June 9, 2008

CSO 2008-2009 Season Showcases and Celebrates Diversity Ritz Chamber Players to hold CSO residency this fall

Continuing its longstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion, the CSO announces a residency with the Ritz Chamber Players, an expanded Classical Roots program and a composer-in-residence.

Classical Roots Linking Cultures Through Music
In partnership with area African-American churches, Classical Roots concerts celebrate the African-American experience with diverse musical selections and guest artists. The four Classical Roots concerts and activities aim to serve the community in non-traditional ways and create bridges between the CSO and the neighborhoods of Greater Cincinnati.

“The CSO’s Classical Roots concert is an outstanding discovery for Quinn Chapel and our surrounding communities,” said PastorRev. Dr. Frederick A. Wright, Sr. of Quinn Chapel A.M.E. Church in Forest Park. “It’s a major event that brings together varied backgrounds, traditions and beliefs. The concerts are great anticipators for our summer activities. Also, the concerts are intergenerational in scope as well as refreshment for the soul. The CSO Classical Roots Concerts are never a disappointment.”

June Classical Roots Concerts: Chelsea Tipton II and Myron Brown
Classical Roots will include four free church concerts. The two summer concerts will be June 12 at 7:30 p.m. at Quinn Chapel A.M.E. Church in Forest Park and June 14 at 5 p.m. at Zion Baptist Church in Avondale.

Chelsea Tipton II is the Classical Roots conductor and Myron Brown, a CCM piano student, will be the featured soloist. The programming includes a mix of shorter works by Beethoven, Panion, Gershwin and Coleridge-Taylor to provide an array of classical selections.

“The CSO has responded to feedback from the pastors with whom we work,” said Kathy Finley, CSO Manager of Diversity and Community Engagement. “Because of our strong relationships with our church partners, we have redesigned the programming and the approach for the Classical Roots concerts. We also are trying to add more educational elements.”

Community engagement concerts are a gift to the community – audiences hear a world-class orchestra and artists, learn about classical music and African American composers and influences and will receive special offers to experience the CSO and Pops at Riverbend and Music Hall.

“We are working to build a bridge to Music Hall — to connect the community engagement efforts to the season programs — to send the message of welcome to our concerts,” said Finley.

“Chelsea got his start in Cincinnati and worked with our youth orchestra when he was studying at CCM and has gone on to conduct in Cleveland, Chicago, Atlanta and other major cities,” said Anne Cushing-Reid, CSO manager of educational activities. “He’s a very special guy — he has a real drive and ambition and excels at outreach because of his talent, charisma and ability to teach audiences.”

“This is a great opportunity to hear Myron perform before his Pops concert debut in July,” said Finley. “He’s a young piano talent from CCM and was the winner of a Cincinnati Pops Piano contest. Erich Kunzel selected Myron from a pool of pianists.”

The CSO thanks its Community Engagement Partner Duke Energy for their generous support of the June Classical Roots concerts.

October Classical Roots Concerts: Ritz Chamber Players Residency
As the fall part of the Classical Roots program, the CSO plans a week-long residency in October with members of the Ritz Chamber Players, an all African-American chamber music ensemble of internationally acclaimed soloists based in Jacksonville, Florida. Members of the Ritz Chamber Players include frequent CSO guest pianist Terrance Wilson and Violinist Tai Murray who will make her CSO subscription concert debut October 31. Murray first appeared with the CSO at Riverbend two summers ago and was a hit with audiences.

The Ritz Chamber Players Residency will include two free Classical Roots church concerts — October 7 at 7 p.m. at Lincoln Heights Missionary Baptist Church and October 11 at 5 p.m. at Allen Temple A.M.E. in Bond Hill.

“We are excited to host the Ritz Chamber Players at Allen Temple,” said Music Minister Robert Gazaway. “We always enjoy and appreciate our CSO concert performances and chamber music is something new and different to offer our congregation. We also plan to connect our youth ministry to this performance and engage our young people in the program.”

As part of their residency, a young professionals event, “Classical Roots, Jazz & Cocktails” at The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center on Thursday, October 9 will celebrate the African-American experience and music contributions by Black composers. After the performance in the Harriet Tubman Theater, a “Meet the Artists” reception is planned for patrons featuring jazz and cocktails in the Freedom Center’s Grand Hall. The event is co-presented by the Freedom Center.

Composer in Residence – Jeffrey Mumford
Paavo Järvi and the CSO are committed to bringing new works to the concert stage. African-American composer Jeffrey Mumford will be in residence with the CSO leading up to the world premiere of his new work on March 27-28. The piece was commissioned for the CSO by Ann and Harry Santen in honor of their 50th wedding anniversary. The CSO is still refining the details of his residency, but the plans include connecting him to the churches and schools and hosting a MAC reception, schedule permitting.

MAC Open Door Concerts
As part of the 2008-2009 CSO and Pops subscription series, nine MAC Open Door Concerts will be presented which celebrate cultural diversity, history and heritage of the season’s outstanding artists and composers.

CSO Backstage Workshop Series will continue with four new workshops highlighting music careers behind the scenes next year. The CSO gratefully acknowledges the extraordinary support of the late Mrs.  

Patricia A. Corbett and The Corbett Foundation. The Corbett Educational Endowment supports and expands a strong, comprehensive instructional program to educate young people in music.  

CSO Nouveau Chamber Players, a high school chamber music and talent development group of six African-American high school string students, also will continue in the 2008-2009 season. One member is graduating, so the Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra auditions later this summer will help identify new members for the ensemble. More information about the auditions can be found at www.cincinnatisymphony.org/Education/youth_orchestra.asp, or by contacting Lauren Roberson at (513) 744-3347, Lroberson@cincinnatisymphony.org

The CSO values and is committed to increasing diversity and inclusion in its orchestra and audience, its staff and trustees, its business partners and vendors, and to fostering diversity and inclusion in the community it serves. More info is at http://www.cincinnatisymphony.org/Events/classicalroots.asp.

CSO Diversity Activities Dates-at-a-Glance