Richard Goode’s Musical Short Stories</h1> <article> <h1>Richard Goode’s Musical Short Stories</h1> <p>srasmuss — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 19:32:54 +0000</p> <span>Richard Goode’s Musical Short Stories</span> <span><span>srasmuss</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-04-09T15:32:54-04:00" title="Thursday, April 9, 2026 - 15:32">Thu, 04/09/2026 - 15:32</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>In Richard Goode’s mental directory of acoustically great places, Finney Chapel easily makes the list.</p><p>“ I think about places partly in terms of how the hall sounds,” he says. So when he finds venues with fabulous acoustics, “I remember them with great affection. The atmosphere was so perfect that when you played, you felt that everything mattered.”</p><p>The highly-respected American pianist, known for his interpretation of Mozart and Beethoven, has performed on the �鶹��Ƶ Artist Recital Series quite a few times. It’s been nine years since his last appearance in Finney. “I don’t remember what I played,” he says. “I just remember how good it felt.”</p><p>On Wednesday, April 29 at 7:30 p.m., Goode will return to Finney Chapel and the Artist Recital Series with his program <a href="/events/richard-goode-piano">“Fancies and Goodnights.”</a> He will pair that personally curated selection of short works with two sonatas by Mozart and Schubert.</p><p>The “Fancies and Goodnights” title comes from John Collier’s short story collection of the same name. Collier’s stories are funny, weird, and even a little cruel, so Goode found the name fitting for a group of off-the-beaten-path pieces. “I’m not terribly one for encores,” he says, “so there were these pieces that I couldn’t find a place for.”</p><p>Not to mention, the title just has a certain ring to it. “ Most of the pieces that we play and love are called sonata or symphony or impromptu or something like that, but poetic names are lovely.”</p><p>The nine pieces are presented in roughly chronological order and span five centuries, from Carlo Gesualdo in 1603 to Leoš Janáček in 1900. Goode says he felt “absolutely stunned” by Gesualdo’s “O vos omnes” from Sacred Cantiones for Five Voices, Book 1.</p><p>“ I’m simply playing the voices on the piano. I’m not arranging it in any way,” he explains. “I think it’s such a remarkable work that I’m just happy to be able to play it.”</p><p>For some pieces, he remembers exactly how he first heard them. A recording by Rachmaninoff introduced him to G. Sgambati’s transcription of Christoph Willibald Gluck’s Melody from Orfeo and Eurydice — “one of the most beautiful melodies ever written.” And he once heard a recital by Glenn Gould that championed the music of William Byrd, leading Goode to discover Byrd’s My Ladye Nevells Booke.</p><p>Meanwhile, Georges Bizet’s Adagietto from L’Arlesienne (trans. L. Godowsky) is a memento of Goode’s years at the Marlboro Music School and Festival, where he first attended as a teenager and served as co-artistic director with Mitsuko Uchida for 14 years.</p><p>Although Goode has performed Ignacy Jan Paderewski’s Legende, Op. 16, No. 1 in the past, he only recently grew to recognize Paderewski’s musicianship. “I had never really appreciated his music fully before,” he says. Legende “is a very sentimental piece, but really very beautiful.”</p><p>Franz Schubert’s Ungarische Melodie and two pieces by Jean-Philippe Rameau — The Assembly of the Birds and The Indiscreet One — add some warmth and levity to the proceedings. Eventually, the set comes to an end with Leoš Janáček’s aptly-titled “Dobrou Noc!” (Good Night!), from On an Overgrown Path.</p><p>Bookending the musical short stories sit two longer pieces — one of Goode’s favorite Mozart’s piano sonatas, the A Minor, K. 310, and Schubert Piano Sonata No. 21 in B-flat Major, D.960. The Schubert sonata is one of Goode’s signature pieces. At around 37 minutes long, it “ really requires such a long span of tension,” he says. Although “I don’t play the repeat, which I think asks maybe a little too much of the listener.”</p><p>Another thing Goode is known for is his love of books. As his bio mentions, he lives in New York City with his wife, Marcia, and their collection of some 5,000 volumes. But as to whether he’ll be visiting MindFair Books or any other bookstores during his visit to �鶹��Ƶ, he says the jury is still out. “ I have bought too many books, so I try not to indulge myself.”