The Art of the Organ and Four Other Classical Music Events Not to Miss This Week

Karel Paukert, long-time organist of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Cleveland Heights, is bringing in some of his distinguished colleagues and former students for Ars Organi (“The Art of the Organ”), a two-week festival celebrating the fine collection of keyboard instruments the church has acquired since moving to its new home at Fairmount and Coventry in 1928. That fleet includes instruments by Walter Holtkamp, Sr., Gerhardt Hradetzky, Vladimir Šlajch, and Matthias Griewisch.

First up on Friday, September 15 at 7:30 pm is a recital by Paukert’s fellow Czech, Jaroslav Tůma, who will return on Saturday, September 16 at 4:00 pm to play his own original paraphrase of Bedřich Smetana’s six symphonic poems Má Vlast (“My Country”). The festival continues on Tuesday, September 19 at 7:30 pm when Oberlin’s James David Christie will serve up Baroque music on the Hradetzky instrument, assisted by Steven Plank and the voices of the Oberlin Collegium. All events (more to come through October 1) are free.

Before launching its annual International Series, the Cleveland Classical Guitar Society puts on a showcase concert of local talent. This year’s edition on Saturday, September 16 at 7:30 pm at Plymouth Church in Shaker Heights will feature Jeremy Collins, Stephen Aron, and the Gruca White Ensemble — Robert Gruca, guitar, and Linda White, flute. No charge, but donations are welcome.

Another plucked instrument, the lute, will be featured on Sunday, September 17 at 4:00 pm in Immaculate Conception Church in Cleveland when Duo Mignarda, Ron Andrico, lute, and Donna Stewart, voice, team up with guest singers José Gotera, Michael McKay, David J. Rothenberg, and Jay White for a program of Renaissance music dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Rothenberg will illuminate the program with spoken commentary, and a freewill offering will be received.

In 2014, Cleveland Orchestra cellist Dane Johansen made the famous Spanish pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, walking nearly 600 miles with his cello on his back and stopping to play Bach cello suites along the way (documented in the film The Walk to Fisterra). Johansen will open the Music from the Western Reserve Series at Christ Church in Hudson on Sunday, September 17 at 5:00 pm with a performance of three of those solo cello suites. Tickets can be purchased at the door, or online.

On Tuesday, September 19 at 8:00 pm, Timothy Weiss will lead the Oberlin Sinfonietta in a free concert featuring Oberlin’s new viola professor, Kirsten Docter, and the Conservatory’s composer in residence, John Liberatore, as well as student tenor Nicholas Music. The program includes Liberatore’s Hold back thy hours (2012), Stephen Mackey’s Groundswell (2007), and John Adams’s Chamber Symphony (1992). If you can’t make it to Warner Concert Hall, enjoy the live stream here.

For details of these and other events, visit the ClevelandClassical.com Concert Listings page.