Robert Isaacs Archives - Cleveland Classical

The Case and Cornell Glee Clubs at Church of the Covenant

April 3, 2018 by Mike Telin

by Mike Telin

Long before the creation of the hit television series, glee clubs were a fixture on the campuses of many American colleges and universities. On Saturday, April 7 at 8:00 pm at Church of the Covenant, the Cornell University Glee Club and Case Men’s Glee Club, will present a concert that will feature folk songs and spirituals, selections by Renaissance composers, and pieces from across the world. Tickets are available online.

“We have two historic Men’s Glee Clubs that have been around for over one hundred years coming together for a concert — that doesn’t happen very often,” Jason Falkofsky, music director of the Case Men’s Glee Club said during a telephone conversation. “We were founded in 1868, and are the oldest student-run organization on Cornell’s campus, and the Case Men’s Glee Club (founded in 1897) is the oldest student organization on that Campus,” Robert Isaacs, director of the Cornell University Glee Club (CUGC), said during a separate interview. “ [Read more…]

Preview: Cornell University Chorus to sing at Holy Trinity, Akron on April 5

April 1, 2014 by Special to ClevelandClassical.com

by Mike Telin

Founded in 1921, the Cornell University Chorus is Cornell’s premier treble voice ensemble. Comprising fifty women from a variety of backgrounds, the Chorus performs a repertoire spanning eight centuries and ten languages, including masses, motets, spirituals, folk, and a variety of other classical and contemporary pieces.

On Saturday, April 5, this celebrated chorus will present a concert beginning at 7:30 pm in Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Akron, as part of its 2014 Midwest tour. “What’s remarkable about this tour is that the students put it together entirely on their own,” chorus director Robert Isaacs told us during a recent telephone conversation. “They have a long tradition of student leadership which is one of the most exceptional things about the program. The quality of student leadership is every bit as good as the quality of the music making.”

[Read more…]

Christmas with Cantus at Tuesday Musical (Nov. 30)

by Peter Feher

Tuesday Musical gave Akron audiences a generous Christmas gift this year. The presenter tied three holiday classics together in one sumptuous concert on Sunday afternoon, November 30, at E.J. Thomas Hall. First up was the story of The Velveteen Rabbit, followed by a quick waltz through The Nutcracker and a ride on The Polar Express.

Delightfully, this trio of tales was recounted with drama and poise — not by any actors or dancers but by the eight members of the all-male a cappella ensemble Cantus. The group, based in Minnesota and now in its fourth decade, is once again touring the country with a polished, compact production of carols, pop tunes, and of course Tchaikovsky.

[Read on…]

Oberlin Music Theater soars in The Great Comet of 1812 (Dec. 3)

by Peter Feher

The stars aligned for Oberlin Music Theater’s production of Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, suggesting a bright future for the college’s newest area of study.

Oberlin Conservatory has cultivated young talent for more than 150 years, but musical theater only entered the curriculum this semester. The program’s first students arrived in the fall under director and professor Victoria Bussert, who brought with her several colleagues from Baldwin Wallace University — including a few who collaborated on her 2023 staging of Great Comet for Cleveland’s Great Lakes Theater company.

Even for the experienced, this show is a massive undertaking, with a story adapted from Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace and a score demanding stamina and stylistic range. But nothing daunted the student actors on opening night, December 3. Not the immersive direction by Bussert, nor the energy-intensive choreography by Alex Sanchez. (Two casts alternated in eight performances through December 10.)

[Read on…]

Cleveland Orchestra channels all things merry, bright in Holiday Concert at Severance (Dec. 13)

by Kevin McLaughlin

Photo by Roger Mastroianni

This article was originally published on Cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Holiday concerts trade on familiarity, but the best of them feel less like ritual and more like reunion.

On Saturday evening, Dec. 13 at Mandel Concert Hall, The Cleveland Orchestra welcomed a full house for the second of its twelve annual Holiday Concerts, a tradition that dates back to 1919.

Led by guest conductor Sarah Hicks, with soprano Meredith Wohlgemuth and the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus, and members of the Blossom Festival Chorus under the direction of Lisa Wong, the evening unfolded with easy charm.

Throughout the performance, Hicks proved an ideal guide. Her conducting was clear and unshowy, her rapport with the audience unaffected and delightful.

[Read on…]

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