Experience Handel’s Water Music on the Chicago River

After last year’s debut, Music of the Baroque is bringing back The Chicago Water Music to the Chicago River on Wednesday, September 10th. Dame Jane Glover will once again lead the ensemble from aboard the “Bright Star” as it travels from Ogden Slip to Merchandise Mart, but this year comes with an ambitious new twist: a citywide singalong.

The program follows the same winning formula: highlights from Handel’s Water Music and Music for the Royal Fireworks, plus choral favorites, but adds “Hallelujah, Chicago,” inviting the entire city to join in singing the “Hallelujah” Chorus from Messiah.

What made the 2024 performance special wasn’t just the novelty of hearing Baroque music on the water. Handel did compose his Water Music for outdoor performance, after all. It was how seamlessly the Chicago River and its surrounding architecture became part of the concert hall experience. Dame Jane Glover understood this connection, noting how the river itself “seemed to dance” with the music.

This year’s performance includes students from Music of the Baroque’s “Strong Voices” program, which works with seven Chicago public high schools in neighborhoods like Englewood, Pullman, and Chatham. Their participation adds another layer to what’s already a uniquely Chicago event.

For those wanting the full water experience, two audience boats will accompany the performers. But you don’t need a ticket to participate. The performance is easily viewable from the Riverwalk and surrounding bridges, and everyone can join the “Hallelujah” singalong.

Classical music often struggles to prove its relevance to broader communities. The Chicago Water Music doesn’t just claim to be “for everyone,”it creates conditions where everyone can genuinely participate. When a seventh-grader from Englewood and a North Shore subscriber are singing the same Handel chorus at the same moment, that’s not just good marketing. That’s what community engagement actually looks like.

Details and route maps are available at baroque.org/watermusic2025. The “Hallelujah, Chicago” singalong information is at baroque.org/hallelujahchicago.