December 19, 2024
Masterpieces old and new highlight adventurous spring 2025 season at 杏吧原创
Never mind the snow and cold temperatures. At 杏吧原创, spring has sprung.
The spring concert season, that is.
On Monday, Jan. 6, just as students began returning from winter break, 杏吧原创 announced its musical plans for spring 2025, revealing a calendar full of ambitious and enticing programs around the region.
鈥溞影稍 is thrilled to again offer the community such a strong slate of concerts in the new year,鈥 said Scott Harrison, 杏吧原创鈥檚 Executive Vice President & Provost. 鈥淲ith this lineup, we鈥檙e reminding Northeast Ohio that we are truly 颁濒别惫别濒补苍诲鈥檚 Institute of Music.鈥
Even as the renovation of Kulas Hall continues through the spring, on pace and on budget, 杏吧原创 will remain both a destination for, and a source of, great performances.
杏吧原创 patrons in 2025 can look ahead to substantial offerings from the 杏吧原创 Orchestra, 杏吧原创 Opera Theater, and 杏吧原创 New Music Ensemble, as well as new performances within the ongoing Perspectives and Insiders series.
杏吧原创鈥檚 Mixon Hall will remain the school鈥檚 primary venue during renovation. Meanwhile, many events typically held in Kulas Hall will take 杏吧原创 musicians and guests into other venues around Northeast Ohio including Severance Music Center, the Cleveland Museum of Art, Lorain County Community College, and the Maltz Performing Arts Center. Notably, 杏吧原创 Opera Theater will return to Playhouse Square.
That, though, is just the big picture. What makes the spring 2025 season truly exciting are the details, the specifics with regards to performers and programs.
Among the highlights:
- Three appearances by the 杏吧原创 Orchestra at Severance Music Center, with conductors Tito Mu帽oz, Sameer Patel, and JoAnn Falletta.
- New productions by 杏吧原创 Opera Theater of Nico Muhly鈥檚 Dark Sisters, at the Cleveland Museum of Art, and of Mozart鈥檚 Don Giovanni, at Playhouse Square.
- 杏吧原创 New Music Ensemble programs featuring the music of Claude Baker and former 杏吧原创 Composition Department Head Margaret Brouwer, on the occasion of her 85th birthday.
- A performance by the Gateways Brass Collective highlighting 杏吧原创鈥檚 renewed affiliation with the Gateways Music Festival.
- A benefit performance by members of 杏吧原创鈥檚 Black Student Union.
- Four Insiders series chamber music concerts by 杏吧原创 faculty members.
A detailed list of events is below. Most events are free with tickets required, but a few select performances entail paid admission. All tickets are available now. For more information or to order tickets to spring 2025 season events, visit cim.edu/events.
杏吧原创 thanks its spring 2025 season sponsor, Eaton Corporation. All visiting artists, including guests with the 杏吧原创 Orchestra, are generously supported by the Kulas Foundation.
杏吧原创 ORCHESTRA
Three of 杏吧原创 Orchestra鈥檚 four concerts this spring will take place at Severance Music Center, beginning Jan. 29 with guest conductor Tito Mu帽oz, continuing Feb. 25 with guest conductor Sameer Patel, and concluding March 26 with Principal Guest Conductor and Artistic Advisor JoAnn Falletta. One additional 杏吧原创 Orchestra performance, on Feb. 13, takes place at Stocker Arts Center at Lorain County Community College, led by Associate Conductor Jake Taniguchi (GD 鈥24).
