Thomas Wikman, Conductor
Founder and Music Director 1972-2001
Music of the Baroque (cont)
Wikman conducted the United States premiere of the Neue Mozart Ausgabe edition of Mozart's Idomeneo.
He created performing editions of many works, including the Monteverdi Vespers of 1610 (recorded on CD);
the three Monteverdi operas; Cavalli's La Calisto; Cesti's Orontea; and Purcell's Fairy Queen,
Dioclesian, and King Arthur. He introduced Chicago audiences to many unusual works by famous
composers, including C.P.E. Bach's Magnificat and Telemann's oratorio Der Tag des Gerichts (also on CD). His
annual Christmas concerts featuring brass, choir, and organ became a popular institution in Chicago. The broadcast
of the Year 2000 Christmas concert drew 85 million listeners.
In 2002, the University of Illinois at Chicago awarded Wikman a Doctorate of Fine Arts "for making an incomparable
contribution to the musical life of Chicago."
