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.
Every week, Cleveland Orchestra audiences look forward to hearing the cello section’s lush sounds emerging from the surrounding group. On Friday night at CWRU’s Harkness Chapel, listeners had the unique opportunity to hear the section showcased outside of its orchestral setting in a remarkably delightful concert. iCellisti is an annual event organized by the Cleveland Cello Society and headed up by Ida Mercer, but this is the first year that the entire Cleveland Orchestra cello section was able to take part — except for one player who had a conflict. 
Nearly a year ago, the surprising news that an upscale Ohio City jazz club, The Bop Stop, had been donated to The Music Settlement piqued one’s curiosity: how would the school use that attractive, crescent-shaped facility?