by Daniel Hathaway
If you see a sudden influx of cello cases on Cleveland streets and sidewalks this week, it’s because the Lev Aronson Cello Festival, usually held in Dallas, is convening here for a packed schedule of events that will mainly interest those who play the violoncello, but many of which will appeal to a wider audience as well.
The brainchild of founding artistic director and Cleveland Orchestra cellist Brian Thornton, the Festival honors his teacher, Holocaust survivor Lev Aronson, who played principal with the Dallas Symphony.
Usually held every other year at Southern Methodist University, where Aronson taught, this time around it’s making a special appearance at the Cleveland Institute of Music and Severance Music Center. Click here to watch a greeting by Melissa Kraut, co-head of cello studies at CIM.
This seventh series of recitals, speakers, film screenings, .
lectures, and master classes will include performances by cellists Ben Hong, Matt Haimovitz, John Sharp, Marta Casals Istomin, Sterling Elliott, and Brian Thornton, violinist Cho-Liang Lin, the Catalyst Quartet, and members of The Cleveland Orchestra. Works by women composers will be featured, including a working rehearsal of Victoria Bond’s Churchill, and short films by Emmy Award winner Ty Kim will be screened. Each day of the Festival will honor segments of the local community — veterans on June 7, the medical community on June 9.
In a phone conversation, Brian Thornton underlined some of the events he found particularly interesting. “Matt Haimovitz will play selections from a recent CD featuring women composers and Cleveland Orchestra musicians. The Catalyst Quartet will perform music by Florence Price on Wednesday evening. And on Saturday, the only event at Severance Music Center will feature Sterling Elliott with Anita Pontremoli in Reinberger. Oh — and on Friday evening, Madame Casals will give a keynote address about the future of classical music based on her work with students. She’s a real force of nature.
“We’ve had amazing support for the Festival from CIM. Everybody wants high-quality live concerts to be available.”
Asked about his studies with Lev Aronson, Thornton noted his responsibility as the last student of a master to keep his teacher’s memory alive. “He’s such a link to the past — but not all that far in the past!”
Published on ClevelandClassical.com June 1, 2022.