</p><p>However, something he’s sure he will be doing is teaching a masterclass with conservatory piano students. “I learn a great deal by listening to people’s various approaches to pieces,” he says. “So I’m looking forward to that.”</p><p>Concert Details<br>Richard Goode, piano<br>7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 29, 2025<br>�鶹��Ƶ College Finney Chapel<br>90 N. Professor St.<br>�鶹��Ƶ, OH 44074<br><br>Concert tickets are available <a href="/tickets/event-details?EventId=20001">online</a> and by phone at 800-371-0178. Patrons may also purchase tickets in person between noon and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at �鶹��Ƶ College’s <a href="/tickets">Central Ticket Service</a>, located at 67 N. Main Street, in the lobby of the Eric Baker Nord Performing Arts Complex.<br><br>Free Artist Recital Series tickets for enrolled �鶹��Ƶ students are available through the <a href="/artsguide/ticket-information/claim-your-seat">Claim Your Seat</a> program, made possible through the generosity of Richard ’62 and Linda ’62 Clark. <br><br>Learn more about the Arts at �鶹��Ƶ.<br><br>This program is proudly supported by <a href="https://www.ideastream.org/">Ideastream Public Media</a>, official media partner of the Artist Recital Series.</p><p>—</p><p><em>Stephanie Manning ’23 completed her bassoon performance degree at �鶹��Ƶ while finding her way into journalism as a classical music critic. She returned to Cleveland after finishing a graduate diploma in journalism at Concordia University in Montreal. A regular contributor to </em>ClevelandClassical.com<em>, she has also published articles with </em>Signal Cleveland, The Montreal Gazette,<em> and </em>Carnegie Hall.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The acclaimed pianist returns to the Artist Recital Series on April 29 with the charmingly curated “Fancies and Goodnights,” along with works by Mozart and Schubert.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-04-09T12:00:00Z">Thu, 04/09/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">by Stephanie Manning ’23</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2364">Artist Recital Series</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>No Ordinary Woman: Soprano Katherine Jolly Champions New Music and Womanhood in Art Song</h1> <p>kviancou — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 16:57:34 +0000</p> <span>No Ordinary Woman: Soprano Katherine Jolly Champions New Music and Womanhood in Art Song</span> <span><span>kviancou</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-04-06T12:57:34-04:00" title="Monday, April 6, 2026 - 12:57">Mon, 04/06/2026 - 12:57</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><div class="image_resized align-left media-embed-resized" style="width:235px;"> </div> <p>When creating programs for concerts or recording projects, Associate Professor of Voice <a href="/katherine-jolly">Katherine Jolly</a> creates a blend of the familiar and the challenging. In addition to teaching, the soprano is dedicated to growing an audience for art song, an intimate, Western style of composition that places poetry and music on equal footing. “I’m trying to get back to a place where art song is a normal part of life, like it used to be, rather than this obtuse, fancy thing.” </p><p>It’s with this ear for poetry that Jolly released her new album, <a href="https://www.navonarecords.com/catalog/nv6803"><em>No Ordinary Woman</em></a> (Navona Records/PARMA Recordings), in January with pianist Emily Yap Chua. This album, her first since her 2019 debut <em>Preach Sister, Preach</em>, features three song cycles that are intimate reflections on different sorts of love and on womanhood. </p><p>Two were commissioned and composed for Jolly: <em>Nikki’s Love Songs</em>, a song cycle with poetry by writer and civil rights activist Nikki Giovanni set to music by Dominic DiOrio, and <em>Love in Times of War</em>, which contains texts written and set by composer Carla Lucero. Rounding out the album is the 1997 song cycle <em>No Ordinary Woman</em> by former conservatory faculty member Gwyneth Walker, based on poems by the writer and teacher Lucille Clifton. This is the first label recording of this cycle.</p><p>“There's a lot of humor in the melodic treatments, and you can hear it in, for example, Giovanni’s ‘Good Omelet,’” Jolly says of the music on <em>No Ordinary Woman</em>. “You can also hear the humor in Walker’s ‘Homage to My Hair’ and in Lucero’s ‘Electric.’ If I'm going to present something that's a little more challenging for the audience, then there has to be at least one or two sets where people walk away singing something. My goal is to champion living composers and new works, so that we are welcoming current and future audiences to a space where we create beauty and light."</p><p>Jolly recorded the album over a joyful and intense three-day span in �鶹��Ƶ’s Clonick Hall, with brief cat naps in between takes to stay sharp. Below, she discusses the album’s gestation and her passion for making art song accessible to all, reflecting current times and, in this case, women’s journeys. </p><p><strong>What sparked your interest in recording this album?</strong></p><p>I grew up in a highly musical and writer-conscious household. Nikki Giovanni’s book <em>Love Poems</em> came out when I was a junior in college. At the time, I thought, “Someday I want to have these set to a cycle for me.” This is really a long-term career goal and passion project for me. I have relationships with everyone involved in this album. I’m so grateful.</p><p><strong>Did you speak with Giovanni before she passed away in 2024?</strong></p><p>Yes, I reached out to Professor Giovanni in 2020 to ask for her permission to set some of her poetry. I came home one day to a handwritten card from her in the mail. I’m going to frame it; I’ve been an ardent reader and fan of hers for so long. My parents followed her work, long before I was born.</p><p>Nikki graciously affirmed that she would be honored to have some of the poems from her book, <em>Love Poems</em>, set by one of my best friends, Dominic DiOrio, and that she'd be honored if I would sing them. </p><p><strong>Which poems did you choose?</strong></p><p>This particular album is all about love. Nikki’s poetry celebrates different kinds of love—like aging love or playful love that's very sensual or even spicy. Dominic and I chose the poems that resonated with us. Everyone should have this book of poetry; there is something for everyone.</p><p><strong>Let’s talk about the second set, </strong><em><strong>No Ordinary Woman</strong></em><strong>. How did you settle on Lucille Clifton’s poetry?</strong></p><p>Soprano Kylie Kreucher ’23, a junior at the time, was accepted into the prestigious voice program at Music Academy of the West. So we were tasked with creating a program that had a meaningful theme. For Kylie, it was about female empowerment and unheard voices. So I looked for art songs across time periods that spoke to her and found Walker’s “Homage to My Hips.” It was perfect for the theme.</p><p>Then I began exploring the rest of the cycle and programmed it multiple times: on campus; with Cincinnati Song Initiative; and in guest recitals throughout the country. Women around my age or a little older waited post-recital to share about how this cycle, <em>No Ordinary Woman</em>, resonated with them. The final song in the set is really about aging gracefully. This cycle feels very much like how I want to see myself, and my students keep telling me, “Dr. J, I can just hear your laughter in these.”</p><p><strong>And the third set, </strong><em><strong>Love in Times of War?</strong></em></p><p>Carla Lucero has shaken things up in the opera world; she is a force and an incredible composer. This cycle grew out of conversations between us. A lot of what she's written is based on my personality. There are snappy sections and references to cats at the piano, and it grew into an interesting concept to think about falling in love with somebody that you didn't intend to fall in love with. Vocally and musically, it is very challenging, so I look forward to bringing it to audiences and staging it. It was designed to be operatic in scope, and we've talked about orchestrating it and making it a one-woman, one-act orchestral show. </p><p><strong>What’s next for you?</strong></p><p>I’m working on my next album already! I have had a really lovely operatic career; now, mostly I’m focused on recital and chamber works, singing with symphonies, and teaching. Not only am I still singing, I'm singing and creating. So many of my colleagues at �鶹��Ƶ are doing the same, juggling performing, recording, creating, and teaching. What a gift for our students and our community. What a gift for us.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">New album by �鶹��Ƶ associate professor of voice includes three song cycles about womanhood, femininity, and aging gracefully.