by Jarrett Hoffman
IN THIS EDITION:
•Today: Cleveland Orchestra with pianist Víkingur Ólafsson, and Oberlin Improv Fest with multi-instrumentalist Aurora Nealand and shakuhachi player / electronic musician Kojiro Umezaki (pictured)
•Announcements: changes coming to CIPC 2024, and Cleveland Arts Prize open for submissions
•Almanac: Smetana, Weill, and four distinct takes on “Mack the Knife” from Lotte Lenya, Sidney Bechet, Bobby Darin, and the Amsterdam Wind Quintet
HAPPENING TODAY:
The three-day Oberlin Improv Fest kicks off today with several events, including a recital at 8:30 pm featuring multi-instrumentalist Aurora Nealand with shakuhachi player and electronic musician Kojiro Umezaki at the Birenbaum Innovation and Performance Space. The program will include selections from Nealand’s The Monocle (a solo project that brings together voice, accordion, saxophones, and found objects), Umezaki’s electroacoustic composition The Ghost of Autumn Winds (秋風の霊), and a duo improvisation. It’s free and will also be livestreamed.
And at 7:30 pm, Franz Welser-Möst and The Cleveland Orchestra will present a program that includes Louise Farrenc’s Symphony No. 3, Maurice Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G — featuring Víkingur Ólafsson as soloist — and Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition (orchestrated by Ravel). Get tickets here.