by Kevin McLaughlin On April 29, the world will celebrate Duke Ellington’s musical mastery on the 125th anniversary of his birth. A sophisticated giant of American music, Ellington wrote and performed as leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 until his death in 1974. It was a double privilege, then, to experience the Jazz […] The post Tuesday Musical hosts Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis (Apr. 20) appeared first on Cleveland Classical ..read more

by Daniel Hathaway HAPPENING TODAY: Beginning tonight at 7:30 pm at Federated Church in Chagrin Falls, Apollo’s Fire — under the direction of Jeannette Sorrell —  reaches back a mere 300 years to celebrate Easter with the closest Johann Sebastian Bach came to penning opera: the Easter Oratorio and an Easter Cantata with soloists Andréa Walker, […] The post DIARY: Thursday, April 25, 2024 appeared first on Cleveland Classical ..read more

by Mike Telin “I am looking forward to being back in Cleveland,” conductor David Afkham said over Zoom from his home in Germany. “This will be my third time with the Orchestra — the first two were at Blossom Music Center, so I’m excited to lead one of the world’s greatest orchestras in that wonderful […] The post Conductor David Afkham to make Severance Music Center debut appeared first on Cleveland Classical ..read more

by Max Newman “I am fairly certain that in the 131 years of the Singers’ Club, this will be our first event with an interactive audience element.” What Don Verkuijlen is referring to is the “Game On!” program that the Singers’ Club of Cleveland will present on Friday, April 26 at 7:00 pm at First […] The post “Game On!” — a night of game-show fun with the Singers’ Club  appeared first on Cleveland Classical ..read more

by Daniel Hathaway On April 23, Piano Cleveland, host of the Cleveland International Piano Competition, released the names of the sixteen quarterfinalists who will compete in the 2024 contest this summer. Marking its 50th year, the competition got underway in February, when 55 contestants selected for its first round played in Cleveland and Paris. The […] The post 2024 Cleveland International Piano Competition announces sixteen quarterfinalists appeared first on Cleveland Classical ..read more

by Jarrett Hoffman IN THIS EDITION: •Today: Hathaway-Brown choirs visit Trinity Cathedral, and Cleveland Orchestra musicians join with the Fatima Family Center Adult Gospel Choir and soprano Laquita Mitchell in a concert curated by Allison Loggins-Hull (left) •Announcements: an event on marketing from Assembly for the Arts, and honors for students and recent grads at […] The post DIARY: Wednesday, April 24, 2024 appeared first on Cleveland Classical ..read more

by Daniel Hathaway | Cleveland Classical Originally published on Cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio — On Thursday evening, while the mysterious life forces of nature were busy choreographing an early outburst of vernal colors outside Severance Music Center, guest conductor Klaus Mäkelä and The Cleveland Orchestra were deeply engaged in recreating an ancient spring ritual from pagan […] The post Cleveland Orchestra delivers intense, animated performance of Stravinsky’s 1913 classic The Rite of Spring (Apr. 18) appeared first on Cleveland Classical ..read more

by Daniel Hathaway HAPPENING TODAY: At noon at the Church of the Covenant, organist Don Verkuijlen will play music by American composer Myron Roberts (1912-2004), who joined the faculty of the University of Nebraska at Lincoln in 1940, where he taught organ and music theory for 34 years and also served as organist of First-Plymouth […] The post DIARY: Tuesday, April 23, 2024 appeared first on Cleveland Classical ..read more

by Jarrett Hoffman IN THIS EDITION: •Earth Day events, new faces at Cleveland Ballet and Cleveland Arts Prize, and musicians needed for Video Game Symphony •In memoriam: Andrew Davis and Sarah Grube •Almanac: Ethel Smyth HAPPENING TODAY: No concerts on the calendar today, but The Land recommends several activities and events in honor of Earth […] The post DIARY: Monday, April 22, 2024 appeared first on Cleveland Classical ..read more

by Daniel Hathaway HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND: Orchestra Concerts include the final Cleveland Orchestra performances led by Klaus Mäkelä and featuring pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet (Saturday at 8), the Contemporary Youth Orchestra (Saturday at 7 pm, Tri-C Metro Auditorium), the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis (pictured, Saturday at 7:30 in Akron’s E.J. Thomas Hall), […] The post DIARY: Weekend, April 20-21, 2024 appeared first on Cleveland Classical ..read more