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-04-06T12:00:00Z">Mon, 04/06/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3341">Conservatory Faculty</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=35596">Voice</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/katherine-jolly" hreflang="und">Katherine Jolly</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>�鶹��Ƶ Music Theater Dives into the Upside Down for "Stranger Sings!"</h1> <p>kviancou — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 13:55:50 +0000</p> <span>�鶹��Ƶ Music Theater Dives into the Upside Down for "Stranger Sings!"</span> <span><span>kviancou</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-04-06T09:55:50-04:00" title="Monday, April 6, 2026 - 09:55">Mon, 04/06/2026 - 09:55</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>�鶹��Ƶ’s Birenbaum Innovation and Performance Space is about to get a little…<em>stranger</em>. </p><p>Beginning April 23, �鶹��Ƶ Music Theater invites audiences to Hawkins, Indiana, circa 1983—a time when hair was bigger and unsupervised children were snatched by interdimensional creatures. The occasion is <a href="/events/jonathan-hogues-stranger-sings-parody-musical"><em>Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical</em></a>, an over-the-top take on the hit Netflix series in all its campy 1980s glory.</p><p>Created by Jonathan Hogue, the award-nominated musical follows Mike, Eleven, Lucas, and Dustin as they face dancing monsters, teenage drama, and a trip to the Upside Down—the name for Hawkins' dark alternate dimension—this time with plenty of laughs. Critics have called the show “screwy” and “non-stop fun,” praising its ability to capture the “glorious nostalgia of the 1980s.”</p><p>Directed by Assistant Professor of Music Theater <a href="/laura-welsh">Laura Welsh</a>, with musical direction by Sarah Nelson and choreography by second-year music theater major Valeria Flores, �鶹��Ƶ’s production leans into the humor and heart of the original production. “I'm a huge sci-fi fan and a child of the ’80s," says Welsh, "and this production is designed to revisit highlights of the series and the decade that inspired it in a joyful and humorous way.”</p><p>That sense of play extends beyond the stage, and Welsh warns that viewers seated in the front rows should be ready to participate. “The first rows are our ‘audience interaction seats’—ticket buyers beware! If you sit there, you will hold props, give high-fives, wear costume pieces, and be incorporated as part of the set.” Viewers sitting further back can still expect a “fun romp through ’80s archetypes” without the expectation of being part of the show.</p><p>Behind the scenes, Welsh adds, students are enjoying the trial and error of comedy. “Comedy is fun, but it’s hard work. Jokes are like math equations—they have to be carefully balanced.” The collaborative process has been especially rewarding: “Our students bring in amazing ideas, and then we shape them together, moment by moment, scene by scene. We all laugh a lot along the way.”</p><hr><p><em><strong>Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical</strong></em><strong> runs April 23 through May 3, with evening performances at 7:30 p.m. Welsh suggests arriving early for pre-show music bingo and prizes. </strong></p><hr><p><strong>CONTENT ADVISORY: </strong><em>Stranger Sings!</em> <em>The Parody Musical</em> contains mature themes and situations, including strong language, suggestive content, and gun violence (including gun shot sound effects). This production also uses strobe lighting, which may affect photosensitive viewers, and theatrical fog and haze throughout the performance.</p><p><em>Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical</em> has no relation to Netflix.<br><br><strong>TICKET INFORMATION: </strong>General admission tickets at $15 ($10 for students and seniors), available <a href="/events/jonathan-hogues-stranger-sings-parody-musical">online</a>, by phone (800-371-0178), or in person by visiting �鶹��Ƶ's Central Ticket Service (67 N. Main St., in the lobby of the Nord Performing Arts Complex) from noon to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Award-nominated parody delivers "screwy...non-stop fun" revisiting the glorious nostalgia of the 1980s.