Richard Goode’s Musical Short Stories</h1> <article> <h1>Richard Goode’s Musical Short Stories</h1> <p>srasmuss — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 19:32:54 +0000</p> <span>Richard Goode’s Musical Short Stories</span> <span><span>srasmuss</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-04-09T15:32:54-04:00" title="Thursday, April 9, 2026 - 15:32">Thu, 04/09/2026 - 15:32</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>In Richard Goode’s mental directory of acoustically great places, Finney Chapel easily makes the list.</p><p>“ I think about places partly in terms of how the hall sounds,” he says. So when he finds venues with fabulous acoustics, “I remember them with great affection. The atmosphere was so perfect that when you played, you felt that everything mattered.”</p><p>The highly-respected American pianist, known for his interpretation of Mozart and Beethoven, has performed on the 91ֱ�� Artist Recital Series quite a few times. It’s been nine years since his last appearance in Finney. “I don’t remember what I played,” he says. “I just remember how good it felt.”</p><p>On Wednesday, April 29 at 7:30 p.m., Goode will return to Finney Chapel and the Artist Recital Series with his program <a href="/events/richard-goode-piano">“Fancies and Goodnights.”</a> He will pair that personally curated selection of short works with two sonatas by Mozart and Schubert.</p><p>The “Fancies and Goodnights” title comes from John Collier’s short story collection of the same name. Collier’s stories are funny, weird, and even a little cruel, so Goode found the name fitting for a group of off-the-beaten-path pieces. “I’m not terribly one for encores,” he says, “so there were these pieces that I couldn’t find a place for.”</p><p>Not to mention, the title just has a certain ring to it. “ Most of the pieces that we play and love are called sonata or symphony or impromptu or something like that, but poetic names are lovely.”</p><p>The nine pieces are presented in roughly chronological order and span five centuries, from Carlo Gesualdo in 1603 to Leoš Janáček in 1900. Goode says he felt “absolutely stunned” by Gesualdo’s “O vos omnes” from Sacred Cantiones for Five Voices, Book 1.</p><p>“ I’m simply playing the voices on the piano. I’m not arranging it in any way,” he explains. “I think it’s such a remarkable work that I’m just happy to be able to play it.”</p><p>For some pieces, he remembers exactly how he first heard them. A recording by Rachmaninoff introduced him to G. Sgambati’s transcription of Christoph Willibald Gluck’s Melody from Orfeo and Eurydice — “one of the most beautiful melodies ever written.” And he once heard a recital by Glenn Gould that championed the music of William Byrd, leading Goode to discover Byrd’s My Ladye Nevells Booke.</p><p>Meanwhile, Georges Bizet’s Adagietto from L’Arlesienne (trans. L. Godowsky) is a memento of Goode’s years at the Marlboro Music School and Festival, where he first attended as a teenager and served as co-artistic director with Mitsuko Uchida for 14 years.</p><p>Although Goode has performed Ignacy Jan Paderewski’s Legende, Op. 16, No. 1 in the past, he only recently grew to recognize Paderewski’s musicianship. “I had never really appreciated his music fully before,” he says. Legende “is a very sentimental piece, but really very beautiful.”</p><p>Franz Schubert’s Ungarische Melodie and two pieces by Jean-Philippe Rameau — The Assembly of the Birds and The Indiscreet One — add some warmth and levity to the proceedings. Eventually, the set comes to an end with Leoš Janáček’s aptly-titled “Dobrou Noc!” (Good Night!), from On an Overgrown Path.</p><p>Bookending the musical short stories sit two longer pieces — one of Goode’s favorite Mozart’s piano sonatas, the A Minor, K. 310, and Schubert Piano Sonata No. 21 in B-flat Major, D.960. The Schubert sonata is one of Goode’s signature pieces. At around 37 minutes long, it “ really requires such a long span of tension,” he says. Although “I don’t play the repeat, which I think asks maybe a little too much of the listener.”</p><p>Another thing Goode is known for is his love of books. As his bio mentions, he lives in New York City with his wife, Marcia, and their collection of some 5,000 volumes. But as to whether he’ll be visiting MindFair Books or any other bookstores during his visit to 91ֱ��, he says the jury is still out. “ I have bought too many books, so I try not to indulge myself.”</p><p>However, something he’s sure he will be doing is teaching a masterclass with conservatory piano students. “I learn a great deal by listening to people’s various approaches to pieces,” he says. “So I’m looking forward to that.”</p><p>Concert Details<br>Richard Goode, piano<br>7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 29, 2025<br>91ֱ�� College Finney Chapel<br>90 N. Professor St.<br>91ֱ��, OH 44074<br><br>Concert tickets are available <a href="/tickets/event-details?EventId=20001">online</a> and by phone at 800-371-0178. Patrons may also purchase tickets in person between noon and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 91ֱ�� College’s <a href="/tickets">Central Ticket Service</a>, located at 67 N. Main Street, in the lobby of the Eric Baker Nord Performing Arts Complex.<br><br>Free Artist Recital Series tickets for enrolled 91ֱ�� students are available through the <a href="/artsguide/ticket-information/claim-your-seat">Claim Your Seat</a> program, made possible through the generosity of Richard ’62 and Linda ’62 Clark. <br><br>Learn more about the Arts at 91ֱ��.<br><br>This program is proudly supported by <a href="https://www.ideastream.org/">Ideastream Public Media</a>, official media partner of the Artist Recital Series.</p><p>—</p><p><em>Stephanie Manning ’23 completed her bassoon performance degree at 91ֱ�� while finding her way into journalism as a classical music critic. She returned to Cleveland after finishing a graduate diploma in journalism at Concordia University in Montreal. A regular contributor to </em>ClevelandClassical.com<em>, she has also published articles with </em>Signal Cleveland, The Montreal Gazette,<em> and </em>Carnegie Hall.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The acclaimed pianist returns to the Artist Recital Series on April 29 with the charmingly curated “Fancies and Goodnights,” along with works by Mozart and Schubert.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-04-09T12:00:00Z">Thu, 04/09/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">by Stephanie Manning ’23</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2364">Artist Recital Series</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Provocateur and Unifier: Linda May Han Oh Brings Jazz to 91ֱ��</h1> <p>srasmuss — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 16:48:30 +0000</p> <span>Provocateur and Unifier: Linda May Han Oh Brings Jazz to 91ֱ��</span> <span><span>srasmuss</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-03-06T11:48:30-05:00" title="Friday, March 6, 2026 - 11:48">Fri, 03/06/2026 - 11:48</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Jazz, with its focus on improvisation and unique rhythms, is arguably human expression at its freest. It is an art form that rewards boldness, and few artists epitomize boldness more than composer and bassist Linda May Han Oh. Performing <em>The Glass Hours</em> on March 19 in Finney Chapel, Oh and her quintet will bring a stirring energy to 91ֱ��’s Artist Recital Series, uniting audiences through profound, innovative compositions.</p><p>Born in Malaysia and raised in Australia, Oh’s musical career began as a teen playing bass in Red Hot Chili Peppers cover bands. Her love of rock would evolve into a pursuit of jazz, where she enhanced her skills and visibility by performing with masters like Pat Metheny, Joe Lovano, and Dave Douglas. </p><p>From these early collaborations, Oh learned to pay homage to the genre’s roots in her practice. “Jazz has a history that’s born out of struggle,” she says, “I think there’s a necessity, out of respect for that history, to really pay attention to the people who made it what it is.”</p><p>After learning from other musicians, Oh became a bandleader and composer herself, receiving acclaim across the jazz world. She shared the 2023 Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Album with multiple artists for the collaborative work <em>New Standards</em> Vol. 1 and has earned multiple honors as Bassist of the Year from the Jazz Journalists Association. Her career has even extended to film, where she has scored documentaries and contributed to the Oscar-winning soundtrack for Pixar’s <em>Soul</em> (she even makes an animated cameo in the film). </p><p>For her 91ֱ�� concert, Oh and her quintet will primarily draw from their 2023 album, <em>The Glass Hours</em>, a meditative work exploring life, time, and the relationship they share. </p><p>Audiences can also look forward to <em>Invisible Threads</em>, an ambitious recent commission that weaves together multiple narratives. “It explores how humanity is bound in extricable ways beyond what we feel and know—that there is more that unites us than separates us,” Oh says of the work.