The Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is an American orchestra based in Chicago, Illinois. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1891, the Symphony makes its home at Orchestra Hall in Chicago and plays a summer season at the Ravinia Festival. The music director is Riccardo Muti, who began his tenure in 2010.

Music Directors
Theodore Thomas 1891–1905
Frederick Stock 1905–42
Désiré Defauw 1943–47
Artur Rodzinski 1947–48
Rafael Kubelik 1950–53
Fritz Reiner 1953–63
Jean Martinon 1963–68
Irwin Hoffman 1968–69
Georg Solti 1969–91
Daniel Barenboim 1991–2006
Bernard Haitink 2006–10
Riccardo Muti – since 2010

Principal Guest Conductors
Carlo Maria Giulini (1969–72)
Claudio Abbado (1982–85)
Georg Solti (1991–97) – Music Director Laureate
Pierre Boulez (1995–2006)

Composers-in-Residence
John Corigliano 1987–90
Shulamit Ran 1990–97
Augusta Read Thomas 1997–2006
Osvaldo Golijov 2006–10
Mark-Anthony Turnage 2006–10
Anna Clyne 2010–15
Mason Bates 2010–15
Samuel Adams – since 2015
Elizabeth Ogonek – since 2015

Adolph Herseth, Adolph Weiss, Adrian Da Prato, Akiko Tarumoto, Albert Igolnikov, Albert Payson, Alex Klein (4), Alfred Frankenstein, Alfred Wallenstein, Alice Lawrence Baker, Alison Dalton, Allan Graham (2), Arnold Brostoff, Arnold Jacobs, Arthur Krehbiel, Baird Dodge, Barbara Fraser, Betty Lambert, Blair Milton, Bradley Opland, Brant Taylor, Bruce Grainger, Burl Lane, Byron Peebles, Carl Racine, Carol Baum, Carroll Martin, Catherine Brubaker, Charles Geyer, Charles Pikler, Charles Vernon, Charlie Schuchat, Chicago Symphony Strings, Chicago Symphony Winds, Clark Brody, Clarke Kessler, Cornelius Chiu, Craig Morris (3), Dale Clevenger, Daniel Gingrich, Daniel Orbach, Daniel Saidenberg, David Chickering, David Filerman, David Greenbaum, David Griffin (2), David Herbert (3), David Sanders (6), David Taylor (20), David Van Vactor, Diane Mues, Donald Evans (2), Donald Koss, Donald Moline, Donald Peck, Edgar Muenzer, Edmund Kurtz, Edmund Schuëcker, Edward Atkatz, Edward Druzinsky, Edward Metzenger, Edwin Barker, Ella Braker, Eric Wicks, Erik Harris, Ernst Friedlander, Eugene Izotov, Florence Schwartz, Floyd Cooley, Fox Fehling, Francis Akos, Frank Brouk, Frank Crisafulli, Frank Fiatarone, Frank Kaderabek, Franklyn D'Antonio, Fred Spector, Frederick Stock, Fritz Reiner, Gail Williams, Gary Stucka, Gene Pokorny, George Palermo, George Schick, George Sopkin, George Vosburgh, Gil Breines, Gina DiBello, Glenn Dodson, Gordon Peters, Grover Schiltz, Harold D. Klatz, Harold Newton, Harold Siegel, Harry Brabec, Heidi Turner, Herman Clebanoff, Hermine Gagné, Hugh A. Cowden, Hui Liu, Irving Ilmer, Irwin Fischer, Isadore Zverow, Jacques Israelievitch, James Gilbertsen, James Ross (16), James Smelser, Jay Friedman, Jennie Wagner, Jerry Grossman, Jerry Sabransky, Jerry Sirucek, Jocelyn Davis-Beck, John Bartholomew, John Bruce Yeh, John Hagstrom, John Sharp (6), John Swallow, John Weicher, Jonathan Pegis, Jorja Fleezanis, Joseph Di Bello, Joseph Golan, Joseph Guastafeste, Joseph Sciacchitano, Joseph Stepansky, Joyce Noh, Julius Baker, Karen Dirks, Karin Ursin, Karl Fruh, Katinka Kleijn, Kimberly Wright (3), Larry Combs, Laura Hamilton, Laurence Thorstenberg, Lawrence Neuman, Lawrie Bloom, Lee Lane, Lei Hou, Leonard Chausow, Leonard Sharrow, Leonard Sorkin, Li-Kuo Chang, Lionel Sayers, Lois Schaefer, Loren Brown, Louis Lowenstein, Louise Dixon (2), Lynne Turner, Mark Kraemer, Mark Ridenour, Mary Sauer, Mathieu Dufour (2), Maxwell Raimi, Melanie Kupchynsky, Michael Henoch, Michael Hovnanian, Michael Krasnopolsky, Michael Mulcahy, Mihaela Ionescu, Mihaly Virizlay, Milan Yancich, Milton Preves, Mischa Mischakoff, Nancy Park, Nathan Cole, Nisanne Howell, Norman Schweikert, Oscar Chausow, Otakar Sroubek, Oto Carrillo, Patricia Dash, Paul Kahn (2), Paul Phillips (4), Perry Crafton, Philip Blum, Qing Hou, Raymond Niwa, Renold Schilke, Richard Ferrin, Richard Graef, Richard Hirschl, Richard Kanter, Richard Lottridge, Richard Oldberg, Robert Chen, Robert Kassinger, Robert La Marchina, Robert Swan, Roberta Freier, Roger Cline, Ronald Satkiewicz, Royal Johnson (2), Rubén González (2), Russell Hershow, Sam Denov, Samuel Feinzimer, Samuel Gardner, Samuel Magad, Samuel Thaviu, Sando Shia, Sarah Bullen, Sheppard Lehnhoff, Sherman Walt, Sidney Harth, Sidney Weiss, Stephen Balderston, Stephen Lester, Stephen Williamson, Susan Synnestvedt, Susanna Drake, Theodore Ratzer, Theodore Silavin, Thomas Glenecke, Thomas Wright (4), Tim Cobb, Timothy Kent, Tom Hall (6), Victor Aitay, Vincent Cichowicz, Walfrid Kujala, Wayne Barrington, Wendell Hoss, Wilhelm Middelschulte, Willard Elliot, William Buchman, William Faldner, William Hector, William Scarlett, William Schoen, Yuan Qing Yu

