CCM Welcomes the Holidays with Choral Concerts in December

December 2, 2014 janellegelfandLeave a comment

What holiday shows are your traditions? I will tell you some of my favorites this Sunday in the Enquirer

CCM’s annual Feast of Carols. Photography by Dottie Stover.

Hundreds of voices will fill the stage of Corbett Auditorium this December as CCM celebrates the season with a pair of holiday-themed concert programs!

The annual Feast of Carols returns with 2 and 5 p.m. performances on both Saturday, Dec. 6 and Sunday, Dec. 7.

The following Saturday, Dec. 13, CCM’s ensemble-in-residence the Cincinnati Children’s Choir presents its Holiday Concert with performances at 2 and 5 p.m.

Only a limited number of seats remain for each of these concerts.

The annual Feast of Carols – a tradition that dates back decades – will embrace an eclectic mix of holiday songs ranging from the classic and traditional to the contemporary. CCM’s Chamber Choir, Chorale and Concert Orchestra, UC Men’s and Women’s Choruses, Cincinnati Children’s Choir and outstanding area guest choirs, including Connor Middle School, Lakota East and…

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Conversations with André Previn

November 24, 2014November 24, 2014 janellegelfandLeave a comment

André Previn — the composer, conductor, pianist, recording artist and much more — was in town for the premiere of his new Double Concerto, written for violinist Jaime Laredo and cellist Sharon Robinson. On Friday noon, as I was finishing up my opera review from Thursday’s performance of “Hansel and Gretel” at home and preparing to dash downtown to file it — I noticed a text from Music Hall on my phone. Mr. Previn has a few minutes for an interview. Did I want it?

Andre Previn spoke to a CCM audience on Saturday

Well, yes. With no time to prepare, I flew down I-75 to Music Hall, where Previn was waiting patiently in the Green Room. He said some lovely things about Cincinnati, the CSO and Music Hall (“Big!”) for my iPhone camera, which you can see here. (“Oh, is that the way you take videos these days? That’s amazing,” he said. )

Here are some of his other thoughts during our conversation:Read More »

André Previn and more: A celebratory afternoon at Linton Music

November 6, 2014November 20, 2014 janellegelfandLeave a comment

Cincinnati has an impressive tradition of chamber music. For 36 years, the Linton Music Series has added to the landscape with rewarding “music making among friends.” On Sunday, a packed house was on hand in the beautiful First Unitarian Church in Avondale to hear the local premiere of André Previn’s Piano Trio No. 2, as well as Dvorak’s Piano Trio in G Minor. Schumann’s gorgeous Piano Quintet in E-flat Major concluded the program.Read More »

Music Hall in the news — then and now

October 22, 2014 janellegelfandLeave a comment

Cincinnatians have discussed a major renovation of Music Hall for more than a decade. The 3,417-seat Victorian Gothic hall dating from 1878 hasn’t had an update in more than four decades. Then, about four years ago, things started heating up. But confusion reigned. That’s when I asked, “Who’s in Charge?”

Here’s a link to our team coverage going back about three years. By the way, the last time we saw any images of the plan was here.

I worked with photographer Glenn Hartong behind the scenes to document why a Music Hall rehab was needed (which appeared in Forum for print).

Recent news includes “What will it cost to Fix our Icons?” This was a joint package by our team. We went to nearly a week of meetings by the Cultural Facilities Task Force. Our aim was to inform readers of the plan for Music Hall and Union Terminal revitalization projects. As they say, it’s complicated. The story has an interactive graphic showing attendance for both buildings and ProConIts at the end.

Of course, County commissioners decided that Music Hall is now out of the proposed Icon Tax picture. See more coverage here.