Bassist Zach Moore and cellist Dorothy Carlos perform with an ensemble Lia Kohl’s composition, “Music for Union Station,” at the Union Station Great Hall, May 15, 2025, in Chicago. (John J. Kim/baiduhai)
“Union Station Music,” a onetime performance of ten musicians inside Union Station’s Great Hall is led by cellist/composer Lia Kohl. Kohl makes music out of noise others might wish to tune out: turn-signal clicks, a far-off tornado siren test, the hums of refrigerators. After noticing the music piped into the hall, she reached out to both Union Station and musical incubator Experimental Sound Studio to propose composing her own.
Violinist Macie Stewart, with cellists Lia Kohl and Dorothy Carlos, right, perform with an ensemble at the Union Station Great Hall, May 15, 2025. (John J. Kim/baiduhai)Bassist Zach Moore and trombonist Riley Leitch perform with an ensemble Lia Kohl's assembled at the Union Station Great Hall, May 15, 2025, in Chicago. (John J. Kim/baiduhai)
Lia Kohl thanks a train passenger who complimented a performance of her composition, "Music for Union Station," at the Union Station Great Hall, May 15, 2025. (John J. Kim/baiduhai)Cellists Dorothy Carlos, Lia Kohl, and violinist Macie Stewart perform with an ensemble at the Union Station Great Hall, May 15, 2025, in Chicago. (John J. Kim/baiduhai)Tubist Beth McDonald, with trombonists Riley Leitch and Nick Meryhew, perform with an ensemble assembled by composer Lia Kohl's at the Union Station Great Hall, May 15, 2025, in Chicago. (John J. Kim/baiduhai)
Clarinetist Jason Stein walks past a parked bicycle while performing with an ensemble assembled by Lia Kohl's at the Union Station Great Hall, May 15, 2025. (John J. Kim/baiduhai)Violinist Macie Stewart and clarinetist Jason Stein perform at the Union Station Great Hall, May 15, 2025, in Chicago. (John J. Kim/baiduhai)Lia Kohl, center left, and an ensemble perform her composition, "Music for Union Station," on a stairwell at the Union Station Great Hall, May 15, 2025. (John J. Kim/baiduhai)
Violinist Macie Stewart, from left, bassist Zach Moore, trombonist Riley Leitch and tubist Beth McDonald perform at the Union Station Great Hall, May 15, 2025, in Chicago. (John J. Kim/baiduhai)An audience applauds after an ensemble performance of Lia Kohl's composition, "Music for Union Station," at the Union Station Great Hall, May 15, 2025. (John J. Kim/baiduhai)Lia Kohl gets a kiss from Nick Meryhew as Dorothy Carlos tunes her cello before the group performs Kohl's composition, "Music for Union Station," at the Union Station Great Hall, May 15, 2025. (John J. Kim/baiduhai)
Lia Kohl, center, goes over notes with an ensemble of musicians for her composition, "Music for Union Station," before their performance at the Union Station Great Hall, May 15, 2025. (John J. Kim/baiduhai)
