Courtesy Cleveland Orchestra
Even as we turn the page into August, Cleveland’s classical music scene continues to flourish. Here are several concerts you may be interested in this week.
The Kent Blossom Faculty Series concludes on Wednesday, August 1 at 7:30 pm in Kent’s Ludwig Recital Hall. The concert features flutist Marisela Sager, oboists Jeffrey Rathbun and Danna Sundet, hornist Alan DeMattia, cellist Richard Weiss, and pianists Elizabeth DeMio and Joela Jones. The playlist includes Bach’s Partita in a for solo flute, Ginastera’s Duo for Flute & Oboe, Op. 13, Jean-Michel Damase’s Trio for Oboe, Horn, and Oboe, and Charles-Marie Widor’s Cello Sonata in A, Op. 80. Brighten up your Hump Day with these interesting and unique pieces. Tickets are available online.
The Kent Blossom Music Festival will continue its Student Concert Series on Thursday, August 2 at 7:30 pm, featuring music by Bax, Greig, and Messiaen in Kent’s Ludwig Hall. The Series continues on Friday afternoon the 3rd with a field trip to the Laurel Lake Retirement Community in Hudson at 2:00 pm, when students will perform pieces by Margaret Griebling-Haig, François Devienne, Moritz Moszkowski, Mozart, and Mendelssohn. At 7:30 pm that evening, the Series returns to Ludwig Hall for Dvořàk, Jean Français, Beethoven, Carl Reinecke, and Shostakovich.
On Saturday, August 4, another 2:00 pm field trip to the Hudson Library and Historical Society will include music by Britten, Mozart, and Miguel de Aguila. The last Student Concert will take place that evening at Ludwig Recital Hall, featuring music by Leo Smit, Tchaikovsky, Nina Rota, and Vaughan Williams. All concerts are free.
Another free concert will be offered at 7:00 pm on Friday, August 3 –– No Exit’s Nicholas Underhill will reprise his solo piano program at Appletree Books in Cleveland Heights. The concert features one of his own compositions, Iannis Xenakis’ Mists, selections from Gary Philo’s Five Impromptus, Copland’s Piano Variations, Morton Feldman’s Piano Piece, Leo Ornstein’s Wild Men’s Dance, selections from David Leisner’s Labyrinths II, and Frederic Rzewski’s Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues. Come be surrounded by books while listening to a great selection of modern composers. Read a review here.
With the weekend come three concerts in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Led by Sarah Hicks, The Cleveland Orchestra will play The Little Mermaid score along with the film at Blossom Music Center, starting at 8:30 pm on Saturday, August 4. On Sunday the 5th at Blossom, the Orchestra, led by Michael Francis, will perform an all-Czech program: Smetana’s Šárka (Má Vlast), Janáček’s Taras Bulba, and Dvořák’s Symphony No. 7 at 7:00 pm. Get tickets here.
Also at 7:00 pm, classical guitarist Jason Vieaux will perform at the Happy Days Lodge as part of the CVNP Concert Series. He will be playing Scarlatti’s Sonata in A, Giuliani’s Variations on a Theme by Handel, Bach’s Violin Sonata No. 1 in g, Albéniz’ Asturias, Tárrega’s Recuerdos de la Alhambra, Sor’s Variations on a Theme by Mozart, Sanz’ Canarios, and Mudarra’s Fantasia No. 10. Find tickets online.
Finally, don’t miss yet another free concert on Tuesday, August 6 at the Alma Theater in Cleveland Heights’ Cain Park. The Cleveland State University Woodwind Chamber Ensemble — Sean Gabriel (flute), Louis Gangale (clarinet), Mark DeMio (bassoon), David Brockett (horn), and Elizabeth DeMio (piano) — will continue the Cain Park Chamber Music Series. The program includes music by Rossini and Rimsky-Korsakov.
Check out details of these and other events on our Concert Listings page.
