Number Three for Constella Festival
Founded in 2011 by artistic director/violinist
Tatiana Berman, the Constella Festival of Music and Fine Arts has become a
focus for the rich cultural product of Cincinnati.
The 2013 Constella Festival, Oct. 1 – Nov. 7, boasts another array of wide-ranging music and visual arts events. And it will reach over town, from Northside to Northern Kentucky, and will include participation by nine partner organizations.
There will be everything from early music to world premieres, jazz to operatic arias, with some new choreography in the mix, too. As from the beginning, this visionary event will pair music with art exhibitions and collaborative artwork.
Guest artists include violinist Joshua Bell, former Cincinnati Symphony
music director Paavo Järvi, jazz saxophonist Jimmy Heath and pianist Stewart Goodyear. Robert Spano, music
director of the Atlanta Symphony, will take a turn at the piano accompanying
soprano Jessica Rivera and mezzo-soprano Kelly O’Connor. Composer-in-residence with the Festival will be Missy Mazzoli.
There will be exhibits by artists of Brazee Street Studios, Carl Solway Gallery and the Cincinnati Art Museum and an installation by Sandra Gross. Dancers of Cincinnati Ballet will perform world premiere choreography by Heather Britt and Jimmy Cunningham. CCM will present a staged version of Bach’s “St. John Passion.”
Concerts number 20 in all, including two free children’s concerts. There will be seven art exhibits, plus workshops by Mazzoli and master classes by guest artists. Violinist Berman will perform the world premiere of New York composer Charles Coleman’s Violin Concerto (a Constella commission), with a chamber orchestra led by Järvi.
Nine concerts are produced directly by Constella, with 11 by nine partner organizations. This year’s partners are Catacoustic Consort, Chamber Music Cincinnati, Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, CSO Chamber Players, Classical Revolution, concert:nova, Hebrew Union College, Linton Music Series and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.
The Festival opens Oct. 1 with the Miro String Quartet, presented by Chamber Music Cincinnati, and closes Nov. 7 with a Constella recital by violinist Bell.
For admission to Constella-produced events, visit www.constellafestival.org/tickets/, or call the Cincinnati Arts Association at (513) 621-ARTS (2787).
Tickets for Constella partner organization events are available through each partner organization (see below), with linkage from Constella at www.constellafestival.org/events/
The 2013 Constella Festival of Music and Fine Arts.
Oct. 1. 7:30 p.m. Chamber Music Cincinnati. Miro Quartet. Werner Recital Hall, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Franz Schubert: Quartettsatz in c minor, D. 703. Franz Schubert: String Quartet No. 14 in d minor, D. 810, “Death and the Maiden” Ludwig van Beethoven: String Quartet in B-flat Major, Op. 130, with Grosse Fuge, Op. 133. For tickets, visit http://cincychamber.org
Oct. 2. 7:30 p.m. concert:nova. Harmonic Brass of Munich, Germany. St. Mary’s Church, Over-the-Rhine. Rejoice for Four Trumpets, William Byrd, arr. Lindsay. Double Brass Quintet, “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring.” Canzona, Giovanni Gabrielli for Double Brass Quintet. The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba. Selections performed by Harmonic Brass:Fuge in g. Adiemus. O Fortuna. Triumphal March from “Aida.” Themes from “Ben Hur,” Miklos Rozsa, arr. Lindsay. “Sabre Dance.” “Root Beer Rag.” “Black or White.” A Tribute to Frank Sinatra. For tickets, visit http://www.concertnova.com
Oct. 3. 7:30 p.m. “Fiesta Mojo.” Jimmy Heath, saxophone. Cincinnati Contemporary Jazz Orchestra, Scott Belck, director. Corbett Auditorium, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Program to include music from Heath’s Grammy-nominated “Little Man, Big Band,” new and classic arrangements of jazz classics and compositions by Heath. Constella-produced event.
Oct. 6. 4 p.m. Linton Music Series. Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio (Joseph Kalichstein, piano, Jaime Laredo, violin, Sharon Robinson, cello). First Unitarian Church, Avondale. Beethoven, Quintet for Piano, Woodwinds & Horn in E-flat Major. Stanley Silverman, Trio No. 2, “Reveille.” Dvořák, Quintet for Piano and Strings in A Major. For tickets, visit http://lintonmusic.org
Oct. 8. CCM. Miguel A. Roig-Francoli and Friends. Timothy Lees and Jennifer Roig-Francolí, violin. Ilya Finkelshteyn, cello. James Tocco, Michael Chertock, and Edward Neeman, piano. Abigail Santos Villalobos, soprano. Werner Recital Hall, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Roig-Francoli, Sonata, for cello and piano (1985), Songs of the Infinite for Violin and Piano (2010), Cinco Canciones con los Ojos Cerrados (2011), Suite Apócrifa (1978), Songs of Light and Darkness for Piano Trio (2011). Admission is free.
Oct. 9. 7:30 p.m. Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra. Mischa Santora, conductor. Time for Three, guest artists (Zach DePue, violin, Nick Kendall, violin, Ranaan Meyer, double bass). Corbett Theater, School for Creative and Performing Arts. Dan Visconti:“Black Bend.” Edvard Grieg:Holberg Suite. Charles Ives:Four Ragtime Dances. Samuel Barber:Adagio for Strings. For tickets, visit http://www.ccocincinnati.org
Oct. 10. 7:30 p.m. “Queen City Connections.” Tatiana Berman, violin. Paavo Järvi, conductor. Constella Festival Ensemble. Memorial Hall. Stravinsky, “Apollo.” Charles Coleman, Violin Concerto (world premiere). Mozart, Symphony No. 33, K. 319. Constella-produced event.
