Tag: WGUC

Unusual choral concert tonight on Purple People Bridge

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A previous gig by the YPCC at Rhinegeist Brewery

The Young Professionals Choral Collective (YPCC) kicks off its 9th season with an unconventional, in-person performance on the Purple People Bridge at 6 p.m. today (Friday) October 16th. Their concert takes place in perhaps the most unusual venue ever used by a local arts organization — although they have come up with a number of other creative places to sing.

Produced in partnership with The Carnegie’s Creative Disruption Committee, Building Bridges – Keep the Arts Alive’ will be one of the first in-person, public choral performances in Cincinnati since March and demonstrates the importance of continuing to support the arts through the pandemic.

Repertoire features two original works by Jacob Stone, commissioned by YPCC through the Young Professional Composers Project. The performance also features an arrangement of Simon and Garfunkel’s Bridge Over Troubled Water, signifying what the arts are to so many people during COVID-19 times.

(You  may recall this mention when I interviewed YPCC’s new director Danielle Cozart Steele for this story about how choruses can safely rehearse.)

Performers will be fully masked and socially distanced for the duration of the performance, lasting approximately 25 minutes. YPCC singers will be joined by select members of the Cincinnati Boychoir for a portion of the program.

What to expect: This event is free and open to the public. Masked-singers will be situated along the thinner, “walking” portion of the bridge, and socially distanced spots will be marked on the wider portion for audience members to occupy.Read More »

Cincinnati arts in top 20 of U.S. communities

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CCO musicians performing at Pyramid Hill sculpture park, Hamilton
May Festival Chorus

A new report from the National Center for Arts Research names Cincinnati in the top 20 of large communities for arts vibrancy. The report takes “a data-driven approach to assessing characteristics that make up a community’s vibrancy rather than base the ranking on our own opinion about locations or on a popular vote.” Four measures were analyzed: supply, demand, and public support for arts and culture on a per capita basis.

It’s interesting that such a report would come out during a pandemic, when most arts organizations closed their doors in March, and have been struggling to survive ever since. The reason, the report says, it offers the report “as a celebration and reminder of the arts’ enduring importance, resiliency, and vibrancy.

“We should not forget the essential role that the arts play in fueling community development, emotional health, cultural literacy, social cohesion and integration, and creative expression. Ultimately, the communal nature of arts participation will be a strength to communities hungry to come together again and affirm existential meaning after prolonged isolation, trauma, and polarization.”

Indeed.Read More »

Chamber Orchestra announces lineup for Summermusik e-festival

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CCO musicians performing at Pyramid Hill

In lieu of its usual month-long Summermusik festival, Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra has 13 virtual events on tap to enjoy at home, Aug. 8 through Aug. 29.

The Silver-Garburg Piano Duo

Three will be three “live” events — online performances in real time, with stars including the Silver-Garburg Piano Duo, who wowed us in person at the festival in 2019 (Aug. 9); the superb young cellist Coleman Itzkoff, a Cincinnati native and CCO principal violist Heidi Yenney’s son (Aug. 16); and pianist Alon Goldstein, one of the stars of the 2017 festival (Aug. 23).

Those “eConcerts” will be hosted by music director Eckart Preu, and you’ll have a chance to ask questions.

Other events include “virtual watch parties” with local collaborators, a special WGUC Music Cincinnati Broadcast (Aug. 16), and “CCO2GO Rewind” events that were taped around the region earlier this summer.

Best of all, it’s all FREE. Access begins on Aug. 8th on the CCO’s website, ccocincinnati.org. Here’s the full lineup.Read More »

In memoriam Atarah Jablonsky

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Atarah Jablonsky was a legendary music educator
Atarah Jablonsky is remembered as a dedicated piano teacher who was beloved by several generations of students, and an accomplished musician.