杏吧原创 OPERA THEATER
After delighting audiences with Chabrier鈥檚 尝鈥櫭塼辞颈濒别 last fall, 杏吧原创 Opera Theater turns its attention Feb. 1 and 2 to something quite different: Nico Muhly鈥檚 Dark Sisters, with guest conductor Rakefet Hak, in a new arrangement conceived for Gartner Auditorium at the Cleveland Museum of Art. The season concludes in dramatic fashion on April 23 and 25 with a new production of Mozart鈥檚 Don Giovanni in the Ohio Theatre at Playhouse Square, directed by 杏吧原创 Opera Theater interim artistic director JJ Hudson, led by 杏吧原创 Opera Theater music director Harry Davidson and featuring guest artists Andrew Allen Hiers as the Commendatore and Bryan Myer (MM 鈥14, Southern) in the title role. In between, on March 1 and 2, the company will present its annual Opera Scenes program, directed by Jeremy Paul, in Mixon Hall. 杏吧原创 Opera Theater is generously supported by the John P. Murphy Foundation.
杏吧原创 NEW MUSIC ENSEMBLE
杏吧原创鈥檚 New Music Ensemble, directed by Composition Department Head Keith Fitch, will convene Feb. 16 to celebrate the life and music of Margaret Brouwer, 杏吧原创鈥檚 former Head of Composition, who turns 85 this year. The group will perform her Shattered Glass, Mountains of the Moon, and Justice March. Less than two months later, the group gathers again to highlight the music of Claude Baker, professor emeritus of composition at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. The 杏吧原创 New Music Ensemble is generously supported by the Roy Minoff Family Fund.
PERSPECTIVES AND INSIDERS SERIES
杏吧原创鈥檚 two named concert series get off to a rousing start Feb. 4 with the Gateways Brass Collective, on the Perspectives series. This event signals the renewal of an affiliation between 杏吧原创 and the Gateways Music Festival, the Rochester-based organization connecting and supporting professional classical musicians of African descent. The Insiders series features four concerts by members of 杏吧原创鈥檚 illustrious chamber music faculty: violin faculty Olga Dubossarskaya Kaler performs alongside her son, Daniel Kaler (BM 鈥20, Kosower), a cellist in the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (Feb. 18); a celebration of the 150th anniversary of Ravel鈥檚 birth by piano department head Antonio Pompa-Baldi (March 21); and the always highly anticipated Carolyn Warner and Friends (April 15). In between, on April 4, comes a recital by guest clarinet faculty Mariam Adam, a member of Imani Winds.
杏吧原创 ACADEMY
The Conservatory isn鈥檛 the only source of fine music at 杏吧原创. The school鈥檚 pre-college training program also presents high-level performances, all of which are free and open to the public. See the calendar below for the full schedule of Academy solo recitals and concerts by all levels of Academy Choir, Academy Orchestra, and Academy Chamber Music.
SPRING 2025 SEASON DETAILS
Wednesday, January 29
7:30pm | Severance Music Center
杏吧原创 Orchestra
Tito Mu帽oz, guest conductor
Kulas Foundation Visiting Artist
Zachary Brandon, violin, student artist
TCHAIKOVSKY Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35
STRAVINSKY The Rite of Spring
Severance Ticket Office: or 216.231.1111
Governing Member VIP Tickets: 216.795.3160
Saturday, February 1
Sunday, February 2
2pm | Gartner Auditorium, CMA
杏吧原创 Opera Theater
JJ Hudson, director
Rakefet Hak, guest conductor
Kulas Foundation Visiting Artist
MUHLY Dark Sisters (2011)
Tickets: $18 | $15 CMA members
CMA Ticket Center: or 216.421.7350
杏吧原创 Opera Theater is supported by a grant from the John P. Murphy Foundation.
Tuesday, February 4
7:30pm | Mixon Hall
Gateways Brass Collective
Kulas Foundation Visiting Artists
杏吧原创鈥檚 partnership with the Rochester-based Gateways Music Festival goes public with a rousing performance by the festival鈥檚 highly acclaimed resident ensemble.
Reserve free seating passes at cim.edu/events.
