated his life to mastering the left hand and achieving remarkable triumphs. description

2024: We are happy to announce that Chicago Artopia recently received a CityArts program grant from the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events! 

Come see our 2024-2025 concert series! It was partially funded by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.