Underground Classical Archives - Cleveland Classical

Underground Classical: Neave Trio at Praxis (June 15)

June 24, 2019 by Nicholas Stevens

by Nicholas Stevens

“We like to call this program The 1.8%,” declared Neave Trio violinist Anna Williams to a bustling room of listeners at Collinwood’s Praxis Fiber Workshop last week. That figure comes from a survey conducted by staff of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, who found that only 1.8% of all music programmed by America’s major orchestras in a recent season was by female composers. The trio aims to showcase what so many audiences have been missing. Like others who have mined this vein, the Neave has struck gold. [Read more…]

Underground Classical to present Alex DePue and Miguel DeHoyos

May 1, 2018 by Jarrett Hoffman

by Mike Telin

On Friday, May 4 at 8:00 pm at Praxis Fiber Workshop on Waterloo Road in Collinwood, Underground Classical will present violinist Alex DePue and guitarist Miguel DeHoyos in a free concert that will feature classically-hued takes on popular songs, original compositions, and a little bit of fiddling.

“There will be something for everybody, from classical music all the way to the classic rock of the ‘70s, The Beatles, and some show tunes,” DePue said during a telephone conversation. “We do a wonderful arrangement from The Phantom of the Opera that morphs into Santana’s Black Magic Woman.” To hear how stylishly the duo moves from Andrew Lloyd Webber to Carlos Santana, click here, where you’ll also find many videos of DePue’s and DeHoyos’ inventive and engaging playing.

DePue said that combining musical styles in one tune helps to expand audience demographics. “If you include a show tune like ‘All I Ask of You’ from Phantom and end with Black Magic Woman, you’ve got two completely different audiences who would never meet.”

[Read more…]

Cleveland Orchestra’s holiday concerts return with plenty of festive cheer (Dec. 11)

by Stephanie Manning

This article was originally published on Cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — If the twinkling lights, leafy green garlands and festive poinsettias didn’t already clue you in, the holidays have arrived at Severance Music Center. ‘Tis the season for annual traditions — including The Cleveland Orchestra’s holiday concerts, which began on Wednesday evening.

Running through December 22, the programs feature plenty of seasonal classics plus some potential new favorites. The first performance proved that this mix is a delightful recipe for festive cheer.

“Look at you all, out on a school night!” conductor Sarah Hicks proclaimed joyfully from the podium. Just as many concertgoers donned red outfits to get into the spirit, Mandel Concert Hall was also decked out with decorations and stage lighting effects.

[Read on…]

Oberlin Conservatory convincingly tells Omar’s story (Dec. 8)

by Stephanie Manning

The Cleveland premiere of Rhiannon Giddens’ and Michael Abels’ Pultizer Prize-winning opera Omar on December 8 at the Maltz Performing Arts Center proved that concert productions of opera can succeed without sets, elaborate costumes and extensive staging. Indeed, the Oberlin Conservatory presentation offered more than enough to keep the audience in the crowded house enthralled.

The Opera, which was also presented at Oberlin’s Finney Chapel two days earlier, is based on the 1831 autobiography of Muslim scholar Omar ibn Said, the only such work written by an enslaved person during their enslavement, and the only such document written in Arabic.

Rhiannon Giddens’ brilliant libretto chronicles the life of ibn Said, beginning in present-day Senegal and following him through his capture, journey via the Middle Passage, and enslavement in North and South Carolina. [Read on…]

Kirill Gerstein is captivating on piano as Cleveland Orchestra recital series continues (Dec. 4)

by Daniel Hathaway

This article was originally published on Cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — There’s no dearth of first-class piano performances to enjoy in Northeast Ohio, but Kirill Gerstein’s contribution to the collective wealth Wednesday night was extraordinary both in concept and execution.

Playing as part of the Cleveland Orchestra’s ongoing recital series at Severance Music Center, Gerstein wove an overarching narrative from the 21 little masked ball portraits in Robert Schumann’s “Carnaval.” Then he helped composer Francisco Coll blow up the idea of the waltz in two striking, brand new pieces written for Gerstein and joined Maurice Ravel in redefining that most civilized of dances in a cataclysmic performance of “La valse.”

[Read on…]

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