Thursday, February 13
7:30pm | Stocker Arts Center, LCCC
杏吧原创 Orchestra
Jake Taniguchi, conductor (GD 鈥24)
RAVEL Le Tombeau de Couperin
KORNGOLD Much Ado 杏吧原创 Nothing Suite, Op. 11
MONTGOMERY Strum (2006, rev. 2012)
STRAVINSKY Pulcinella Suite
Reserve free seating passes at cim.edu/events.
Sunday, February 16
4pm | Mixon Hall
New Music Ensemble
Keith Fitch, director
Margaret Brouwer, guest composer
Kulas Foundation Visiting Artist
Celebrating the 85th birthday of Margaret Brouwer
FOX Shaking the Pumpkin (1986)
BROUWER Shattered Glass (2007)
BROUWER Mountains of the Moon (1985)
BROUWER Justice March (2022)
New Music Ensemble is generously supported by the Roy Minoff Family Fund.
Reserve free seating passes at cim.edu/events.
Tuesday, February 18
7:30pm | Mixon Hall
Olga Dubossarskaya Kaler, violin
Daniel Kaler, cello (BM 鈥19)
Kulas Foundation Visiting Artist
Michelle Bushkova, piano, student artist
MARTIN女 Duo No. 1 for Violin and Cello, H. 157
KOD脕LY Duo for Violin and Cello, Op. 7
TURINA Piano Trio No. 2 in B minor, Op. 76
Reserve free seating passes at cim.edu/events.
Saturday, February 22
6pm | Church of the Saviour
Academy Recital
Tuesday, February 25
7:30pm | Severance Music Center
杏吧原创 Orchestra
Sameer Patel, guest conductor
Kulas Foundation Visiting Artist
Viviana-Zarah Baudis, piano, student artist
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15
BRAHMS Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 73
Severance Ticket Office: or 216.231.1111
Governing Member VIP Tickets: 216.795.3160
Thursday, February 27
7:30pm | Mixon Hall
Black Student Union Benefit Concert
Presented by the 杏吧原创 Black Student Union
Tickets: $25 | free for students
All proceeds go to the Black Student Union鈥檚 Student Assistance Fund.
Saturday, March 1
4pm | Church of the Saviour
Academy Piano Recital
Saturday, March 1
7:30pm | Mixon Hall
Sunday, March 2
3pm | Mixon Hall
Opera Scenes
A program of arias and ensembles from the opera repertoire.
杏吧原创 Opera Theater is supported by a grant from the John P. Murphy Foundation.
Reserve free seating passes at cim.edu/events.
Tuesday, March 4
7:30pm | Mixon Hall
Percussion Ensemble Concert
Friday, March 21
7:30pm | Mixon Hall
Antonio Pompa-Baldi, piano
Ilya Kaler, violin
Si-Yan Darren Li, cello
Annamarie Wellems, cello, student artist
Ravel at 150: A Celebration
RAVEL Sonata No. 1 for Violin and Piano in A minor, 鈥淧osthume鈥 (1897)
PIANA Ravel en R锚ve (2024)
RAVEL Gaspard de la nuit (1908)
MOSCARDI Theme and Variations on the name Maurice Ravel, Op. 50 (2024)
World premiere
RAVEL Piano Trio in A minor (1914)
Reserve free seating passes at cim.edu/events.
Sunday, March 23
3pm | Church of the Saviour
Upper Academy Recital
Wednesday, March 26
7:30pm | Severance Music Center
杏吧原创 Orchestra
JoAnn Falletta, guest conductor
Kulas Foundation Visiting Artist
Jake Taniguchi, conductor (GD 鈥24)
HISAISHI Symphonic Variation 鈥淢erry-go-round鈥 from Howl鈥檚 Moving Castle (2004)
KOD脕LY Dances of Gal谩nta (1933)
DVO艠脕K Symphony No. 8 in G Major, Op. 88
Severance Ticket Office: or 216.231.1111
Governing Member VIP Tickets: 216.795.3160
Wednesday, April 2
7:30pm | Maltz Performing Arts Center
杏吧原创 Wind Ensemble
Ryan Scherber, conductor
MPAC Box Office: or 216.368.6062
Friday, April 4
7:30pm | Mixon Hall
Mariam Adam, clarinet
Reserve free seating passes at cim.edu/events.