Oct. 13. 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Children’s concerts. Tatiana Berman, violin, Nathaniel Chaitkin, cello, Rosemary Hyler-Ritter, piano, Jenny Trier, narrator. Cincinnati Art Museum. Anne Dudley, “Little Red Violin and the Big, Bad Cello” for narrator, violin, cello and piano. Text by Steven Isserlis. Libby Larsen, “Stone Soup” for narrator, three medium voices, and piano. Text based on the book by Marcia Brown. Program includes interactive discussions with the audience. Constella-produced event.
Oct. 13. 8 p.m. Classical Revolution. Northside Tavern. Price Hill String Quartet. NANOWorks Opera performing “The Bubble.” Il Troubadore (variety band) performing Klingon Opera. Allan Pray Ensemble (chamber folk music). Admission is free.
Oct. 15. 7:30 p.m. “New Classical.” Missy Mazzoli, composer-in-residence. Festival musicians and video projections. Digitorium, Griffin Hall, Northern Kentucky University. “Dissolve, O my Heart” (2011) for solo violin. “Tooth and Nail” (2010) for viola and electronics. “Lies You Can Believe In” (2007) for string trio. Excerpts from “Song from the Uproar” for mezzo-soprano, flute, clarinet, electric guitar, piano and double bass. “Set That on Fire” (2013) for flute, clarinet, violin, trumpet and piano. “Magic with Everyday Objects” (2009) for flute, clarinet, electric guitar, piano and double bass. Constella-produced event.
Oct. 16. 7:30 p.m. University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. “Café Momus with Missy Mazzoli.” Patricia Corbett Theater, CCM. Program tba. Admission is free.
Oct. 19. 8 p.m. “Spellbound: Three Centuries, Three Summits.” Stewart Goodyear, piano. Memorial Hall. Berg, Piano Sonata. Bach, French Suite No. 5 in G major. Beethoven. “Diabelli” Variations. Art by Brazee Street Studio artists. Constella-produced event.
Oct. 20. 4 p.m. Hebrew Union College. Concerts on Clifton. Tatiana Berman, violin, Yael Senamaud-Cohen, viola, Nathaniel Chaitkin, cello, Julie Spangler, piano. Scheuer Chapel. Mahler, Piano Quartet in A minor. Mendelssohn, Piano Quartet in B minor, Op. 3. Paul Schoenfield, Piano Quartet (“Carolina Reveille”). Admission is free.
Oct. 25. 7:30 p.m. Catacoustic Consort. Catherina Meints, Viola da Gamba. Church of the Advent, Walnut Hills. Exhibition of fine period instruments will accompany the performance. For tickets, visit http://www.catacoustic.com
Oct. 26. 8 p.m. “Exhilarating Arias.” Jessica Rivera, soprano. Kelly O’Connor, mezzo-soprano. Robert Spano, piano. Memorial Hall. Newly commissioned song cycles by David Bruce and Jonathan Leshnoff. Art exhibition by Carl Solway Gallery. Constella-produced event.
Oct. 30. 7:30 p.m. “Inspired Improvisations and Stravinsky.” Cincinnati Ballet dancers and Festival musicians. Harriet Tubman Hall, National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. Improvisation, Heather Britt, choreographer (world premiere). Stravinsky, “Suite Italienne” for violin and piano, Jimmy Cunningham, choreographer (world premiere). Gabriel Gaffney Smith, “Habitual,” Heather Britt, choreographer. Peter Adam, “All Too Wonderful,” Heather Britt, choreographer. Art installation by Sandra Gross. Exhibition by Cincinnati Art Museum. Constella-produced event.
Nov. 1. 7:30 p.m. Cincinnati Symphony Chamber Players. Mayerson Theater, School for Creative and Performing Arts. Reger, Serenade in G major. Amy Taylor, flute. Timothy Lees, violin. Christian Colberg, viola. Schumann, Märchenerzählungen, Op. 132. Ronald Aufmann, clarinet. Paul Frankenfeld, viola. Donna Loewy, piano. Brahms, Piano Trio in B Major, Op. 8. Rebecca Culnan, violin. Daniel Culnan, cello. Frank Weinstock, piano. For tickets, visit www.cincinnatisymphony.org
Nov. 3. 5 p.m. University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. J.S. Bach, “St. John Passion.” Christ Church Cathedral. Staged performance. Earl Rivers, conductor. Omer Ben Seadia, stage director. CCM Chamber Choir. CCM Philharmonia Chamber Orchestra. Tenor Jeffrey Thompson, Evangelist. Student soloists. For tickets, visit http://ccm.uc.edu
Nov. 7. 7:30 p.m. “Constella Festival Finale.” Joshua Bell, violin. Sam Haywood, piano. Memorial Hall. Tartini, Violin Sonata in G minor, Op. 1, No. 10 (“Devil’s Trill”).Beethoven, Violin Sonata No. 10, Op. 96. Stravinsky, Divertimento, for Violin and Piano (after “The Fairy’s Kiss”). Tchaikovsky, Valse-Scherzo, Op. 34. Constella-produced event.