Stellar Event in Cincinnati

When the moon is in conjunction with Jupiter (Oct. 13) and the Orionid meteor shower starts to fall (Oct. 21) . . . it's not the Age of Aquarius but Constella, Cincinnati's brand new Festival of Music and Fine Arts.
   Italian for "constellation," Constella offers a lineup unlike any that has taken place in Cincinnati before.  The schedule -- 13 concerts Oct. 13-Nov. 7 -- has everything:  superstars, world premieres, multi-media events and season-openers by some of Cincinnati's top music groups in venues throughout the city.
 

Tatiana Berman

Prime mover of the event is violinist/artistic director Tatiana Berman, who has been working to put it together for two years.  Her success has been phenomenal, as can be seen in the lineup for the inaugural festival.
 

Hilary Hahn

Opening night features violinist Hilary Hahn and pianist Valentina Lisitsa in a recital dubbed "Classic Gems and Contemporary Miniatures."  Hahn will perform excerpts from "The Hilary Hahn Encores," a set of short pieces she has commissioned to tour and record over the next two seasons.  Complementing her program will be an exhibit entitled "Encores," comprising small art works in a variety of media curated by Sandra Gross and Lisa Merida-Paytes.
 

Liang Wang

Following on Oct. 14 will be a candlelit concert in Fifth-Third Bank Theater at the Aronoff Center for the Arts.  Performing will be New York Philharmonic principal oboist Liang Wang and violinist Berman, violist Yael Senamaud-Cohen, cellist Nathaniel Chaitkin, flutist Jasmine Choi and oboist Dwight Parry.
   Dancer/choreographers from Cincinnati Ballet will perform two world premieres (Prokofiev's Quintet Op.69 and Astor Piazzolla's "Histoire du Tango") with the chamber ensemble concert:nova Oct. 15 in Mickey Jarson Kaplan Performance Studio in Cincinnati Ballet studios on Central Parkway.

Alexander Toradze

Virtuoso pianist Alexander Toradze will perform Rachmaninoff and other Russian romantic repertoire with members of his acclaimed Piano Studio, including Nikita Abrisomov and Sangwon Kim, winners, respectively, of the 2011 and 2010 World Piano Competitions held in Cincinnati, Oct. 16 at the Erich Kunzel Center for Arts and Education (home of the new Cincinnati School for the Creative and Performing Arts on Central Parkway).
 

St. Lawrence String Quartet

Chamber Music Cincinnati presents the St. Lawrence String Quartet Oct. 18 in Robert J. Werner Recital Hall at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Chamber Players open their season Oct. 21, also in the new SCPA.

CSO Chamber Players

   Memorial Hall will be the site of the Vocal Arts Ensemble's season-opener Oct. 22, with music by Samuel Barber and Gian Carlo Menotti in commemoration of their centenaries, and the Linton Music Series opens its season Oct. 23 at First Unitarian Church in Avondale with pianist Menahem Pressler, violinist Alexander Kerr, violist Paul Neubauer and cellist Eric in piano quartets by Mozart, Dvorak and Turina.
   Head north for Classical Revolution Oct. 23 at Northside Tavern, where you can raise a glass and enjoy fine chamber music by conservatory students and professional musicians.

Annalisa Pappano of Catacoustic Consort

Michael Maniaci

The Church of the Advent in Walnut Hills will be site of the early music ensemble Catacoustic Consort's performance of baroque arias and songs with opera star Michael Maniaci, whose unique soprano voice has sparked the revival of early operatic repertoire.

Ted Nash

Saxophonist Ted Nash of Jazz at Lincoln Center will premiere a new work for string and jazz double quartet, commissioned by Constella Oct. 29 at the Blue Wisp Jazz Club, and the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra will open its season Oct. 30 in Mayerson Theater at the new SCPA with celebrated violinist Philippe Quint.

Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra in Memorial Hall

 

Joshua Bell

  Ringing down the curtain Nov. 8 at Memorial Hall will be superstar Joshua Bell and pianist Sam Haywood in works by Schubert, Prokofiev and Franck.  Prominent Cincinnati artists including Stewart Goldman will present an art show in conjunction with the concert.
   Tickets for the Constella Festival are available at www.constellafestival.org.  See Constella on Facebook at facebook.com/ConstellaFestival