by Max Newman
Even in the Cleveland music scene’s creatively positive atmosphere, female and non-binary composers are often underrepresented on the concert stage, and the Local 4 Music Fund’s She Scores series is looking to change this.
The series, which aims to remind us of “the urgent need to redouble our efforts toward closing the chasm of opportunity and representation that separates women from men,” was held between May 30 and June 2 at the Cleveland Institute of Music’s Mixon Hall, showcasing an impressive catalog of works that spanned a wide variety of styles and moods. I was lucky enough to attend the May 31 performance.
The striking setting went a long way in terms of adding to the experience. Curved rows of seats gently descended down to a well-lit stage, just in front of the space’s crown jewel: a floor-to-ceiling window that looked out upon the beautiful architecture and vegetation of the CIM campus. As the evening sky darkened over the course of the concert’s two hours, the program order seemed to match it in mood, with bright, energetic, and percussive pieces towards the beginning, and more contemplative and somber works towards the conclusion.
2018-19 marks the tenth anniversary of the always creative new music ensemble No Exit. And they will begin their season later this week by once again sharing a stage with Minneapolis-based Zeitgeist. “I’m just thrilled that they will be joining us for these opening three concerts,” No Exit Artistic Director Timothy Beyer said during a telephone interview. “They are they an absolutely amazing new music ensemble but they’re also great collaborators — they always bring something wonderful to the table.”