</p><p>Oh will also sample <em>Strange Heavens</em>, a new album released last year. “It’s based on the idea that humans prefer a familiar hell rather than search for an unfamiliar heaven,” she says</p><p>As these synopses show, Oh is unafraid to tackle profound, sometimes challenging themes in her work. “A lot of this music is from personal experience, but also just my desire to express myself … to use this improvised music genre to give out personal messages and emotions that I can’t put into words.” </p><p>For example, the track “Jus Ad Bellum” covers war and draws on the artist’s time studying human rights law. “It is essentially my prayer for peace,” Oh says. The concert will also explore uplifting, hopeful subjects, with “Hatchling” serving as a celebration of life and a letter to Oh’s young son. </p><p>Oh’s intentional use of jazz to explore deep, personal themes traces back to one of her biggest musical inspirations: renowned bassist Charles Mingus. “I’ve always admired his fearlessness and want to embody a bit of that when I play. He’s not afraid to be provocative with his musical voice,” she says. </p><p>Alongside thematic boldness, Oh’s concert will be packed with musical innovation. This includes genre influences ranging from funk to progressive rock, as well as electronic effects programmed by quintet pianist Fabian Almazan. </p><p>The performance will also integrate many improvisations, which Oh credits to the talent of her fellow musicians. “There are ways that we navigate this music each night that are so vastly different. [The musicians] are quick to latch on to different ideas if we decide to take a left turn.”</p><p>Joining Oh will be Almazan on piano, Greg Ward on saxophone, Sara Serpa on voice, and Mark Whitfield Jr. on drums.</p><p>Ultimately, Oh is excited to bring her quintet’s free-spirited approach to 91ֱ��, where, in addition to her concert, she will teach a public workshop on March 19 in the Birenbaum Performance Space. “I have so much respect and admiration for 91ֱ�� and what it stands for in terms of art and freedom of expression.”</p><p>She finds that concerts like hers have the power to unite audiences and recalls an experience performing in Chile in 2023 with Pat Metheny. It was Metheny’s first time in the country following the end of Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship. Near the end of the performance, the audience broke into cheers and sang along to one of the pieces. </p><p>“There are moments when you connect with people who really appreciate music and have seen tough times, and it makes it worthwhile,” she observes. Indeed, amid trying times, Oh’s humanist and provocative approach to jazz will be sure to unite audiences in Finney Chapel. </p><p> </p><hr><h4><strong>Concert Details</strong></h4><p><a href="/events/linda-may-han-oh-glass-hours">Linda May Han Oh, <em>The Glass Hours</em></a><br>7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 19, 2025<br>91ֱ�� College Finney Chapel<br>90 N. Professor St.<br>91ֱ��, OH 44074</p><p>Concert tickets are available <a href="/artsguide/artist-recital-series">online</a> and by phone at 800-371-0178. Patrons may also purchase tickets in person between noon and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 91ֱ�� College’s <a href="/tickets">Central Ticket Service</a>, located at 67 N. Main Street in the lobby of the Eric Baker Nord Performing Arts Complex.</p><p>Free Artist Recital Series tickets for enrolled 91ֱ�� students are available through the <a href="/artsguide/ticket-information/claim-your-seat">Claim Your Seat</a> program, made possible through the generosity of Richard ’62 and Linda ’62 Clark. </p><p>Learn more about the <a href="/artsguide">Arts at 91ֱ��</a>.</p><p>This program is proudly supported by <a href="https://www.ideastream.org/">Ideastream Public Media</a>, official media partner of the Artist Recital Series.</p><p> </p><hr><p><em>Zach Terrillion ’24 graduated from 91ֱ�� with a major in English, a minor in creative writing, and concentrations in journalism and public humanities. After a year-long term as the marketing and development fellow at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in California, they recently returned to Ohio to support the Conservatory of Music’s artistic programming, including promotion for the Artist Recital Series.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The Grammy-winning bassist and composer brings her quintet to Finney Chapel, exploring connection, resilience, and the power of improvisation to unite audiences.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-03-06T12:00:00Z">Fri, 03/06/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Zach Terrillion ’24</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2364">Artist Recital Series</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Creating Their Own Canon: The American Brass Quintet at 91ֱ�� College</h1> <p>awillia2 — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 19:05:50 +0000</p> <span>Creating Their Own Canon: The American Brass Quintet at 91ֱ�� College</span> <span><span>awillia2</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-02-03T14:05:50-05:00" title="Tuesday, February 3, 2026 - 14:05">Tue, 02/03/2026 - 14:05</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The American Brass Quintet is a group known for distinguishing itself from standard brass chamber music ensembles. First formed in 1960, the American Brass Quintet emerged at a time when new music for brass instruments was rare. Seeking to fill this void, the group chose to focus almost entirely on performing works they commission from living composers. The Quintet’s Emerging Composers Program specifically produces quintets by rising stars in the field. As of today, the quintet has premiered more than 150 new works for brass, performed across five continents, and is regarded as one of the premier chamber groups. </p><p>“This is a legacy we have carried on,” says trombonist Hillary Simms, who joined the group in 2023. “We don’t play any arrangements of popular classical music.”</p><p>The group will showcase its focus on innovative new works at its 91ֱ�� concert, hoping to captivate the audience through a variety of music and emotions.</p><p>One program highlight will be <em>Sacred Geometry</em>, a striking work by David Biedenbender inspired by the architecture of Antoni Gaudí, who designed the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. “[The piece] is spectacular, energetic, emotional, and lively,” says trombonist John D. Rojack, “with a nod to heavy metal rock at the end.”</p><p>Audiences should also look forward to <em>Quinteto Concertante</em> by Osvaldo Lacerda, with movements reminiscent of Brazilian folk music that zero in on each instrument. The ensemble will play the spirited first movement of<em> Book of Brass</em>, a quartet devised for the group by the Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Jennifer Higdon.</p><p>Additional contemporary pieces will include Philip Lasser’s <em>Common Heroes, Uncommon Land</em>, which features spoken-word sections, and Anthony Barfield’s <em>Samsara, </em>a beautifully written homage to the Buddhist concept of rebirth by one of the quintet’s former students. </p><p>The one technically classical work in the program, a Baroque piece by John Dowland titled <em>Can She Excuse My Wrongs?</em>, has a modern twist first popularized by Sting.</p><p>Rojack considers the concert more of a film than a movie, saying, “It will be something you can discuss and think about, and it stays with you for days after you leave… It still surprises me how often people say that they had no idea brass could do the things we did.”</p><p>In addition to its performance at Finney Chapel, the American Brass Quintet will hold an educational residency on campus, leading multiple master classes on different instruments. These efforts are part of the group’s additional focus on educational initiatives, which have included being faculty-in-residence at the Juilliard School. </p><p>The quintet’s horn, Eric Reed, expressed great excitement about working with 91ֱ�� students: “It’s a kind of perfect fit for us to do a residency here, where we know that chamber music and contemporary music are highly valued.”