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-04-06T12:00:00Z">Mon, 04/06/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4111">Music Theater</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=476332">Music Theater</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/laura-welsh" hreflang="und">Laura Welsh</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/music-theater" hreflang="und">Music Theater</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>�鶹��Ƶ Faculty Earn Ohio Arts Council Excellence Awards</h1> <p>kviancou — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 20:58:59 +0000</p> <span>�鶹��Ƶ Faculty Earn Ohio Arts Council Excellence Awards</span> <span><span>kviancou</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-03-10T16:58:59-04:00" title="Tuesday, March 10, 2026 - 16:58">Tue, 03/10/2026 - 16:58</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Six faculty members representing �鶹��Ƶ’s creative writing, theater, and music composition programs are among 77 Ohio artists honored by the Ohio Arts Council. Each received a 2026 Individual Excellence Award—a $5,000 grant that recognizes outstanding artistic achievement across a range of disciplines. </p><p>The awards provide artists with the resources to experiment and explore their art forms, develop skills, advance their careers, and receive affirmation and recognition for their outstanding work. The winners were selected through an anonymous, open-panel review process that focused solely on exceptional artistic achievement. </p><p>This year, the Ohio Arts Council received 469 applications from artists across the state. �鶹��Ƶ’s recipients, and their respective award categories, are:</p><ul><li data-list-item-id="ec38c8ef0a8a0430492fc4ed4caa44b0c"><a href="/kari-barclay">Assistant Professor of Theater Kari Barclay</a> (playwriting)</li><li data-list-item-id="e90907cd44b649ee1b7a681dc4a831519"><a href="/emily-barton">Associate Professor and Chair of Creative Writing Emily Barton</a> (arts criticism)</li><li data-list-item-id="e8d07e609b4e48901b60e68684b5c3679"><a href="/amanda-hodes">Lecturer of Creative Writing Amanda Hodes</a> (poetry)</li><li data-list-item-id="ec167f1a6f5fad04510b1f24128792813"><a href="/elizabeth-rogers">Assistant Professor of Creative Writing Elizabeth Lindsey Rogers</a> (poetry)</li><li data-list-item-id="eb0508d81f54009c8d1b16275a243038b"><a href="/ghassan-abou-zeineddine">Assistant Professor of Creative Writing Ghassan Zeineddine</a> (fiction)</li><li data-list-item-id="e25973b4d95c16047973c18972652909c"><a href="/jesse-jones">Associate Professor of Composition Jesse Jones</a> (music composition)</li></ul><p>“Our communities are full of artists who make their livelihoods, hone their crafts, start their businesses, and share their talents right here in the Buckeye State,” says Donna S. Collins, executive director of the Ohio Arts Council. “By supporting outstanding artists, we recognize the value of individual creativity and the essential role that arts and culture play in our lives.”</p><p><a href="https://oac.ohio.gov/home/news-and-events/all-news/iea-fy-2026?fbclid=IwY2xjawPon8ZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEegu5JkMqtuBfAbHyscwLhqmMR7aBtnKjUuLKwA-PQT0XdQnsDOQaAWunQrxQ_aem_7SDIbHZs_kPlM1UJwCTqcQ">Learn more about the awards on the Ohio Arts Council website.</a></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Highly competitive program awards $5,000 grants recognizing outstanding artistic achievement.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-03-10T12:00:00Z">Tue, 03/10/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4290">BA/BFA</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=33331">Composition</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/emily-barton" hreflang="und">Emily Barton</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/jesse-jones" hreflang="und">Jesse Jones</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/kari-barclay" hreflang="und">Kari Barclay</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/amanda-hodes" hreflang="und">Amanda Hodes</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/elizabeth-rogers" hreflang="und">Elizabeth Lindsey Rogers ’07</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/ghassan-abou-zeineddine" hreflang="und">Ghassan Abou-Zeineddine</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/contemporary-music" hreflang="und">Contemporary Music</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">�鶹��Ƶ's Ohio Arts Council honorees for 2026 (clockwise from top left): Kari Barclay, Emily Barton, Amanda Hodes, Jesse Jones, Ghassan Zeineddine, and Elizabeth Lindsey Rogers.