Ahead of their second concert at Carnegie Hall, Chicago Symphony Orchestra musicians participated in master classes and checked out the city’s sights — including “Big Carl,” billed as the world’s largest tuba, which at eight feet tall, 100 pounds and a sub-contrabass BBBb pitch, is the epitome of low brass.

Then it was back to the hall to join Music Director Riccardo Muti for a program of the overture to Verdi’s I vespri siciliani, the East Coast premiere of Mead Composer-in-Residence Samuel Adams’ many words of love and Brahms’ Symphony No. 2. Before and after the concert, Muti and his musicians greeted old friends and colleagues, including Anna Clyne, former Mead composer-in-residence, and legendary mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne (formidable in many roles, including Rossini’s Semiramide, coincidentally opening Feb. 19 in a rare revival at the Metropolitan Opera).

For the next stops on their East Coast Tour 2018, the CSO and Muti move on to Florida and North Carolina for performances in Naples, West Palm Beach and Chapel Hill.

Click on the red VIEW GALLERY tab above to see additional photographs. For more details, go to the tour page on cso.org and be sure to check for updates here on Sounds & Stories, the CSO’s Facebook page and other social media outlets, including Twitter and Instagram.

VIDEO: Gene Pokorny, the CSO’s principal tuba, tries out “Big Carl.” See if you can guess what song he’s playing. | Video by Todd Rosenberg