</p><p>Quintet members will also lead a career talk for students navigating work in the music industry. “We can open up the floor and address that there is not just a single path in our business,” Reid says. </p><p>Ultimately, the American Brass Quintet stands out for its focus on the future. In line with this focus, Hillary Simms recalls one of her first assignments in the ensemble: playing in the premiere of the Barfield piece included in the 91ֱ�� program. She points out the level of creative freedom she had in bringing this piece to life. </p><p>“It has a big trombone cadenza in the middle of it…and [the group] gave me free rein artistically on what to do with it, so it just felt amazing to join a group that let me do that.” </p><p>Whether through an intentional focus on new commissions by renowned and emerging composers, the creative freedom given to its members, or initiatives that educate the next generation of players, these five musicians are creating their own canon for what brass can be for decades to come.</p><p>For a final word on the upcoming concert, Rojack emphasized the joy it will bring alongside its innovation. “In our current climate, we need something that helps everybody feel great. That will leave people smiling and thinking for a while.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Les Misérables on Broadway. Yo-Yo Ma. The Sala Sao Paulo. Metallica. What do these musical names all have in common? They are the professional connections you can find among the members of the American Brass Quintet, set to perform in 91ֱ�� on Friday, February 20.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-02-04T12:00:00Z">Wed, 02/04/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Zach Terrillion ’24</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2364">Artist Recital Series</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Courtesy of the American Brass Quintet</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-47741" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <div class="basic-box basic-box--faint"><h2 class="h3">Concert Details</h2><p><a href="/events/american-brass-quintet" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="7b2dbedb-dbab-46b7-bc34-07360fc90ea8" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="American Brass Quintet">The American Brass Quintet</a><br>7:30 p.m. Friday, February 20, 2025<br>91ֱ�� College Finney Chapel<br>90 N. Professor St.91ֱ��, OH 44074</p><p>Concert tickets are available <a href="/artsguide/artist-recital-series" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="45aa0e3b-e65d-412a-8bf3-ebef6e94c55b" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Artist Recital Series">online</a> and by phone at 800-371-0178. Patrons may also purchase them in person between noon and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 91ֱ�� College’s <a href="/tickets" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="429cc5fb-5f26-481e-b0e5-b64e579b8fce" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Central Ticket Service">Central Ticket Service</a>, located at 67 N. Main Street, in the lobby of the Eric Baker Nord Performing Arts Complex.</p><p>Free Artist Recital Series tickets for enrolled 91ֱ�� students are available through the <a href="/artsguide/ticket-information/claim-your-seat" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="c8ebe5e1-a9b0-4ab1-8c72-30bbaf6c5d6a" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Free Artist Recital Tickets for Students">Claim Your Seat</a> program, made possible through the generosity of Richard ’62 and Linda ’62 Clark. </p><p>Learn more about the <a href="/artsguide" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="c8c7f4d5-b181-4ea9-b07e-662bee9d48cd" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Arts at 91ֱ��">Arts at 91ֱ��</a>.</p><p>This program is proudly supported by <a href="https://www.ideastream.org/" target="_blank">Ideastream Public Media</a>, official media partner of the Artist Recital Series.</p></div> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-47742" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <hr><p><em><strong>Zach Terrillion ’24</strong> graduated from 91ֱ�� with a major in English, minor in creative writing, and concentrations in journalism and public humanities. After a year-long term as the marketing and development fellow at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in California, they have recently returned to Ohio to support the Conservatory of Music’s artistic programming, including promotion for the Artist Recital Series.</em></p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Danish String Quartet Finds the Human Connection</h1> <p>srasmuss — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 13:04:49 +0000</p> <span>Danish String Quartet Finds the Human Connection</span> <span><span>srasmuss</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-11-10T08:04:49-05:00" title="Monday, November 10, 2025 - 08:04">Mon, 11/10/2025 - 08:04</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>These days, the Danish String Quartet keep their touring schedule simple. Arrive in a new city in the morning, play a concert in the evening, and repeat. That’s not because the group doesn’t like exploring new places — it’s because they’ve got little ones waiting at home.</p><p>“ Back before we had kids, we did three-week tours, four-week tours in the States,” violinist Frederik Øland says. “Now we’re down to two weeks at a time, because anything more than that is just too much.”</p><p>A lot has changed since the early 2000s, when the newly-formed quartet were all teenagers at Copenhagen’s Royal Danish Academy of Music. But what’s stayed constant is the critical acclaim that follows wherever they go. On Friday, November 21, the celebrated ensemble — comprised of violinists Øland and Rune Tonsgaard Sørensen, violist Asbjørn Nørgaard, and cellist Fredrik Schøyen Sjölin — will make their <a href="/events/danish-string-quartet">91ֱ�� debut</a> as part of the <a href="/artsguide/artist-recital-series">Artist Recital Series</a>. </p><p>“I love traveling and touring in the States,” Øland says. “I love the nature — you can go from deserts to mountain areas to huge forests.” He makes a point to try and explore the outdoors at every tour stop. “One thing that I try to do every place is go for a run. Because then you get a feel of this city, just a little bit.”</p><p>As part of the Quartet’s visit to 91ֱ��, the group will hold public master classes for both solo strings and chamber music on November 22. Working with students “is something that we love to do,” the violinist says. He himself is an associate professor at the Royal Danish Academy of Music, and the Quartet also interacts with students through programs like the annual DSQ Academy. </p><p>This year’s edition of the five-day music camp, held in the Danish countryside, wrapped up in early October. Thirty students from all over the world spent time not only learning and making music together, but also relaxing and enjoying each other’s company. Øland says that kind of experience reminds the quartet of how they originally met, kicking a ball around at a summer camp for amateur musicians. “There's a ton of music being played, but you also get the personal connection. And that's what we always wanted to do with this.”</p><p>In concert, the Quartet’s distinctive style of programming spans music from the Classical to the contemporary, complete with original folk tune arrangements and compositions. Their 91ֱ�� program is a classic example of this approach, with the addition of movie music via Jonny Greenwood’s Suite from <em>There Will Be Blood</em>. The soundtrack to Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2007 period drama includes Greenwood’s characteristically unnerving musical style. </p><p>Øland says the Quartet has enjoyed branching out into something new. “We like when we do something that's a little bit off the beaten path — when you find something that you can really make your own.”</p><p>The Suite is paired with Igor Stravinsky’s <em>Three Pieces for String Quartet</em>, a quirky trio of short movements. Øland sees a particular connection to Greenwood’s style in the second piece, titled “Eccentric,” which Stravinsky based on an English clown named Little Tich. “He had a funny way of walking, and you can totally hear that in the music.”</p><p>After intermission comes a selection of folk music arrangements and compositions, as well as Ludwig van Beethoven’s <em>String Quartet No. 16 in F Major, Op. 135</em>. Although Beethoven wasn’t a huge focus for the group in the early years, they’ve since performed multiple quartet cycles and recorded the late quartets for their Prism album series. </p><p>The violinist says that the late quartets in particular bring out his “nerdy classical musician side.” Rather than seeing these works as masterpieces that fell from the sky, “I think they're very human pieces, and that's what I really appreciate,” he says. “Beethoven shows us the complexity and the imperfections of being a human being. When I listen to that music and when I play it, there's always something in the music that I can relate to, and I feel comforted by that feeling.”