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Thinking Outside the Box: Takács Quartet and Julien Labro bring their collaborative program to the Artist Recital Series

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Reposted with the permission of Oberlin Conservatory

by Stephanie Manning

Twirling tango music, or maybe the composer Astor Piazzolla, might come to mind when you think of the word “bandoneon.” Or maybe nothing does. After all, the accordion-like instrument often flies under the radar within the classical and jazz scenes.

“It’s going to take some time until my instruments are household names of either genre,” says Julien Labro, who plays both the bandoneon and its musical cousin, the accordion. “I don’t necessarily think it’s going to happen, but at the same time, I’m very optimistic about the trajectory that they’ve taken in the last 50 years—it’s amazing to witness.”

[Read more…]

Cleveland Chamber Music Society: Chanticleer to open 75th Season

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by Mike Telin

In 1949 a small group of like-minded individuals came together to bring ensembles of the highest quality to Cleveland for chamber music performances. And thus, the Cleveland Chamber Music Society was born.

On Tuesday, September 24 at 7:30 pm at The Cultural Arts Center at Disciples Church,  CCMS will launch its 75th anniversary season with a concert by the celebrated all-male vocal ensemble Chanticleer. “Music of a Silent World,” will feature Majel Connery’s The Rivers are Our Brothers, a new arrangement of Tom Petty’s Wildflowers, Lawrence’s The Weather, and I miss you like I miss the trees by the ensemble’s composer-in-residence Ayanna Woods. A gala reception will follow the performance. Tickets are available online.

I caught up with tenor and assistant music director Matthew Mazzola and baritone Matthew Knickman on Zoom and began our conversation by asking why they are excited about this nature inspired program.

[Read more…]

Cleveland Orchestra: A conversation with violin soloist Frank Peter Zimmermann

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by Mike Telin

After a six-year absence, violinist Frank Peter Zimmerman will return to the Severance Music Center stage on Thursday, September 19  to play Robert Schumann’s concerto with Osmo Vänskä and The Cleveland Orchestra in the first performance of the new season. The program will be repeated on Sunday the 22nd at 3:00 pm.

“I’m extremely happy to be returning to Cleveland. It’s my favorite orchestra in the States and maybe the world, and the public is also special,” the violinist said in a telephone conversation from his home in Germany. “I have a long relationship with them —  I think my first concerts were in 1987 with Christoph von Dohnányi  — and I have many friends there. So it’s going to be a joy to come back for the season opener.”

The Schumann concerto is a musically complicated piece with an intriguing history. He wrote it very late in his career for Joseph Joachim, and although the violinist was in possession of the manuscript for the rest of his life, he never performed the Concerto. It finally received its premiere by George Kulenkampff and the Berlin Philharmonic on 26 November 1937.

[Read more…]

Fall Preview: Anniversaries & New Beginnings

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by Daniel Hathaway

While compiling our master calendar for 2024-2025, we noted some milestones to celebrate among Northeast Ohio’s musical organizations and at least one new arrival on the scene to mention.

The Cleveland Women’s Orchestra (pictured in 1938) begins its 90th season this year, with a November concert at the Maltz Performing Arts Center, a holiday concert at Judson Manor in December, and an anniversary performance at Severance Music Center in March.

For its 75th season, Cleveland Chamber Music Society will host only six ensembles at Disciples Church rather than the usual seven, but No. 6, the Jerusalem Quartet, will perform all 15 of Dmitri Shostakovich’s string quartets in five April concerts at the Cleveland Museum of Art. CCMS’s season begins with Chanticleer on September 24 and includes concerts by the Imani Winds with pianist Michelle Cann, Cuarteto Casals, flutist Emmanuel Pahud with pianist Alessio Bax, and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. [Read more…]

Stars in the Classics cabaret: a melting pot of music, visual art, and dance

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by Stephanie Manning

If you’ve driven past the Cleveland History Center, you’ve likely spotted a memento from Euclid Beach Park. The large, colorful carousel visible through the glass windows entertained visitors at the lakefront amusement park until its closure in 1969.

Jodi Kanter has fond memories of visiting as a child. “My grandfather and my father worked there as teenagers,” she said. “And I think my father ran the carousel at one time.”

For the past year, Kanter has been helping memorialize the Park through music, via a commission from composer Chris Neiner. And on Saturday, September 28 at 4:00 pm, M.U.S.i.C. – Stars in the Classics will present the world premiere of the final movement at Praxis Fiber Workshop. [Read more…]

Cirque de la Symphonie at Blossom: conversations with vocalists Hugh Panaro & Morgan James

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by Mike Telin

What can audiences expect to see and hear this weekend at Blossom Music Center? “Dizzying acrobatic heights and eye-popping feats together with top Broadway hits from Les Misérables, Frozen, Wicked, Chicago, and more…the perfect way to close out the summer.”

