Early Music Thriving at CCM Music in Cincinnati L to R: Vivian Montgomery, harpsichord; Jennifer Roig-Francoli, baroque violin; Annalisa Pappano, viola da gamba; vocalist James Onstad (photo by Dottie Stover) Early music has not been a focus at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music until recently.  But what an efflorescence it is enjoying now.  A case in point was the concert Nov. 28 of selections from Claudio Monteverdi's "Selva Morale e Spirituale" and "Madrigali dei Guerrieri et Amorosi," featuring the CCM Chamber Choir led by Earl Rivers, with student soloists and a continuo ensemble of early music artists from Cincinnati and beyond.  Guest  artist on the theorbo was Michael Leopold of Milan, Italy.   5 months ago | Comment | Tag | Read Full Story

Colossus of the Baltic Music in Cincinnati Neeme Järvi (photo by Taavi Kull) Estonian conductor Neeme Järvi spent his 75th birthday doing, what else?  Working.  The conductor whose web site reads "I love all the time, every day, from morning till evening, I love music," spent June 7, 2012 in Gothenburg, Sweden recording symphonies by Kurt Atterberg. Just that much more to add to his remarkable musical legacy. 5 months ago | Comment | Tag | Read Full Story

Mack's "Secret of Luca" On Its Way Music in Cincinnati St. Anthony Church, Madisonville, Ohio American composer Evan Mack's new opera "The Secret of Luca" enjoyed a fine introduction in a concert performance at tiny St. Anthony Church in Madisonville, Ohio November 18.  Chances are good it will follow Mack's first opera "Angel of the Amazon" into successful production.  Based on the novel by Ignazio Silone, it it a powerful testament to the power of love. It was a luxury performance, too, with a cast largely made up of graduates of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. 5 months ago | Comment | Tag | Read Full Story

Michael Gielen: Musical Visionary for Cinc... Music in Cincinnati Michael Gielen Michael Gielen, music director of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra from 1980-1986, wrote an introduction to his last subscription concert with the CSO March 14 and 15, 1986 at Music Hall.  That program paired, perhaps for the first time anywhere, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and Schoenberg's 1947 "A Survivor from Warsaw." During his six-year tenure with the CSO, Gielen programmed many such juxtapositions of old and new music, a visionary practice now commonplace everywhere.   6 months ago | Comment | Tag | Read Full Story

Langrée and CSO Climax "One City, One Symp... Music in Cincinnati Louis Langrée conducting the CSO in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony Nov. 15 at Music Hall Music director-designate Louis Langrée and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra brought their "One City, One Symphony" project focusing on Beethoven's Ninth Symphony to a thrilling climax November 15 at Music Hall. The cheers are still echoing in the hall and bode well for a splendid relationship when he takes over as music director in September, 2013. 6 months ago | Comment | Tag | Read Full Story

Langrée and CSO Climax "One City, One Symp... Music in Cincinnati Louis Langrée conducting the CSO in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony Nov. 15 at Music Hall Music director-designate Louis Langrée and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra brought their "One City, One Symphony" project focusing on Beethoven's Ninth Symphony to a thrilling climax November 15 at Music Hall. The cheers are still echoing in the hall and bode well for a splendid relationship when he takes over as music director in September, 2013. 6 months ago | Comment | Tag | Read Full Story

Langrée Leads Splendid "First" Inaugural w... Music in Cincinnati Louis Langrée conducting the CSO November 10, 2012 at Music Hall in Cincinnati French-born Louis Langrée, music director-designate of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, led his first concert with the CSO since his appointment as music director with an all-French program November 9 at Music Hall. That is was all-French -- Messiaen, Franck and Saint-Saëns -- was nevertheless a coincidence, he said. (first published at www.ConcertoNet.com November 13, 2012) 6 months ago | Comment | Tag | Read Full Story

Glennie Astonishes CSO Audience in Higdon ... Music in Cincinnati Jennifer Higdon (center) with Evelyn Glennie and Peter Oundjian (photo by Tasha Pinelo) Percussionist Evelyn Glennie rocked millions with her drumming at the opening ceremony of the London Olympics July 27.  She rocked a Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra audience Nov. 2 with Jennifer Higdon's Percussion Concerto. It was the highlight of a color-filled program that also included works by Ravel, Rimsky-Korsakov and Tchaikovsky. Guest conductor Peter Oundjian added his energy to the mix for a program that not only delighted the audience, but made prime use of Cincinnati's capacious (3,516-seat) Music Hall. (first published in the Cincinnati Enquirer digital edition Nov. 3, 2012) 6 months ago | Comment | Tag | Read Full Story

Cincinnati Welcomes Louis Langrée Music in Cincinnati French conductor Louis Langrée makes his debut as music director-designate of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in two concerts at Music Hall in November, 2012.  One of them, Nov. 15-18, to include Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and Schoenberg's "A Survivor from Warsaw," has sparked a city-wide initiative called "One City, One Symphony."  There have been broadcasts of different recordings of the Ninth Symphony on radio station WGUC-FM and community "listening parties" to discuss the iconic work since October.  In conjunction with WCET-TV, the CSO has produced a video of Cincinnatians chiming in on the Symphony's "Ode to Joy," available for viewing on the CSO web site and YouTube.  The initiative will culminate in a live transmission of the Nov. 17 concert to locations in the Cincinnati area. (first published in Express Cincinnati, November 2012) 6 months ago | Comment | Tag | Read Full Story

November (2012) is . . . Music in Cincinnati November 2012 in Cincinnati marks the debut of Louis Langrée as the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra's music director-designate. Langrée, who succeeds Paavo Järvi as CSO music director in September, 2013, leads concerts Nov. 9, 10, 15, 17 and 18 at Music Hall. November also brings a visit to the CSO by percussionist Evelyn Glennie, the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra in "Bond and Beyond" and pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet in an all-Debussy recital to close the 2012 Constella Festival of Music and Fine Arts. 6 months ago | Comment | Tag | Read Full Story