</p><p>His appreciation for human connection is also reflected in his recent podcast, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/5tkbOoRNLAriwg1dZ35Y4y">Fiddle Talks</a>. He and his co-host, fellow violinist Peter Herresthal, bring in guest musicians to chat in a relaxed setting. “We can have a conversation about some deep topics, but we also have a good time and don't pretend that we're super fancy,” he says. “It’s kind of like Beethoven in a way.”</p><p>Concert Details</p><p><a href="/events/danish-string-quartet" data-entity-type="external">The Danish String Quartet</a><br>7:30 p.m. Friday, November 21, 2025<br>91ֱ�� College Finney Chapel<br>90 N. Professor St.91ֱ��, OH 44074</p><p>Concert tickets are available <a href="/artsguide/artist-recital-series">online</a> and by phone at 800-371-0178. Patrons may also purchase them in person between noon and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 91ֱ�� College's <a href="/tickets">Central Ticket Service</a>, located at 67 N. Main Street, in the lobby of the Eric Baker Nord Performing Arts Complex.</p><p>Free Artist Recital Series tickets for enrolled 91ֱ�� students are available through the <a href="/artsguide/ticket-information/claim-your-seat">Claim Your Seat</a> program, made possible through the generosity of Richard ’62 and Linda ’62 Clark. </p><p>Learn more about the <a href="/artsguide">Arts at 91ֱ��</a>.</p><p>This program is proudly supported by <a href="https://www.ideastream.org/">Ideastream Public Media</a>, official media partner of the Artist Recital Series.</p><p>—</p><p>Stephanie Manning ’23 completed her bassoon performance degree while finding her way into journalism as a classical music critic. She recently returned to Cleveland after finishing a graduate diploma in journalism at Concordia University in Montreal. Her writing has appeared in The Montreal Gazette, Early Music America, and ClevelandClassical.com.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The ensemble brings a stunningly diverse program to Finney Chapel on Friday, November 21.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-11-10T12:00:00Z">Mon, 11/10/2025 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Stephanie Manning ’23</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2364">Artist Recital Series</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>A Little Bit of Everything with VOCES8</h1> <p>srasmuss — Sun, 12 Oct 2025 12:35:07 +0000</p> <span>A Little Bit of Everything with VOCES8</span> <span><span>srasmuss</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-10-12T08:35:07-04:00" title="Sunday, October 12, 2025 - 08:35">Sun, 10/12/2025 - 08:35</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>For Barnaby Smith, putting a concert program together is like cooking a three-course meal.</p><p>“You want the audience to come and have the starter, the main, and the dessert,” the countertenor says. “It’s like they’re having a nice dinner party while meeting the eight people on stage.”</p><p>As the Artistic Director of VOCES8, Smith curates those “dinner parties” for the renowned British vocal ensemble. And he has plenty of music choices to pick from. The a capella group is known for their genre-spanning repertoire — and they’re also celebrating their 20th anniversary this year. Both of those ideas come to the forefront in the program that they’ll bring to <a href="/events/voces8">Finney Chapel on October 28</a> as part of the<a href="/artsguide/artist-recital-series"> Artist Recital Series</a>. </p><p>“It’s got everything from Renaissance polyphony to jazz and pop songs,” Smith says. “There’s a little bit of something for everyone — Simon and Garfunkel, a few madrigals, and a bit of Bach and Elgar.”</p><p>That 20th anniversary program is just one of the options VOCES8 will present as they cross the U.S. on their upcoming three-week tour. Their other setlists include one about sacred music, one featuring music about the stars, and even one for the U.S.A.’s 250th anniversary. “ We’ll sing about 100 to 120 different pieces on tour, so it keeps it fresh and interesting for us as well,” Smith says.</p><p>While in 91ֱ��, the octet will work with the 91ֱ�� College Choir, first by workshopping a piece and then by inviting them on stage for a portion of the concert. Interacting with young singers “is something we love to do,” Smith says. The students “can feel the presence of the professional singers around them, and I think that's a great opportunity for them to grow.”</p><p>VOCES8 is currently doing some growing as well. Earlier this year, soprano Andrea Haines announced that she would be leaving after 17 years with the group. “The first soprano is a bit like the striker in soccer — they have such a visible place on the team from the audience’s perspective,” Smith says. “So it’s going to be a really interesting change.”</p><p>During the resulting audition process, hundreds of applicants were eventually narrowed down to a selection of finalists, who all came to London to sing trial concerts with the group. “ Everyone's always like, ‘Oh, you have to replace the person who's leaving.’ But we try not to look at it like that,” Smith says. “We try to look for a really interesting person, with a really interesting voice, who’s a really interesting musician.”</p><p>Ultimately, the group hired Savannah Porter, an American soprano who grew up in Fort Worth, Texas. “She’s unbelievably versatile,” Smith says, praising her high notes in particular. “She could sing Wicked. She could sing Allegri’s Miserere. She could be a pop diva.”</p><p>Although Haines won’t sing her final concert with VOCES8 until the end of 2025, Porter will be the one to join the group on their upcoming U.S. tour. Smith says that so far, Porter’s performances with the group have all been warmly received.</p><p>“Once a change of personnel has happened, everyone on stage feels a palpable relief that people still enjoy VOCES8 with a new lineup. So we’re looking forward to showing off Savannah to all of you.”</p><p>Smith, Porter, and the other six members of VOCES8 will get to introduce themselves to the 91ֱ�� audience directly when they speak from the Finney Chapel stage. That personal touch has become one of the hallmarks of the group’s programs. </p><p>“ The greatest thing about singing is that it’s human to human interaction,” Smith says. “So it’s really nice that we get to communicate with the audience through the medium of speech as well. It really develops a personal relationship, and that means they can be more engaged with us as singers.”</p><p>While Smith is proud of the octet’s work as recording artists, he has a particular appreciation for the in-person concert experience they offer. “When you come to a VOCES8 concert, you meet all the individuals, and we try to create a show which showcases everyone for their strengths,” he says. “You’re getting a kaleidoscope of different styles and different personalities. Hopefully there’ll be a time for everybody to have a little cry and also a time for everybody to have a bit of a laugh. It’ll be an entertaining evening.”</p><p>Concert Details</p><p>VOCES8<br>7:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 28, 2025<br>91ֱ�� College Finney Chapel<br>90 N. Professor St.91ֱ��, OH 44074</p><p>Concert tickets are available <a href="/events/voces8">online</a> and by phone at 800-371-0178. Patrons may also purchase them in person between noon and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 91ֱ�� College's <a href="/tickets">Central Ticket Service</a>, located at 67 N. Main Street, in the lobby of the Eric Baker Nord Performing Arts Complex.</p><p>Free Artist Recital Series tickets for enrolled 91ֱ�� students are available through the <a href="/artsguide/ticket-information/claim-your-seat">Claim Your Seat</a> program, made possible through the generosity of Richard ’62 and Linda ’62 Clark. </p><p>Learn more about the <a href="/artsguide">Arts at 91ֱ��</a>.</p><p>This program is proudly supported by <a href="https://www.ideastream.org/">Ideastream Public Media</a>, official media partner of the Artist Recital Series.</p><p>—</p><p><em>Stephanie Manning ’23 completed her bassoon performance degree while finding her way into journalism as a classical music critic. She recently returned to Cleveland after finishing a graduate diploma in journalism at Concordia University in Montreal. Her writing has appeared in The Montreal Gazette, Early Music America, and ClevelandClassical.com.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Celebrating their 20th anniversary, the acclaimed British a cappella group brings everything from pop tunes to sacred music to the Artist Recital Series on October 28.