ClevelandClassical.com Header
Ad
Ad
Ad
Ad

Third Coast Percussion celebrates its 20th anniversary at CIM

by

by Mike Telin

On Sunday, March 22 at 3:00 pm at the Cleveland Institute of Music, the Chicago-based Third Coast Percussion — Sean Connors, Robert Dillon, Peter Martin, and David Skidmore — will present “Time Pieces: The New Classical.” The program celebrates two decades of genre-defying, award-winning music, including many of the ensemble’s 20th anniversary commissions. The concert is sold out.

I caught up with David Skidmore on Zoom and began by asking about the group’s 20th anniversary program.

David Skidmore: The first half is highlights from the past 20 years. And the second half is all pieces that we commissioned for our 20th anniversary, which is some of our favorite music to play right now.

[Read more…]

Studio Espressivo’s Piano Portraits traces the history of the piano

by

by Mike Telin

When Allison Hillier was starting her graduate studies at the Cleveland Institute of Music, she needed to find a place that was within walking distance of the school. While apartment hunting in nearby neighborhoods, Hillier found herself walking through Little Italy. “I heard opera coming from restaurants, and I thought this is a really vibrant community. There’s a lot going on,” she recalled during a recent Zoom conversation.

After finding an apartment that she loved, she asked if it was alright for her to bring her piano. “They told me: ‘This is a quiet house, so maybe not. Although we have a commercial space available at the Murray Hill Galleries. Would you like to put your piano there?’ I said, ‘Absolutely.’”

[Read more…]

Cleveland Cello Society’s i Cellisti! 2026 features “Cello Plus One”

by

by Mike Telin

Since its founding, the Cleveland Cello Society has been a valuable community resource for cultivating the appreciation for and enjoyment of all things cello.

On Friday, March 20 at 7:00 pm at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Cleveland Heights, the organization will hold its annual signature event, i Cellisti! This year’s theme, “Cello Plus One,” features eight duos composed for cello plus another instrument.

The program will also include the annual cello ensemble extravaganza. 100% of the proceeds will go to the CCS Scholarship Fund. Click here for tickets and more information.

[Read more…]

No Exit celebrates “Art of the Cleveland School”

by

by Mike Telin

In the first half of the 20th century, Cleveland was home to some of the most visionary and adventurous artists the United States has ever produced.

This week No Exit will present “Cleveland Renaissance: Art of the Cleveland School.” The program celebrates Cleveland School artists Clarence Holbrook Carter, William Sommer, Clara Deike, Hughie Lee-Smith, August Biehle, Clarence Van Duzer, and Charles Sallée. Their art has served as inspiration for new works by composers Adonai Henderson, Gleb Kanasevich, Christopher Neiner, Greg D’Alessio, James Praznik, and Timothy Beyer, along with new poetry by Ray McNiece and Raja Belle Freeman.

Performances begin on Thursday, March 12 at 7:00 pm at Praxis Fiber Workshop, 15301 Waterloo Rd., Cleveland. The program will be repeated on Friday, March 13 in Gartner Auditorium at the Cleveland Museum of Art, 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland (reserve free tickets online), and Saturday, March 14 at SPACES, 2900 Detroit Ave., Cleveland. All concerts are free.

[Read more…]

Poiesis Quartet returns to Oberlin with results of commissioning project

by

By Mike Telin

Since their founding at the Oberlin Conservatory in the fall of 2022, the Poiesis Quartet — Sarah Ying Ma and Max Ball (violins), Jasper de Boor (viola), and Drew Dansby (cello) — have quickly risen to the top of professional chamber music ensembles.

Their accolades include the Grand Prize and Lift Every Voice Prize winners of the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition (2023), Gold Medal and BIPOC Prize winners at the St. Paul String Quartet Competition (2023), and First Prize and Commission Prize recipients of the Banff International String Quartet Competition (2025). Most recently they were named the recipients of the Cleveland Quartet Award (2026).

On Wednesday, March 11 at 7:30 pm in Oberlin’s Warner Concert Hall, the Poiesis will present A Love Letter, five world premieres by emerging QTPOC (Queer/Trans People of Color) composers from their alma mater. A pre-concert talk begins at 7:00 pm.