“She was not only a music educator but a life educator. She was wonderfully open minded, an optimist, and accepting of others,” said Roxanne Engle, who taught with her at the Peaslee Neighborhood Center and Evendale Cultural Arts Center.  “Atarah was inspirational in developing her own unique way to bring musicality and expression into playing the piano.  Teaching and performing were in her thoughts up to the end. She was looking at the score of the Beethoven Pastorale Sonata in her last few weeks and asked me, ‘When will we teach piano again?'”

Mrs. Jablonsky, a longtime resident of Wyoming, OH, died on July 14 at Wellspring Health Care Center. She was 92.

A noteworthy teacher, she was adjunct assistant professor of music at the College of Mount St. Joseph from 1970 to 2001.  She taught piano from 1958-70 at the University Cincinnati, where she was also an adjudicator from 1970 to 2001. She also was a lecturer at Edgecliff College (1972-74).Read More »

Cincinnati Opera, CET to air documentary on opera’s first 100 years

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In recent years, Cincinnati Opera has kicked off its season with a free concert in Washington Park, OTR

Cincinnati Opera and CET have announced plans for “Cincinnati Opera at 100,” an hour-long televised program commemorating Cincinnati Opera’s centennial. Featuring
insights from local and national opera experts and performances by artists from across the country, “Cincinnati Opera at 100” will premiere on CET 48.1 on Friday, July 3 at 9 p.m. EST.

Additional airings will follow on CET Arts 48.3 through Tuesday, July 7.

The nation’s second-oldest opera company, Cincinnati Opera presented its first performance on June 27, 1920, at Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, and its annual Summer Festival has become a Cincinnati arts-going tradition.

Lisa Daltirus in “Aida” at Cincinnati Opera in Music Hall.

Though the company’s 100th Anniversary Season was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, “Cincinnati Opera at 100” transports the opera-going experience into viewers’ homes, including performances by much-loved singers from recent Cincinnati Opera productions and historical highlights from opera experts.Read More »

CSO announces 5 new diversity fellows

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Amy Nickler

The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) have selected five accomplished musicians for their next class of CSO/CCM Diversity Fellows.

The performance fellowship program was launched in 2015 out of a desire to help American orchestras be more inclusive and to better represent the communities they serve. The mission is to eliminate obstacles that can prevent musicians of color from achieving their full potential. It is funded with a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Through the collaborative program, CCM and the CSO provide graduate level academic study
and professional development and performance opportunities for the Diversity Fellows.

“The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra exists to serve our community. Our entire community,”
said CSO President Jonathan Martin. “But how can we authentically serve our entire community
if a significant part of that community doesn’t see themselves reflected in our organization? The
CSO/CCM Diversity Fellowship is one of many steps we are taking to address this disparity. By
providing professional opportunities to a more diverse group of outstanding musicians, we hope
to cultivate—and begin changing —the next generation of American orchestral musicians.”

The new Fellows are:Read More »

Louis Langrée to host online event tonight

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CSO music director Louis Langrée will host “Louis on 125 – The Luminaries” in a special one-hour livestream event, 7 p.m. today (April 31), available on Facebook and YouTube.

Join Langrée via live-stream as he explores the orchestra’s origin and extraordinary musical legacy in honor of the CSO’s 125th anniversary. This final installment in the three-part “Louis on 125” series explores some of the many musical greats that have collaborated with the CSO in the first 125 years and provides a look at the CSO’s history.
The event was moved online due to the pandemic.
In the photo: Composer George Gershwin (first on the left) with taxi horns outside of Cincinnati’s Emery Theater following the CSO performance of An American in Paris.

Beam of Hope lights up Cincinnati

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Beam of Hope

Go downtown, and you might see this new Beam of Hope lighting up the sky over Cincinnati.

The installation at the Banks serves as a beacon of solidarity as the Cincinnati region manages through the COVID-19 pandemic, say its designers, Brave Berlin and Vincent Lighting Solutions. They are the same team that successfully executed BLINK, Cincinnati’s record breaking light and art event, in October.