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-10-12T12:00:00Z">Sun, 10/12/2025 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">by Stephanie Manning ’23</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2364">Artist Recital Series</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>A Musical Patchwork, Rather Than a Melting Pot</h1> <p>srasmuss — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 13:15:18 +0000</p> <span>A Musical Patchwork, Rather Than a Melting Pot</span> <span><span>srasmuss</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-09-04T09:15:18-04:00" title="Thursday, September 4, 2025 - 09:15">Thu, 09/04/2025 - 09:15</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>When Clay Ross moved to New York City in 2002, he encountered people from all over the world during jam sessions at the popular jazz clubs.</p><p>“It was like a United Nations of talent,” says the South Carolina native, who moved to the city to pursue a jazz career. After learning where he grew up, “people would often say, ‘Oh, you must really know a lot about American folk music and country music,’ because they had this idea about what it means to be from the American South.”</p><p>But there’s a lot more to Ross than that first impression. The guitarist and vocalist spent 10 years studying music from Brazil and Latin America, during which he founded the group <a href="https://matutomusic.com/">Matuto</a>. He’s also won two Grammys with his group <a href="https://www.rankytanky.com/">Ranky Tanky</a>, which focuses on Gullah music of the southeastern Sea Islands.</p><p>In 2019, those years of conversations about cultural assumptions and expectations took shape into something new when Ross founded the <a href="https://www.americanpatchworkquartet.com/">American Patchwork Quartet</a>. This collective of musicians reinterprets American folk tunes through their varied cultural backgrounds and musical training. And on <a href="/events/american-patchwork-quartet">September 13 at 7:30 pm</a>, the group will perform in Finney Chapel as part of the <a href="/artsguide/artist-recital-series">Artist Recital Series</a>.</p><p>“This project is an effort to challenge some of our stereotypes around American identity and authenticity,” Ross says. “That does seem to be top of mind in the culture today, with all the conversations around immigration we are currently having.”</p><p>The four core members of the group are Ross, classical Indian vocalist Falu (Falguni Shah), bassist Yasushi Nakamura, and drummer Clarence Penn. But for live performances, Ross is often joined by a rotating cast. For their 91ֱ�� appearance, he and Penn will take the stage with vocalist and violinist Harini (Rini) Raghavan and bassist Moto Fukushima.</p><p>Raghavan, born in India and trained in the Carnatic tradition, and Fukushima, originally from Japan, “struck me right away as the level of artists that I would wanna collaborate with for this project,” Ross says. The two both met Ross in New York City, which is home base for both him and the Quartet.</p><p>Of course, the group also does plenty of traveling, with tour dates this fall scheduled everywhere from Oregon to Kentucky to Maine. At their 91ֱ�� stop, Ross says audiences can expect to hear plenty of selections from the group’s eponymous album, which was nominated for a 2024 Grammy. </p><p>That includes the group’s take on songs like “Shenandoah,” “Beneath the Willow,” and “Wayfaring Stranger.” For the audience, these familiar tunes “give you something to anchor your understanding of the music and to contextualize what we're doing when we create a unique version of a song,” Ross says. </p><p>Potential additions to the setlist include some of the 12 new songs the group is currently workshopping. “Our last record is deep and thoughtful and brooding, because we’re dealing with some heavy subject matter,” Ross says. But for this next collection, “we want to find songs that can articulate the joy that is shared across cultures and bring that out in our concerts.”</p><p>In addition to the performance, the quartet will lead a number of workshops at the Birenbaum, including an introduction to Indian classical music led by Raghavan. Ross will lead a songwriting workshop in addition to a career talk based around his online course, <a href="https://composeyourcareer.org/">Compose Your Career</a>.</p><p>“I’ve watched too many really talented people struggle to make ends meet,” he says. “I want to help empower artists to not only be the best musicians that they can be, but also to realize their potential as a professional.”</p><p>Creating one’s career takes active work, as does running a group like the American Patchwork Quartet. “I didn’t want this project to come across as, “Oh, look at this utopian situation we created across cultures,” Ross says. “There’s a lot of trial and error that has to happen before we land on something that satisfies all the different perspectives in the group.”</p><p>This idea of acknowledging their differences to embrace their commonalities is part of why the Quartet prefers the metaphor of the patchwork, rather than the more common American “melting pot.”</p><p>”We don't wanna melt together,” Ross says. “We want to be joined and we want to be united, but we also want to maintain the integrity of what we bring and who we are.”</p><p>Concert Details</p><p>American Patchwork Quartet<br>7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 30, 2025<br>91ֱ�� College Finney Chapel<br>90 N. Professor St.91ֱ��, OH 44074</p><p>Tickets:<br>$35 Public | $30 OC Staff/Faculty/Alumni, Seniors, Military | $10 Students</p><p>Concert tickets are available <a href="/events/american-patchwork-quartet">online</a> and by phone at 800-371-0178. Patrons may also purchase them in person between noon and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 91ֱ�� College's <a href="/tickets">Central Ticket Service</a>, located at 67 N. Main Street, in the lobby of the Eric Baker Nord Performing Arts Complex.</p><p>Free Artist Recital Series tickets for enrolled 91ֱ�� students are available through the <a href="/artsguide/ticket-information/claim-your-seat">Claim Your Seat</a> program, made possible through the generosity of Richard ’62 and Linda ’62 Clark. </p><p>Learn more about the <a href="/artsguide">Arts at 91ֱ��</a>.</p><p>This program is proudly supported by <a href="https://www.ideastream.org/">Ideastream Public Media</a>, official media partner of the Artist Recital Series.</p><p>—</p><p><em>Stephanie Manning ’23 completed her bassoon performance degree while finding her way into journalism as a classical music critic. She recently returned to Cleveland after finishing a graduate diploma in journalism at Concordia University in Montreal. Her writing has appeared in The Montreal Gazette, Early Music America, and ClevelandClassical.com.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">On September 13, 91ֱ�� welcomes the American Patchwork Quartet, who put their own spin on folk tunes with a distinct combination of cultural and musical influences.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-09-03T12:00:00Z">Wed, 09/03/2025 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">by Stephanie Manning ’23</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2364">Artist Recital Series</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Contemporary Collaborations with Third Coast Percussion</h1> <p>srasmuss — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 17:02:47 +0000</p> <span>Contemporary Collaborations with Third Coast Percussion</span> <span><span>srasmuss</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-04-15T13:02:47-04:00" title="Tuesday, April 15, 2025 - 13:02">Tue, 04/15/2025 - 13:02</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p></p> <p>“Strum,” “Strike,” and “Bend” are all evocative references to the physicality of string and percussion instruments. And one is especially significant.</p> <p>Put all three together, and you get the title of <a href="https://thirdcoastpercussion.com/">Third Coast Percussion’s</a> (TCP) upcoming program with violinist/composer <a href="https://www.jessiemontgomery.com/">Jessie Montgomery</a>. “ I think the ‘Bend’ part is maybe the most interesting,” says ensemble member Robert Dillon. “Something we really have enjoyed about Jessie’s percussion writing is this twisting, warping, or bending of sounds.”</p> <p>Whether that’s blowing through a tube into a tom-tom or hitting a crotale before dipping it into water, these manipulations are ubiquitous in Montgomery’s music. And her recent piece for TCP is no exception.