[Read more…]

Cleveland Classical Guitar Society: a conversation with An Tran

by

by Mike Telin

“I’m so honored to be making my Cleveland debut — I love the city,” Guitarist An Tran said during a Zoom conversation. “I’ve been there twice. The first time was to go to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The second time was for the Cleveland International Classical Guitar Festival in the summer — not to play, just for fun. And now, I finally get to play there.”

On Saturday, March 7 at 7:30 pm at the Maltz Performing Arts Center, The Cleveland Classical Guitar Society continues its International Series with program by Chicago-based, Vietnamese guitarist An Tran. Tickets are available online.

[Read more…]

Apollo’s Fire: a celebration of music from the Palace of Versailles

by

by Mike Telin

This week, Apollo’s Fire takes audiences on an excursion to 17th and 18th century France with a program celebrating the music created for the Palace of Versailles under the reign of the Sun King, Louis XIV. Led by Associate Artistic Director Alan Choo, the program features works by Charpentier, Leclair, Lully, Rameau, and Rebel.

Performances begin on Thursday, March 5 at 7:30 pm at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Akron. The program will be repeated on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Cleveland Heights and Sunday at 4:00 pm at Rocky River Presbyterian Church. Tickets are available online.

We caught up with oboist Gaia Saetermoe-Howard by Zoom, who will be giving a pre-concert lecture one hour before each performance. I began by asking her what the earliest piece on the program will be.

[Read more…]

Tuesday Musical: a conversation with saxophonists Timothy McAllister and Branford Marsalis – Part 2

by

By Mike Telin

On Tuesday, March 3 at 7:30 pm at Akron’s E.J. Thomas Hall, Tuesday Musical continues its season with the Marsalis-McAllister-Ames Trio — Branford Marsalis and Timothy McAllister, saxophones, and Liz Ames, piano. Tickets are available online.

I caught up with Branford Marsalis by phone in Durham, North Carolina. I began by asking him to share his recollection of how the trio met.

Branford Marsalis: I met Liz through her former husband who is a saxophonist. I went to a saxophone conference after I’d met her, and was just amazed at the volume of music that she could learn on the fly. If you’ve ever been to something like the North American Saxophone Alliance, you know that the pianists have to play something like twenty-five pieces in three days. And Liz had this massive volume of music that she walked around with, going from rehearsal room to rehearsal room, rehearsing with saxophonists from all over the country. I was just amazed by that. It left an impression on my mind. Wow, she’s amazing.

[Read more…]

Tuesday Musical: a conversation with saxophonists Timothy McAllister and Branford Marsalis – Part 1

by

By Mike Telin

“We’re all excited about what this combination brings forward,” saxophonist Timothy McAllister said during a Zoom conversation. “I think there’s a mutual love and the three of us are providing a safe space for each of us to be who we are. It’s just a celebration of music and friendship.”

On Tuesday, March 3 at 7:30 pm at Akron’s E.J. Thomas Hall, Tuesday Musical continues its season with the Marsalis-McAllister-Ames Trio. Branford Marsalis and Timothy McAllister, saxophones, and Liz Ames, piano. Tickets are available online.

Mike Telin: How did you and Liz and Branford come together as a trio?

[Read more…]

Leonkoro Quartet to bring lion-hearted strength to its CCMS debut on March

by

By Mike Telin

Founded in Berlin in 2019, the Leonkoro Quartet adopted its brave-sounding name from the Esperanto words for “lion” and “heart” and from Astrid Lindgren’s children’s book, The Brothers Lionheart. Two brothers, Jonathan and Lukas Schwarz, man the first violin and cello positions. Second violinist Emiri Kakiuchi and violist Mayu Konoe fill out the roster of a relatively new ensemble that impressed the chamber music demimonde in April of 2022 by winning a total of ten prizes at London’s Wigmore Hall International String Quartet Competition.

On Tuesday evening, March 3 at 7:30, the Leonkoro Quartet will make its Cleveland debut on the Cleveland Chamber Music Society series at Disciples Church, performing standard repertoire by Joseph Haydn, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Felix Mendelssohn.

I spoke with violist Mayu Konce in Columbus before the quartet’s recent engagement there, and posed questions about their repertory choices and some of the issues they’ve addressed as a new ensemble on the international concert circuit.

[Read more…]

Follow ClevelandClassical.com

Contact us