by Jarrett Hoffman
IN THIS EDITION:
•Announcements: Oberlin grad Tyreek McDole (left) wins Sarah Vaughan competition, Assembly holds its Quarterly State of the Arts, and a guide to navigating the Ohio Arts Education Data Dashboard
•Interesting read: Christopher Wilkins discusses Julia Perry in New York Times article
•Almanac: St. Cecilia’s Day in music
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
After his performances of September in the Rain, Lush Life, and Every Day I Have the Blues on Sunday at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, 2023 Oberlin graduate Tyreek McDole was named the winner of this year’s Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, taking home the grand prize of $5,000.
Reviewing the event for London Jazz News, Morgan Enos wrote, “Clearly, McDole doesn’t just have a way with the blues; he has a sinuous and companionable way with them.” Read the review here.
Assembly for the Arts will hold its Quarterly State of the Arts on December 6 at Karamu House. “Stay up to date on the most recent creative-industry-wide information over a meal and good company. We share updates on industry data trends, public policy, artist funding, racial equity initiatives, and more. As Assembly continues its work to expand resources and increase equity in Cleveland’s arts and culture scene, weigh-in on what you’d like to see.” Register here.
A new guide has been published to help parents, educators, administrators, policymakers, and advocates navigate the Ohio Arts Education Data Dashboard, which provides information about arts education offerings at the school, district, county, and statewide levels. Access the dashboard here and the guide here.
INTERESTING READ:
Akron Symphony Orchestra music director Christopher Wilkins (right) was interviewed as part of a New York Times article about Julia Perry, whose Stabat Mater will be performed by the New York Philharmonic this week. Perry “may be the most accomplished and celebrated composer ever to emerge from Akron,” Wilkins said. He also lamented the fact that much of Perry’s output cannot be performed or recorded due to copyright ambiguities — though the ASO is working with a lawyer to help resolve that. Read the article by Garrett Schumann here.
TODAY’S ALMANAC:
Benjamin Britten’s 1942 Hymn to St. Cecilia is a useful piece of music to feature today — November 22 being both the designated feast day for that patron saint of music and musicians, and Britten’s birthday (he was born in 1913 in Lowestoft, Suffolk, England). Click here to watch a performance by the ensemble VOCES8.
In addition, several pieces written in honor of St. Cecilia have been premiered on this date in history. Henry Purcell’s 1683 Welcome to all the pleasures (performed here by the Bach Collegium San Diego) was the first in a series of works by the composer taking that figure as inspiration.
From the pen of G. F. Handel we have the 1739 Ode for St. Cecilia’s Day (played here by the Dunedin Consort led by John Butt), and from Charles Gounod the 1855 St. Cecilia Mass (follow the score here alongside a performance by Barbara Hendricks, Jean-Philippe Lafont, and Laurence Dale with the Choeurs de Radio-France and Nouvel Orchestre Philharmonique, led by Georges Pretre).
Also born on St. Cecilia’s Day in 1859 was folk-song collector Cecil James Sharp. (We can only assume that his parents — both music lovers — were hoping for a girl.) And moving into different territory, apparently Paul Simon has noted that the famous Simon & Garfunkel song Cecilia is a reference to that saint (perhaps as a metaphor for songwriting and the fickleness of inspiration?) Then again, others claim it’s merely about his dog — who was unavailable for comment.