</p> <p><em>Lady Justice / Black Justice, The Song,</em> commissioned in celebration of the group’s 20th anniversary, is a major part of their latest tour. On <a href="/events/third-coast-percussion-and-jessie-montgomery">Wednesday, April 30 at 7:30 pm</a>, Third Coast Percussion will bring that piece and a whole lot more to Finney Chapel as part of the <a href="/artsguide/artist-recital-series">91ֱ�� Artist Recital Series</a>. Montgomery will also join the four-piece ensemble onstage to perform Lou Harrison’s Concerto for Violin with Percussion Orchestra.</p> <p>Chicago has always been home base for the group (Dillon, David Skidmore, Peter Martin, and Sean Connors) since its inception in 2005. And Montgomery relocated to the area in 2021 to spend three years as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Mead Composer-in-Residence. “Now she’s set up shop here and this is her home, which is great,” Dillon says. “We love that she has connected with Chicago in that way.”</p> <p>After Montgomery became a local, TCP workshopped her first piece for percussion ensemble and played around with some of her pre-existing works. Member Sean Conners eventually arranged the Suite from <em>In Color</em>, which appears on the April 30 program. “ It's very different than the original version,” written for tuba and string quartet, “but it’s really beautiful,” Dillon says.</p> <p>The Suite also appears on TCP’s latest album, <em>Standard Stoppages</em>, released on April 11. The record marks the group’s 20th anniversary with commissions from collaborators new and old — and three of those new works will be heard in Finney Chapel.</p> <p>Montgomery turned to visual art to inspire her piece, specifically Ori Carino’s <em>Black Justice</em>. This multi-layered, holographic <a href="https://www.jessiemontgomery.com/black-justice-by-ori-carino/">painting</a> of Lady Justice as a Black woman reflects on the injustices Black Americans have faced and continue to face in the present day. “It’s a very striking image,” Dillon says. The group’s program notes will provide audience members with a QR code to take a look for themselves.</p> <p>TCP relishes in these kinds of projects that reach across disciplines and genres. Electronic music producer Jlin (Jerrilynn Patton) created <em>Please Be Still</em>, which interpolates J.S. Bach’s “Kyrie eleison” from his <em>Mass in B Minor</em>. Jlin, who has become a frequent collaborator, is “such a delightful and interesting person,” Dillon says.</p> <p>To create music together, Jlin will first send the percussionists an audio file of what she wants it to sound like, and it’s up to them to transcribe what’s happening and how it fits on their instruments. “ We have to essentially arrange the piece into its final form for live performance,” Dillon says. “That meeting of the voices is the thing that makes it so exciting. You end up with something that none of us would have created on our own.”</p> <p>TCP also reached out to pianist and composer Tigran Hamasyan, whose music lies at the intersection of jazz, rock, and folk. “We thought he'd be a really great person to ask to write a percussion quartet, because the rhythmic vocabulary of his music is just totally bananas,” Dillon says. “It’s really intense, very complicated, but grooves really hard.”</p> <p>Hamasyan’s <em>Sonata for Percussion</em> certainly lives up to that description. Since premiering it last summer, “it feels like it’s an audience favorite,” Dillon says. And the music’s devilish difficulty “ presents a really nice growth opportunity for us as performers.”</p> <p>The only piece from the 91ֱ�� performance that isn’t also on their new album is Lou Harrison’s <em>Concerto</em>. “ The way that he combines the violin with percussion ensemble is so effective,” Dillon says. “It’s a very, very expressive piece.”</p> <p>Featuring Jessie Montgomery as the violin soloist highlights her dual career as a composer and performer. “ I think we feel a kinship with Jessie in that way, because all of us in Third Coast Percussion also write music,” Dillon says. “We really relish the opportunity to do both things and to see the way that they make each other stronger.”</p> <p> </p> <p>Concert Details</p> <p><a href="/events/third-coast-percussion-and-jessie-montgomery">Third Coast Percussion with Jessie Montgomery</a></p> <p>7:30 p.m.<br> Wednesday, April 30, 2025<br> 91ֱ�� College Finney Chapel<br> 90 N. Professor St.<br> 91ֱ��, OH 44074</p> <p>Tickets:<br> $35 Public | $30 OC Staff/Faculty/Alumni, Seniors, Military | $10 Students</p> <p>Concert tickets are available <a href="/tickets/event-details?EventId=14401">online</a> and by phone at 800-371-0178. Patrons may also purchase them in person between noon and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 91ֱ�� College's <a href="/tickets">Central Ticket Service</a>, located at 67 N. Main Street, in the lobby of the Eric Baker Nord Performing Arts Complex.</p> <p>Free Artist Recital Series tickets for enrolled 91ֱ�� students are available through the <a href="/artsguide/ticket-information/claim-your-seat">Claim Your Seat</a> program, made possible through the generosity of Richard ’62 and Linda ’62 Clark. </p> <p>Learn more about the <a href="/artsguide">Arts at 91ֱ��</a>.</p> <p>This program is proudly supported by <a href="https://www.ideastream.org/">Ideastream Public Media</a>, official media partner of the Artist Recital Series.</p> <p>—<br> <em><strong>Stephanie Manning ’23</strong> completed her bassoon performance degree while finding her way into journalism as a classical music critic. She recently returned to Cleveland after finishing a graduate diploma in journalism at Concordia University in Montreal. Her writing has appeared in The Montreal Gazette, Early Music America, and ClevelandClassical.com.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Celebrating their 20th year as a group, the four-piece percussion ensemble visits the Artist Recital Series on April 30 with composer and violinist Jessie Montgomery.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-04-15T12:00:00Z">Tue, 04/15/2025 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Stephanie Manning '23</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2364">Artist Recital Series</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Martha Redbone Hears Her Musical Call</h1> <p>srasmuss — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 20:22:21 +0000</p> <span>Martha Redbone Hears Her Musical Call</span> <span><span>srasmuss</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-03-18T16:22:21-04:00" title="Tuesday, March 18, 2025 - 16:22">Tue, 03/18/2025 - 16:22</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>“If it’s meant to happen, the music will find you.” That’s how Martha Redbone sees it. And it wasn’t until she was in college studying illustration in the late ’80s, that the music found her for good. </p> <p>Back then, the advent of the first Mac was rapidly changing the art world..“ As an illustrator who loved painting and drawing people, that digital world was not for me,” she said. Feeling torn, she turned to music as a creative outlet, starting as a background vocalist before progressing into a career as a lead singer. Together with her songwriting partner (and later life partner) the pianist Aaron Whitby, she began to write music that had stories to tell.</p> <p>“ There was a connection and a resonance that I got from singing, and it gave me a sense of peace,” she says. “I’ll always be an artist, I’ll always be an illustrator. But the music is what ended up calling me, and I just listened to that call.”</p> <p>Today, through her group the Martha Redbone Roots Project, the vocalist performs and creates songs across a wide range of cultural genres.</p> <p>“ We play gospel music, we play blues, ballads, mountain hollers, we sing poetry from William Blake — we do all kinds of things,” says Redbone, who was raised in rural Kentucky and New York City. She and Whitby, together with violinist Charlie Burnham and bassist Fred Cash, Jr., will bring this cross-disciplinary performance to <a href="/artsguide/artist-recital-series">91ֱ�� on April 6</a> as part of the <a href="/artsguide/artist-recital-series">Artist Recital Series</a>.</p> <p>Redbone’s Sunday night concert in Finney Chapel will be the second part of her 91ֱ�� residency this academic year. In October, she visited the school to host a career talk and a number of musical workshops, which were made possible by the Ed Helms American Roots Residency Fund. This visit marked her first time in 91ֱ��, “but my goodness, it won’t be my last,” she says. The students “ seemed really happy with the curriculum and excited about the things that are going on.”