CAIC's 2021 Collaborative Works Festival: Strangers in a Strange Land was highlighted twice among Chicago Classical Review's 'Best of 2021'.

The opening concert of the festival, Songs of the New World, was listed as number three on Chicago Classical Review's "Top Ten Performances of 2021" and the closing concert of the festival, The Songs We Carried, was listed amongst the review's round-up of honorable mentions.

THE NEW YORK TIMES

“…This ‘Messiah’ offered as rewarding a quartet of soloists as you are likely to hear this holiday season. The appealing tenor Nicholas Phan set the mood for the evening in the recitative ‘Comfort ye, my people,’ performed with melting sound and beguiling sincerity, and the rousing aria ‘Ev’ry valley shall be exalted.’..”

“Following a return to live, in-person performances this past summer, celebrated tenor Nicholas Phan begins the 2021-22 season with both live and virtual chamber performances focusing on themes of immigration and migration. Highlighting his exploration of these themes is a tour of the United States with the string quartet Brooklyn Rider for performances of Nico Muhly’s new song cycle, Stranger, and the tenth Collaborative Works Festival of the Collaborative Arts Institute of Chicago (CAIC)…”