POSTPONED: Concerts on the Square

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Elvis Suarez/GlassWorks MultiMedia

Tiempo Libre on the street.

Tiempo Libre

June 29 update: Due to the continued poor air quality conditions in our area, we have made the difficult decision to reschedule ¡Viva Tiempo Libre! This is a unique challenge that we have never encountered in our 40-year history of concerts. The health and safety of our staff, crew, volunteers, patrons, and musicians are of the highest importance to us. We want to ensure that everyone can enjoy the magic of Concerts on the Square® in a safe and comfortable environment.

In the meantime, we are delighted to announce the grand opening of the 40th season on July 5 with Contrastes. With guest soloists Joël Vaïsse on trombone and Clark Snavely on violin, the performance promises to captivate audiences with its unique blend of musical excellence and vibrant energy. 

The rescheduled performance for ¡Viva Tiempo Libre! will be announced at a later date. If you have any further questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us at wco@wcoconcerts.org or 608-257-0638.

Pull out the blanket, the picnic basket and those plastic wine glasses and head to the Square for Madison’s most essential summer ritual — Concerts on the Square. The season kicks off with guest artists Tiempo Libre, who play a lively Afro-Cuban-Caribbean mix that will include a cha-cha medley and a mambo medley, along with their own “Tu Conga Bach,” a conga inspired Bach — and yes, there will be Bach. Blankets, as always, cannot be laid as placeholders until 3 p.m. Find the full season schedule at wcoconcerts.org.

media release: The Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra’s famous Concerts on the Square returns for its 40th Season this summer. Concerts will take place on Wednesdays at 7:00 PM starting June 28, 2023, and ending on August 2, 2023 on the King Street corner of Capitol Square and are free and open to the public.

An iconic Madison tradition, Concerts on the Square has grown from an idea by American Girl Founder Pleasant Rowland into a nationally recognized concert series, attracting 250,000 people annually for free concerts on the steps of the Wisconsin state Capitol.

“As we head into our 40th season, I think about the impact this series has had on attendees and our community” says CEO Joe Loehnis. “Since 1984, Concerts on the Square has brought an estimated 5 million people to downtown Madison and an estimated $100 million dollars of economic impact to the region. Yet it is the memories and stories of our community members that makes this series so special. We have a knock-your-socks-off season ahead of us, we can’t wait for summer to begin.”

June 28: You’ll be tapping your toes with the return of Tiempo Libre, last with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra in 2012. This three-time Grammy-nominated Afro-Caribbean music group is one of the hottest Latin bands today, featuring an irresistible mix of jazz harmonies, contemporary sonorities, and seductive Latin rhythms. Playing alongside our world-class WCO musicians, don’t miss the grand opening of the 40th anniversary season.

Classically trained at Cuba’s premier conservatories, the members of 3x Grammy®-nominated Tiempo Libre are true modern heirs to the rich musical tradition of their native Cuba. The Miami-based group is celebrated for its sophisticated performances of timba music, an irresistible, dance-inducing mix of Latin jazz and Cuban son. Tiempo Libre has introduced Cuban music to new audiences through appearances on shows such as the Tonight Show, Live from Lincoln Center and Dancing With the Stars and concerts worldwide including performances at Tanglewood, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, The Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Hong Kong’s Kwai Tsing Theatre and Tuscan Sun Festival in Cortona, Italy.

Tiempo Libre collaborated on “Para Ti” with violinist Joshua Bell for his At Home with Friends album and frequently plays with leading orchestras, including concerts this season with the Cleveland Orchestra and the San Francisco and Houston Symphonies.

The decision to continue or cancel a concert due to weather conditions will be made at 3 PM on concert days. The official announcement will be made on wcoconcerts.org and on the WCO’s Facebook and Instagram pages. Email will also be sent to WCO subscribers. If the concert is postponed at that time, it will be held the following day at 7 PM. If the concert is not postponed by 3 PM but is subsequently canceled due to poor weather conditions, that week’s concert will not be held or may be cut short. Table reservations can be made here.

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