</p> <p>She especially praises the American Roots Residency program, which provides opportunities for 91ֱ�� students to engage with bluegrass, roots, and Americana music. “ Given the history of the school, I think it’s a really powerful way to preserve American history through music,” she says. </p> <p>Keeping these regional styles of music alive is important to her, thanks to her childhood in Kentucky and her family connections throughout Appalachia. “There’s so many different cultures in that area, and this long history, but at the same time, there’s been this kind of one-note narrative” about the region, she says. “I feel it’s my responsibility to share the culture through my eyes — as a person of color, a person with indigenous roots and African American roots.”</p> <p>Redbone has been spending a lot of time thinking about colleges recently. Her son will be starting the application process soon, and she’s encouraging him to put his passions first. “ The reality is, for undergrad, I think you really gotta do what you love,” she says. </p> <p>Today, Redbone embraces her own passions by taking her music on tour, often performing in wildly different corners of the country. But certain things have remained consistent everywhere. “The people who invite us to share our music truly love what they do,” she says. “No matter where we are, we have been welcomed with so much love and kindness from arts presenters, faculty, and audiences.”</p> <p>On stage, the Roots Project musicians make the effort to foster camaraderie between themselves and their listeners. “ We want people to sing along — we try to make it like church in an old country town,” Redbone says. “We don’t expect people to sit there in total silence. It’s just not what the music that we sing is for.”</p> <p>Their audiences often share a sense of curiosity and openness, “especially in a place like 91ֱ��, where everyone in the surrounding area knows that this is a music haven. That’s really special, and that’s very different from some of the other places that we’ve played in.”</p> <p>Ultimately, there’s one simple way to describe the listeners who will come out to Finney Chapel in April: “These are people who truly love live music.”</p> <p><strong>Concert details</strong></p> <p><a href="/events/artist-recital-series-martha-redbone-roots-project">Martha Redbone Roots Project</a></p> <p>7:30 p.m.<br> Sunday, April 6, 2025<br> 91ֱ�� College Finney Chapel<br> 90 N. Professor St.<br> 91ֱ��, OH 44074</p> <p>Tickets:<br> $35 Public | $30 OC Staff/Faculty/Alumni, Seniors, Military | $10 Students</p> <p>Concert tickets are available <a href="/tickets/event-details?EventId=14401">online</a> and by phone at 800-371-0178. Patrons may also purchase them in person between noon and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 91ֱ�� College's <a href="/tickets">Central Ticket Service</a>, located at 67 N. Main Street, in the lobby of the Eric Baker Nord Performing Arts Complex.</p> <p>Free Artist Recital Series tickets for enrolled 91ֱ�� students are available through the <a href="/artsguide/ticket-information/claim-your-seat'">Claim Your Seat</a> program, made possible through the generosity of Richard ’62 and Linda ’62 Clark. </p> <p>Learn more about the <a href="/artsguide">Arts at 91ֱ��</a>.</p> <p>This program is proudly supported by <a href="https://www.ideastream.org/">Ideastream Public Media</a>, official media partner of the Artist Recital Series.</p> <p>—</p> <p><em>Stephanie Manning ’23 completed her bassoon performance degree while finding her way into journalism as a classical music critic. She recently returned to Cleveland after finishing a graduate diploma in journalism at Concordia University in Montreal. Her writing has appeared in The Montreal Gazette, Early Music America, and ClevelandClassical.com.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-03-18T12:00:00Z">Tue, 03/18/2025 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Stephanie Manning '23</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2364">Artist Recital Series</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Cedric Pilard</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Poetry in Resonance With Music: Midori</h1> <p>srasmuss — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 19:21:57 +0000</p> <span>Poetry in Resonance With Music: Midori</span> <span><span>srasmuss</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-02-28T14:21:57-05:00" title="Friday, February 28, 2025 - 14:21">Fri, 02/28/2025 - 14:21</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>“I have shut my balcony / because I do not want to hear the weeping,” begins the Spanish poet Federico García Lorca in “Casida of the Lament.” And yet, “the weeping is an immense violin,” the poem later continues. “The tears muzzle the wind, / nothing else is heard but the weeping.”</p><p>This work, written shortly before Lorca’s execution in 1936 by fascist forces during the Spanish Civil War, is the emotional cornerstone of Midori’s upcoming recital program. The world-renowned violinist is touring the country in early March to perform works themed around suffering and loss, together with pianist Özgür Aydin.</p><p>The music of Johannes Brahms, Maurice Ravel, Francis Poulenc, and Robert Schumann will fill Finney Chapel on March 5 at 7:30 p.m., when Midori kicks off her latest recital tour as part of the 91ֱ�� Artist Recital Series.</p><p>“ This is a partnership that has lasted for quite a long time now,” the violinist says of her collaborations with pianist Aydin, who she has performed with for decades. “I’ve enjoyed being able to work with him on various repertoire—I am often very inspired in the process.”</p><p>Like Midori, the composer Frances Poulenc was also inspired by the poetry of Federico García Lorca, writing his Sonata for Violin and Piano in Lorca’s memory. This acknowledgement of the poet was an act of political resistance for Poulenc, who wrote the score in Nazi-occupied France between 1942 and 1943. The second movement, “Intermezzo,” is based on the first line of Lorca’s poem “The Six Strings,” which reads: “The guitar makes dreams weep.”</p><p>While Poulenc’s Sonata is the program’s most modern composition, the oldest is Robert Schumann’s Fünf Stücke im Volkston (“Five Pieces in Folk Style”). Composed in 1849, this collection of short works draws on folk music traditions from the German composer’s home country. Although Schumann originally wrote it for cello and piano, he also made a version that swaps the cello for violin—preceding his first violin sonata, which he wrote two years later.</p><p>Schumann was a key mentor figure to Johannes Brahms, and as a music critic, he publicly praised the younger German’s work. Schumann’s vast output of chamber music inspired Brahms to create some of his own, including three violin sonatas. Midori will be playing the first—the Violin Sonata No. 1 in G—which the composer wrote between 1878 and 1879. When Brahms published the score to this three-movement work, he described it as a “Sonata for Piano and Violin,” a nod to the equal musical partnership between both instruments.</p><p>Rounding out the program are two works by Maurice Ravel, whose upcoming 150th birthday will be celebrated on March 7. Like his countryman Poulenc, who was 24 years his junior, Ravel was a freewheeling musical personality with a penchant for breaking the rules. He also wrote plenty of music influenced by folk melodies, like the chant-like “Kaddish” from Deux mélodies hébraïques (“Two Hebrew Songs”)—a surprisingly spiritual outing from a man who often distanced himself from religion. His famous violin showpiece Tzigane, on the other hand, draws from the style of a Hungarian rhapsody.</p><p>Midori says she looks forward to performing the expansive program in 91ֱ�� and beyond, as well as continuing her collaboration with Özgür Aydin. “ It's always interesting when we’re able to really discuss musical ideas, and spend the time to really work together in shaping an interpretation for a performance,” she says.</p><p>But her two part-residency in 91ֱ�� is not just about performing—it also highlights the violinist’s commitment to education. The founder of multiple non-profits around the world, including Midori & Friends in New York City and MUSIC SHARING in Japan, the violinist is a dedicated humanitarian and pedagogue.</p><p>Leading up to her Artist Recital Series appearance, she visited campus from February 19 to 21 to give masterclasses in violin performance and chamber music, as well as a career talk at the Cat in the Cream Coffeehouse. Her goal was to reach all of the young violinists in the Conservatory—close to 50 in total.</p><p>“ I really enjoyed having the opportunity to work with the 91ֱ�� students,” she says. “The students are all so committed to their repertoire and their technique. I feel like I received very good, positive energy in terms of feedback.” </p><p>Concert details<br><a href="/events/artist-recital-series-midori">Midori,</a> violin, with Özgür Aydin, piano</p><p>7:30 p.m.