<br> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Provocateur and Unifier: Linda May Han Oh Brings Jazz to �鶹��Ƶ</h1> <p>srasmuss — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 16:48:30 +0000</p> <span>Provocateur and Unifier: Linda May Han Oh Brings Jazz to �鶹��Ƶ</span> <span><span>srasmuss</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-03-06T11:48:30-05:00" title="Friday, March 6, 2026 - 11:48">Fri, 03/06/2026 - 11:48</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Jazz, with its focus on improvisation and unique rhythms, is arguably human expression at its freest. It is an art form that rewards boldness, and few artists epitomize boldness more than composer and bassist Linda May Han Oh. Performing <em>The Glass Hours</em> on March 19 in Finney Chapel, Oh and her quintet will bring a stirring energy to �鶹��Ƶ’s Artist Recital Series, uniting audiences through profound, innovative compositions.</p><p>Born in Malaysia and raised in Australia, Oh’s musical career began as a teen playing bass in Red Hot Chili Peppers cover bands. Her love of rock would evolve into a pursuit of jazz, where she enhanced her skills and visibility by performing with masters like Pat Metheny, Joe Lovano, and Dave Douglas. </p><p>From these early collaborations, Oh learned to pay homage to the genre’s roots in her practice. “Jazz has a history that’s born out of struggle,” she says, “I think there’s a necessity, out of respect for that history, to really pay attention to the people who made it what it is.”</p><p>After learning from other musicians, Oh became a bandleader and composer herself, receiving acclaim across the jazz world. She shared the 2023 Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Album with multiple artists for the collaborative work <em>New Standards</em> Vol. 1 and has earned multiple honors as Bassist of the Year from the Jazz Journalists Association. Her career has even extended to film, where she has scored documentaries and contributed to the Oscar-winning soundtrack for Pixar’s <em>Soul</em> (she even makes an animated cameo in the film). </p><p>For her �鶹��Ƶ concert, Oh and her quintet will primarily draw from their 2023 album, <em>The Glass Hours</em>, a meditative work exploring life, time, and the relationship they share. </p><p>Audiences can also look forward to <em>Invisible Threads</em>, an ambitious recent commission that weaves together multiple narratives. “It explores how humanity is bound in extricable ways beyond what we feel and know—that there is more that unites us than separates us,” Oh says of the work.</p><p>Oh will also sample <em>Strange Heavens</em>, a new album released last year. “It’s based on the idea that humans prefer a familiar hell rather than search for an unfamiliar heaven,” she says</p><p>As these synopses show, Oh is unafraid to tackle profound, sometimes challenging themes in her work. “A lot of this music is from personal experience, but also just my desire to express myself … to use this improvised music genre to give out personal messages and emotions that I can’t put into words.” </p><p>For example, the track “Jus Ad Bellum” covers war and draws on the artist’s time studying human rights law. “It is essentially my prayer for peace,” Oh says. The concert will also explore uplifting, hopeful subjects, with “Hatchling” serving as a celebration of life and a letter to Oh’s young son. </p><p>Oh’s intentional use of jazz to explore deep, personal themes traces back to one of her biggest musical inspirations: renowned bassist Charles Mingus. “I’ve always admired his fearlessness and want to embody a bit of that when I play. He’s not afraid to be provocative with his musical voice,” she says. </p><p>Alongside thematic boldness, Oh’s concert will be packed with musical innovation. This includes genre influences ranging from funk to progressive rock, as well as electronic effects programmed by quintet pianist Fabian Almazan. </p><p>The performance will also integrate many improvisations, which Oh credits to the talent of her fellow musicians. “There are ways that we navigate this music each night that are so vastly different. [The musicians] are quick to latch on to different ideas if we decide to take a left turn.”</p><p>Joining Oh will be Almazan on piano, Greg Ward on saxophone, Sara Serpa on voice, and Mark Whitfield Jr. on drums.</p><p>Ultimately, Oh is excited to bring her quintet’s free-spirited approach to �鶹��Ƶ, where, in addition to her concert, she will teach a public workshop on March 19 in the Birenbaum Performance Space. “I have so much respect and admiration for �鶹��Ƶ and what it stands for in terms of art and freedom of expression.”