Chicago Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphonic Orchestra, Chicago Symphonie Orchestra, Chicago Symphonie-Orchester, Chicago Symphonies, Chicago Symphony, Chicago Symphony Chorus, Chicago Symphony Orch,, Chicago Symphony Orch., Chicago Symphony Orchesta, Chicago Symphony Orchester, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra And Chorus, Chicago Symphony Orchestra,, Chicago Symphony Orchetra, Chicago Symphony-Orchestra, Chicagoer Symphonie Orchester, Chicagoer Symphonie Orchestra, Chicagoer Symphonie- Orchester, Chicagoer Symphonie-Orchester, Chicagoer Symphonieorchester, Chicgao Symphony Orchestra, Chircago Symphony Orchestra, Chocago Symphony Orchestra, Choeur Orchestre Symphonique De Chicago, Čikaški Simfonijski Orkestar, Conducter Fritz Reiner, CSO, Members Of The Chicago Symphony Symphony, Members Of The Chicago Symphony Winds, Orcheste Symphonique De Chicago, Orchestra, Orchestra Sinfonica Di Chicago, Orchestre Symphonique De Chicago, Orchestre Symphonique De Chicago, Orchestre Symponique De Chicago, Orquesta Sinfónica De Chicago, Orquestra Sinfônica de Chicago, Orquestra Synfônica De Chicago, Ravinia Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra Chicago, The Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra, The Chicago Principal, The Chicago Symphony, The Chicago Symphony Chorus, Συμφωνική Ορχήστρα Του Σικάγου, Чикагский Симфонический Оркестр