<br>Wednesday, March 5, 2025<br>91ֱ�� College Finney Chapel<br>90 N. Professor St.<br>91ֱ��, OH 44074</p><p>Tickets:<br>$35 Public | $30 OC Staff/Faculty/Alumni, Seniors, Military | $10 Students</p><p>Concert tickets are available <a href="/tickets/event-details?EventId=14601">online</a> and by phone at 800-371-0178. Patrons may also purchase them in person between noon and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 91ֱ�� College's <a href="/tickets">Central Ticket Service</a>, located at 67 N. Main Street, in the lobby of the Eric Baker Nord Performing Arts Complex.</p><p>Free Artist Recital Series tickets for enrolled 91ֱ�� students are available through the <a href="/artsguide/ticket-information/claim-your-seat">Claim Your Seat</a> program, made possible through the generosity of Richard ’62 and Linda ’62 Clark. </p><p>Learn more about the <a href="/artsguide">Arts at 91ֱ��</a>.</p><p>This program is proudly supported by <a href="https://www.ideastream.org/">Ideastream Public Media</a>, official media partner of the Artist Recital Series.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-02-28T12:00:00Z">Fri, 02/28/2025 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Stephanie Manning '23</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2364">Artist Recital Series</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=35116">Violin</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/strings" hreflang="und">Strings</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Old Friends, New Collaboration</h1> <p>srasmuss — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 18:10:22 +0000</p> <span>Old Friends, New Collaboration</span> <span><span>srasmuss</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-01-27T13:10:22-05:00" title="Monday, January 27, 2025 - 13:10">Mon, 01/27/2025 - 13:10</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Throughout his decades of playing chamber music, <a href="https://emanuelax.com/">Emanuel Ax</a> has kept his friends close. “ It’s wonderful to have people on stage that you like,” the pianist says. “I’m pretty gregarious as a person, so I like being with someone, especially old friends.”</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-left"> <figcaption>Emanuel Ax</figcaption> </figure> <p>Now in his 70s, the esteemed musician has performed with many of the same collaborators for decades, including cellist Yo-Yo Ma and violinists Issac Stern and Leonidas Kavakos. But his next recital tour brings him together with someone new: clarinetist <a href="https://www.anthonymcgill.com/">Anthony McGill</a>.</p> <p>The duo’s upcoming performances feature a program of wide-ranging music, and their travels include a stop at Finney Chapel. That <a href="/events/artist-recital-series-emanuel-ax-piano-and-anthony-mcgill-clarinet">concert, on February 4 at 7:30 pm</a>, will be presented as part of <a href="/artsguide/artist-recital-series">91ֱ��’s Artist Recital Series</a>.</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Anthony McGill</figcaption> </figure> <p>Although McGill — the current principal clarinetist of the New York Philharmonic — is a recent collaborator, Ax says he certainly qualifies as an old friend. The two first met during McGill’s pre-college days at Chicago’s Merit School of Music, when Yo-Yo Ma invited Ax to play some trios with him and the young clarinetist.</p> <p>Ax hasn’t shared a stage with McGill since then, but he’s certainly followed his career. “Of course I’ve heard him innumerable times, both at the Met Opera and at the New York Philharmonic,” he says. “He’s a fabulous, fabulous artist.”</p> <p>Both musicians agreed that the centerpiece of the upcoming program at 91ֱ�� would be Franz Schubert’s Sonata in a minor, D. 821, one of many transcriptions featured on the recital. Schubert composed this work for the arpeggione, an early 19th-century bowed instrument that quickly fell out of fashion.</p> <p>Other pieces were written specifically with clarinet in mind, like Leonard Bernstein’s Sonata for Clarinet and Piano — the first published work by the celebrated conductor and composer, and one that the duo were both drawn to.</p> <p>“I’m a huge Bernstein fan,” Ax says. “The piece is very, very accomplished and well put together. And a little scary, because it’s rhythmically difficult in the last movement. At my age, anything rhythmically hard is hard.”</p> <p>James Lee III’s Ad anah? and Jessie Montgomery’s Peace were both suggestions that were new to Ax. “They’re both very atmospheric and lovely,” he says. Between those two contemporary works is a solo piano piece that needs little introduction — Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Sonata in c-sharp minor, Op. 27, No. 2, also known as the “Moonlight Sonata.”</p> <p>Why the Beethoven? “It’s a wonderful piece, and it’s not too long,” he says. “It’s sixteen minutes, so that’s probably the shortest sonata one could play.” In other words: “Why not?”</p> <p>Robert Schumann’s Fantasiestücke, Op. 73 is “ just so beautiful and such a wonderful opening,” Ax says. Although the three short pieces were originally written for clarinet and piano, transcriptions for cello and other instruments are also common. “I don’t get to do them very often with clarinet, so that’s nice.”</p> <p>In fact, the pianist doesn’t usually play with clarinet at all. In the late ’90s and early 2000s, he recorded and toured with Richard Stoltzman, and “that’s the only other time I’ve done it,” he says. But coming back to this musical combination has been easy — “ if it’s an artist like Anthony, it’s no problem whatsoever.”</p> <p>Communication between the two in rehearsal has come very naturally. “There’s not a lot of discussion, because I think we feel very similarly about the way the music goes,” Ax says. “Whatever someone wants to change, it sort of happens without us discussing it too much.”</p> <p>Having enough rehearsal time in general is important to a successful performance, the pianist adds. “I think the more you actually work on things, the more you can be in the moment, because the more possibilities you’ve explored. I believe in rehearsing a lot just for that reason — not for establishing any one way of doing things, but for having the possibility to do many different things.”</p> <p>The week before Ax and McGill set off on the tour, the duo will be rehearsing every day. Ax says he’s looking forward to exploring the music and the many interpretations within. “I think we’ll find that there’ll be lots of different possibilities, and we won’t have to stick to any one of them.”</p> <p>Concert details<br> <a href="/events/artist-recital-series-emanuel-ax-piano-and-anthony-mcgill-clarinet">Anthony McGill, clarinet, and Emanuel Ax, piano</a></p> <p>7:30 p.m.<br> Saturday, December 7, 2024<br> 91ֱ�� College Finney Chapel<br> 90 N. Professor St.<br> 91ֱ��, OH 44074</p> <p>Tickets:<br> $35 Public | $30 OC Staff/Faculty/Alumni, Seniors, Military | $10 Students</p> <p>Concert tickets are available <a href="/tickets/event-details?EventId=14401">online</a> and by phone at 800-371-0178. Patrons may also purchase them in person between noon and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 91ֱ�� College's <a href="/tickets">Central Ticket Service</a>, located at 67 N. Main Street, in the lobby of the Eric Baker Nord Performing Arts Complex.</p> <p>Free Artist Recital Series tickets for enrolled 91ֱ�� students are available through the <a href="/artsguide/ticket-information/claim-your-seat">Claim Your Seat</a> program, made possible through the generosity of Richard ’62 and Linda ’62 Clark. </p> <p>Learn more about the <a href="/artsguide">Arts at 91ֱ��</a>.</p> <p>This program is proudly supported by <a href="https://www.ideastream.org/">Ideastream Public Media</a>, official media partner of the Artist Recital Series.</p> <p><br> —<br> <em>Stephanie Manning ’23 completed her bassoon performance degree while finding her way into journalism as a classical music critic. She recently returned to Cleveland after finishing a graduate diploma in journalism at Concordia University in Montreal. Her writing has appeared in The Montreal Gazette, Early Music America, and ClevelandClassical.com.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Two renowned musicians and friends — pianist Emanuel Ax and clarinetist Anthony McGill — team up for their first recital tour, which visits Finney Chapel on February 4.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-01-27T12:00:00Z">Mon, 01/27/2025 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Stephanie Manning '23</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2364">Artist Recital Series</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4069">Guests Artists and Speakers</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> </main></body></html>