Rose Breckenridge will return again this year as presenter for The Cleveland Orchestra’s Music Study Groups. Fall sessions begin on September 19, 20 and 21 and run through November 16. [Read more…]
Archives for August 2017
Cleveland Orchestra at Blossom with Cristian Măcelaru & Augustin Hadelich (Aug. 26)
by Daniel Hathaway
Anyone who’s still roasting that old canard about the elitism of classical music should have witnessed the scene at Blossom on Saturday evening, August 26. The immense crowd that gathered on the lawn and in the pavilion had turned out to hear The Cleveland Orchestra doing what it does best — playing great works in the orchestral repertoire with depth and brilliance, on this occasion under the Romanian-born guest conductor Cristian Măcelaru and with the German-Italian violinist Augustin Hadelich. [Read more…]
Save the dates for September’s early season openers & special events
by Daniel Hathaway
After the gradual spinning down of the summer concert season, September can sneak up on you. Here’s a list of early season openers and one-off events that Northeast Ohio music lovers should be sure to jot down in their calendars.
Ars Organi at St. Paul’s, Cleveland Heights
Organist Karel Paukert has created a festival to celebrate the collection of organs (and a harpsichord) that grace the music program at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Cleveland Heights. The seven events in “Ars Organi” between September 15 and October 1 will feature the Walter Holtkamp Sr. instrument as well as the Vladimir Slajch chamber organ, the Gerhard Hradetzky Italian Baroque organ, and the Matthias Griewisch harpsichord — a fleet of keyboard instruments any church would be delighted to have at its disposal.
Performers include Prague organist Jaroslav Tuma (right) on Friday, September 15 at 7:30 
pm and Saturday, September 16 at 4:00 pm (featuring his paraphrase of Smetana’s My Country); Oberlin professor James David Christie with members of Oberlin’s Collegium Musicum on Tuesday, September 19 at 7:30 pm; and University of Kansas professor James Higdon in a lecture and masterclass on Jehan Alain on Saturday, September 23 at 2:00 pm and a recital of Alain’s works on Sunday, September 24 at 4:00 pm. [Read more…]
Cleveland Orchestra at Blossom with Fabien Gabel & Juho Pohjonen (Aug. 19)
by Daniel Hathaway
The promotional material for The Cleveland Orchestra’s program on Saturday, August 19 may have shouted “Bolero!,” but a brilliant performance by Finnish pianist Juho Pohjonen of Sergei Prokoviev’s brash first concerto — presided over by French guest conductor Fabien Gabel — was the true headliner on this perfect summer evening at the Blossom Music Center. [Read more…]
Cleveland Orchestra at Blossom with Gustavo Gimeno & Johannes Moser (Aug. 12)
by Robert Rollin
Last Saturday evening, August 12, the Cleveland Orchestra presented a delightful mélange of music with Spanish, French, and Russian connections under Spanish guest conductor Gustavo Gimeno. Gimeno and the Orchestra collaborated with German-Canadian cellist Johannes Moser on Edouard Lalo’s Cello Concerto in d. [Read more…]
Cleveland Orchestra at Blossom with Robert Trevino & Behzod Abduraimov (Aug. 5)
by Robert Rollin
On Saturday evening, August 5, The Cleveland Orchestra played an excellent, all-Tchaikovsky concert at Blossom under guest conductor Robert Trevino. The evening’s high point was a magnificent performance by the young Uzbekistani pianist Behzod Abduraimov of the First Concerto. [Read more…]
Randall Craig Fleischer leads “A Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald” at Blossom
by Jarrett Hoffman
“It’s a lovely day in Queens, New York,” conductor Randall Craig Fleischer said, answering his phone while walking with his daughter to the Joffrey Dance Center in an industrial part of the city. “No, actually it’s raining and noisy.”
Despite the gloomy weather, Fleischer talked animatedly over the next fifteen minutes about growing up in Northeast Ohio; his work in the genres of jazz, symphonic rock, and world music fusion; and his Cleveland Orchestra debut this Sunday.
On August 27 at 7:00 pm at Blossom Music Center, he’ll lead “A Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald,” featuring vocalists Capathia Jenkins, Harolyn Blackwell, and Aisha de Haas. Also the TCO debut for de Haas, this celebration of Lady Ella’s 100th birthday includes Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered, Someone to Watch Over Me, The Lady Is a Tramp, and Summertime.
Blossom: Cristian Măcelaru on conducting, posterity, and socially conscious music
by Jarrett Hoffman
At seventeen, Cristian Măcelaru wanted to conduct. First he had to wait.
‘Keep studying violin, then we’ll talk’ was the message from conductor Larry Rachleff, who had inspired Măcelaru’s new interest at Interlochen Arts Camp.
The young violinist took the advice to heart. Now, two decades later, he’s Music Director of the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music; has served as Conductor-in-Residence, Associate, and Assistant Conductor with the Philadelphia Orchestra; and has led subscription concerts with the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, and Los Angeles Philharmonic.
And on Saturday, August 26 at 8:00 pm, he’ll make his Cleveland Orchestra debut at Blossom Music Center with a program of Dvořák’s Violin Concerto and Holst’s The Planets. “I’m extremely humbled to conduct this orchestra that I’ve admired for my entire life,” he said in a recent conversation.
Cleveland Philharmonic seeks concertmaster
The Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra is holding concertmaster auditions for the 2017/2018 concert season. General requirements include being able to lead as principal violinist, ability to interpret the Music Director’s ideas to the entire orchestra, and attend all rehearsals and performances. The role is a paid contract position within the orchestra. [Read more…]
TCO at Blossom: 30 minutes with conductor Fabien Gabel and pianist Juho Pohjonen
by Jarrett Hoffman
This weekend’s schedule at Blossom sports a fresh pair of Cleveland Orchestra debuts. On Saturday, August 19 at 8:00 pm at Blossom Music Center, Fabien Gabel, music director of the Quebec Symphony Orchestra, will lead TCO in Ravel’s Boléro, Debussy’s Ibéria, Florent Schmitt’s La Palais Hanté, and Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 1, featuring Juho Pohjonen. We spoke to the French conductor and the Finnish pianist in separate conversations — Gabel was spending time in New York City with his family, while Pohjonen was in Bridgehampton, NY, for his tenth festival of the summer.
As they get to know Northeast Ohio, the two stars of the program will also be getting to know each other. They’ve never performed together, though Gabel said he had the pleasure to hear Pohjonen play a recital in Paris. “He’s played chamber music with some friends of mine, so I know him through them,” said the conductor. “He’s a fantastic musician, so I’m really looking forward to making music with him.”