The Beam of Hope started shining on April 10th and will continue to be lit from dusk until the COVID-19 pandemic is under control. Beam of Hope is designed as a visual symbol of solidarity and not an attraction that people should be compelled to visit.

“We have learned that light and art bring us together in moments of joy and sorrow,” said Steve McGowan, Partner at Brave Berlin. “Let this small gesture remind us all that we are in this together and that we will come out of it a brighter more unified people.”

It is sponsored by the Carol Ann and Ralph V Haile, Jr. Foundation, and made possible by the producers of Blink.

“We respect work ethic and the brave sacrifices that are being made for us to feel safe, secure and healthy,” said Tim Maloney, President & CEO, the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation. “We’re proud to put Cincinnati’s creative spirit on display to show our respect and gratitude for everyone giving of themselves to tackle this global crisis.”

Details:

Number of light fixtures: 6 Clay Paky Mythos high Density light units

Lumens: 23,000 Lumens per fixture for a total of 138,000 Lumens

 

Covid-19 update: Pianist to stream Global Concert of Hope today

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Pianist Jeffrey Beigel

As the song says, “we need a little Christmas.” You may see lights up in your neighborhood. Now New York-based pianist Jeffrey Biegel is offering a little cheer himself.

At 5 p.m. today (March 21), Biegel will be streaming Christmas in March: A Concert for Hope on Facebook Live and YouTube. He says:

“Please join me in a global effort to share music for love, peace and goodwill toward humanity. Music shares a common bond that will always unite during times like these. It will be on Facebook Live and, for the global public at the YouTube link listed below.”

His playlist will include music and arrangements by: Matt Edwards, Ann Hampton Callaway, Carolyne McGougan Taylor, David Foster, popular titles like “My Grown Up Christmas List”, “Christmas Lullaby”, “The Christmas Song”, “Auld Lang Syne”, and classical composers Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Debussy, Percy Grainger, Grieg, Handel, Haydn, Liszt, Reger, Saint-Saëns and Tchaikovsky.

Many are brilliant fusions of ‘Classical Carols’ by Carolyne McGougan Taylor combining best-loved carols with classical composer’s music.

Says Biegel: “Join me; prayers to everyone, wash your hands more than ever, and please be safe.”

As all theaters, museums close, Zoo closes and Aquarium is next in precautionary measures against COVID-19

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With museums, theaters and even the Zoo closed, and the Aquarium closing Monday, I’ll be posting some virtual entertainment options. Cincinnati Museum Center, above, is also closed.

Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden announced yesterday that it will be completely closed for the foreseeable future due to Covid-19, starting today, for the safety of the public, staff, volunteers and also the animals. Click here for more info.

“We know you have concerns about our staff and animals and want to reassure you that our animal team will continue to provide excellent care for our animals,” Zoo Director Thane Maynard said in a news release. “We have a surplus of food and essential medical supplies, so we can take care of them while we’re closed.”

​In an effort to keep its loyal members and community connected to their favorite animals while the Zoo is closed, Home Safari Facebook Live sessions will be offered weekdays starting on Monday, March 16 at 3 p.m.  Each session will highlight an animal and provide an activity that you can do at home.  The first safari will feature everyone’s favorite hippo, Fiona.

At the same time, the Newport Aquarium, another big draw for families, announced that it is OPEN TODAY but will close tomorrow, March 16, through March 27. The Aquarium’s website has information on refunds if you have already purchased tickets. Click here for more information.

Of course, all of Cincinnati’s theaters and museums are closed, too. (Scroll down this blog to see the major announcements.)

So — I’ve been listening to a lot of Cincinnati Public Radio — WGUC-FM 90.9 classical radio and WVXU 91.7 and WMUB 88.5. You can live-stream it at cinradio.org.

Watch for my upcoming posts about VIRTUAL OPTIONS of concerts and operas that are being aired to the international community to watch during the pandemic.