“It’s always this way with composers,” says Timothy Beyer.
“You start with the idea of a group to get your music played —
and played the way you want — and then it becomes a bigger
idea.”
His bigger idea is No Exit, a new Cleveland-based ensemble
dedicated to contemporary music. It formed last summer, when Beyer got
together with pianist Nick Underhill, violinist Cara Tweed, violist Tom
Bowling and cellist Nick Diodore. In addition to noted contemporary
composers, they plan to play new work by young and unknown composers
— which they hope to fuel with a commissioning program. They’ll
play typical concert venues but also unconventional ones — like
bars and art galleries — hoping to reach audiences who wouldn’t
otherwise hear them.
Their first program this weekend includes two world premieres by
student composers — Albert Kovach’s “Disquieting Calm for Piano
Quartet,” and James Praznik’s “Threshold.” Also on the program are
works by Beyer, Underhill, Witold Lutoslawski and Zoltan Kodaly.
Performances are at 8 p.m. Friday, November 20, at CSU’s Drinko Recital
Hall (2001 Euclid Ave.), and at 8 p.m. Saturday at The Barking Spider
(11310 Juniper Rd). For information, call Beyer at 216.798.9491.
“Even though I dress like a Republican, I’ve been known to write and
read poetry,” says District 13 state representative candidate Tom
Bullock, a Democrat. “Poets have always played a role in telling
the story of a community and re-imagining it.” Bullock joined other
poets, including Ray McNiece, Tuesday at La Boca restaurant for a
reading and meet-and-greet. Bullock has a masters degree in classics
(especially Roman oratory), but says his own writing tends to be
personal rather than political.
Speaking of culture and politics, Oberlin College president
Marvin Krislov has been nominated by President Barack Obama and
appointed to serve on the National Council on the Humanities,
which advises the National Endowment for the Humanities on grant
applications.
Kenneth Paul Lesko Gallery (1305 W. 80th St., 216.631.6719,
kennethpaullesko.com) opens
The Cleveland School this week, featuring paintings by artists
active in Northeast Ohio in the early 20th century who were associated
with what became the Cleveland Institute of Art. The show opens with a
free reception from 5:30-9 p.m. Friday, November 20. It runs through
January 2.
This article appears in Nov 18-24, 2009.