On Saturday, August 31 and Sunday September 1 at 7 pm, Cirque de la Symphonie joins the Akron Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Lucas Waldin in a show featuring Broadway stars Morgan James and Hugh Panaro. Tickets are available online.

I spoke with Hugh Panaro by Zoom at his country home in Connecticut.

Hugh Panaro: It’s a tiny farm town with deer, cows, and goats. Having grown up in Philadelphia, it’s not anything I would have imagined for myself.

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Tony DeSare brings the music of Frank Sinatra to Blossom

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by Mike Telin

“The fact that Frank Sinatra would be 109 years old this year and people are still showing up to hear his music speaks volumes,” singer, pianist, and songwriter Tony DeSare said during a recent telephone conversation. “And this show is so beautiful and so classic, it’s become something that I love to share with audiences.”

On Sunday August 25 at 7:00 pm, DeSare will bring his show Sinatra and Beyond to Blossom Music Center. Joined by the Blossom Band, DeSare will perform iconic Sinatra songs including “Come Fly with Me,” “Night and Day,” “New York, New York,” and “My Way.” Tickets are available online.

When DeSare discovered Sinatra’s music as a teenager, he became an instant fan. “I’ve  always loved his music and with this show I wanted to celebrate it in a way that wasn’t as a Sinatra impersonator. I wanted to stay true to his taste and his phrasing — what people liked about him when they saw him perform and heard his music.”

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CIPC Finalists share their thoughts on the 2024 Cleveland International Piano Competition

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by Mike Telin & Daniel Hathaway

“I’m so happy. It’s very nice that all the work has been recognized and appreciated.” — Giuseppe Guarrera (32, Italy), fourth prize.

“It’s amazing. Honestly, when I came to the competition I had zero expectations for what was going to happen.” — Maxim Lando (21, USA), third prize.

“It feels really great.” — Evren Ozel (25, USA), second prize.

“It’s a dream come true.” — James (Zijian) Wei (25, China), first prize.

On Sunday afternoon following the concerto round with The Cleveland Orchestra on Friday and Saturday, we had the opportunity to meet with the four finalists in the atrium of the Cleveland Museum of Art to get their impressions about the innovations in this year’s Cleveland International Piano Competition, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and how it felt to be a prizewinner.

In an interview with this publication, Piano Cleveland president Yaron Kohlberg said that “A lot has changed in the classical music world during the past 50 years,” and that this year’s competition is all about creating more and better ways for it to serve the contestants, and the audience. [Read more…]

A conversation with Cleveland Orchestra guest conductor Anthony Parnther

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by Mike Telin

Note: this performance was begun but cancelled due to deteriorating weather conditions, and is to be rescheduled.

Anthony Parnther will guest conduct the Cleveland Orchestra for its August 8 concert with John Legend at Blossom Music Center. I recently had the opportunity to speak with the multi-talented musician by telephone about his fascinating career.

Mike Telin: Where am I finding you? 

Anthony Parnther: I’m in Baltimore. I’ve been in the middle of a couple of concerts with the Symphony.

MT: When does the tour with John Legend begin?

AP: I’m not sure it constitutes a tour per se. but it’s an array of dates around the country and in China. He’s on tour, but not all of his dates involve the full orchestra. Sometimes  it’s just John on the piano by himself, sometimes it’s John with the band, and then sometimes he gets to use the entire orchestra. That began a month and a half ago with Wolf Trap. We were in San Francisco last weekend and we’ll be progressing on to Philadelphia and Cleveland next week. [Read more…]

Cleveland Chamber Collective: Music of America VI

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by Mike Telin

On Saturday, August 3 at 7:00 pm at Disciples Christian Church, The Cleveland Chamber Collective will present Music of America VI. The program includes works by Caroline Shaw, Missy Mazzoli, Jessie Montgomery, Michael Oesterle, Trevor Kazarian, and Eric Charnofsky. The concert is free.

During a recent telephone conversation Cleveland Chamber Collective director and conductor Ty Alan Emerson said that the Music of America series has evolved over time.

“When we started out, we were calling it American Icons, which was our way to feature music by composers such as Lou Harrison, George Crumb, and Leonard Bernstein. Then we thought, there’s all this other music being made in America that isn’t getting played. So several years ago we started to look at who else is out there and who are we missing.”

Emerson noted that right now, inclusion is the hot button in classical music, and that for several years the ensemble has been trying to find ways to be more inclusive.

[Read more…]

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