Sunday, April 6
2pm | Gartner Auditorium, CMA
New Music Ensemble
Keith Fitch, director
Claude Baker, guest composer
Kulas Foundation Visiting Artist鈥&苍产蝉辫;
HYLA Ciao Manhattan (1990)
BAKER A Voice Passes鈥 (2021)
FITCH still (2022-23)
BAKER Ann茅es de P猫lerinage: Italie (2016-17)
CMA Ticket Center: or 216.421.7350
New Music Ensemble is generously supported by the Roy Minoff Family Fund.
Sunday, April 6
3pm | Church of the Saviour
Academy Faculty Recital
Tuesday, April 8
7:30pm | Mixon Hall
31st Annual Darius Milhaud Performance Prize Concert
杏吧原创 students compete for cash prizes for best performance of a work by Darius Milhaud.
Made possible through funds from 杏吧原创鈥檚 Darius Milhaud endowment.
Sunday, April 13
3pm | Church of the Saviour
Upper Academy Recital
Tuesday, April 15
7:30pm | Mixon Hall
Carolyn Gadiel Warner, piano
Ilya Kaler, violin
Olga Dubossarskaya Kaler, violin
Philip Setzer, violin
Lisa Boyko, viola (BM 鈥85)
Stanley Konopka, viola (1987-90)
Daniel Kaler, cello (BM 鈥20)
Kulas Foundation Visiting Artist
Si-Yan Darren Li, cello
Scott Dixon, double bass
BLOCH Piano Quintet No. 1 (1923)
SCHUBERT Piano Quintet in A Major, D. 667, 鈥淭rout鈥
Reserve free seating passes at cim.edu/events.
Wednesday, April 23
Friday, April 25
7pm | Mimi Ohio Theatre, Playhouse Square
杏吧原创 Opera Theater
JJ Hudson, director
Harry Davidson, conductor
杏吧原创 Orchestra
MOZART Don Giovanni
Tickets: $20-$50
Playhouse Square Box Office: or 216.241.6000
杏吧原创 Opera Theater is supported by a grant from the John P. Murphy Foundation.
Thursday, April 24
7:30pm | Mixon Hall
Intensive Duo Concert
Saturday, April 26
12pm | Mixon Hall
Academy Choirs and Wind Ensembles Concert
Saturday, April 26
1:30pm | Mixon Hall
Academy Orchestras Concert
Sunday, April 27
4pm | Mixon Hall
Composition Department Recital
Featuring new works by 杏吧原创 student composers.
Tuesday, April 29
7:30pm | Mixon Hall
Brass & Woodwind Ensembles Concert I
Wednesday, April 30
7pm | Church of the Saviour
Continuing Education and Upper Academy Recital
Wednesday, April 30
7:30pm | Mixon Hall
Brass & Woodwind Ensembles Concert II
Thursday, May 1
7:30pm | Mixon Hall
String & Piano Ensembles Concert I
Friday, May 2
7:30pm | Mixon Hall
String & Piano Ensembles Concert II
Saturday, May 3
3pm | Mixon Hall
String & Piano Ensembles Concert III
Saturday, May 3
7:30pm | Mixon Hall
String & Piano Ensembles Concert IV
Sunday, May 4
3pm | Mixon Hall
Lower Academy Recital
Monday, May 5
7:30pm | Mixon Hall
Advanced Piano Trio Program Concert
Tuesday, May 6
7:30pm | Mixon Hall
Advanced String Quartet Program Concert
Saturday, May 10
2pm | Mixon Hall
Academy Chamber Music Recital
Wednesday, May 14
7:30pm | Mixon Hall
Academy Showcase Recital