</p><p>She finds that concerts like hers have the power to unite audiences and recalls an experience performing in Chile in 2023 with Pat Metheny. It was Metheny’s first time in the country following the end of Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship. Near the end of the performance, the audience broke into cheers and sang along to one of the pieces. </p><p>“There are moments when you connect with people who really appreciate music and have seen tough times, and it makes it worthwhile,” she observes. Indeed, amid trying times, Oh’s humanist and provocative approach to jazz will be sure to unite audiences in Finney Chapel. </p><p> </p><hr><h4><strong>Concert Details</strong></h4><p><a href="/events/linda-may-han-oh-glass-hours">Linda May Han Oh, <em>The Glass Hours</em></a><br>7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 19, 2025<br>�鶹��Ƶ College Finney Chapel<br>90 N. Professor St.<br>�鶹��Ƶ, OH 44074</p><p>Concert tickets are available <a href="/artsguide/artist-recital-series">online</a> and by phone at 800-371-0178. Patrons may also purchase tickets in person between noon and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at �鶹��Ƶ College’s <a href="/tickets">Central Ticket Service</a>, located at 67 N. Main Street in the lobby of the Eric Baker Nord Performing Arts Complex.</p><p>Free Artist Recital Series tickets for enrolled �鶹��Ƶ students are available through the <a href="/artsguide/ticket-information/claim-your-seat">Claim Your Seat</a> program, made possible through the generosity of Richard ’62 and Linda ’62 Clark. </p><p>Learn more about the <a href="/artsguide">Arts at �鶹��Ƶ</a>.</p><p>This program is proudly supported by <a href="https://www.ideastream.org/">Ideastream Public Media</a>, official media partner of the Artist Recital Series.</p><p> </p><hr><p><em>Zach Terrillion ’24 graduated from �鶹��Ƶ with a major in English, a minor in creative writing, and concentrations in journalism and public humanities. After a year-long term as the marketing and development fellow at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in California, they recently returned to Ohio to support the Conservatory of Music’s artistic programming, including promotion for the Artist Recital Series.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The Grammy-winning bassist and composer brings her quintet to Finney Chapel, exploring connection, resilience, and the power of improvisation to unite audiences.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-03-06T12:00:00Z">Fri, 03/06/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Zach Terrillion ’24</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2364">Artist Recital Series</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>George Lewis Visits �鶹��Ƶ as Part of International Contemporary Ensemble Residency</h1> <p>awillia2 — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 14:38:22 +0000</p> <span>George Lewis Visits �鶹��Ƶ as Part of International Contemporary Ensemble Residency</span> <span><span>awillia2</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-02-23T09:38:22-05:00" title="Monday, February 23, 2026 - 09:38">Mon, 02/23/2026 - 09:38</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Pioneering composer, musicologist, and trombonist George Lewis, whose career includes many connections to �鶹��Ƶ, will return to campus for a series of residency events on February 26 and 27. Lewis’ appearance is part of the conservatory’s two-year partnership with the <a href="https://iceorg.org/" target="_blank">International Contemporary Ensemble</a>, which he has directed since 2022.</p><p>The Edwin H. Case Professor of American Music at Columbia University, Lewis focuses on experimental music, interactive computer music, and improvisation, and on how those areas intersect with race, gender, and decolonization. His accomplishments have earned him membership in organizations like the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, as well as honorary degrees from prestigious institutions such as �鶹��Ƶ and the University of Edinburgh.</p><p>On February 26 and 27, Lewis will present a <a href="/events/guest-lecture-george-lewis" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="38125c57-88f8-458f-b351-4fc708b012ee" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Guest Lecture: George Lewis">guest lecture</a> and lead a <a href="/events/improvisation-george-lewis-way-change" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="0861cb54-111c-489e-808c-acd5c7e3db2f" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Improvisation as a Way of Change">panel discussion</a> on improvisation with Associate Professor of Jazz Voice La Tanya Hall and Associate Professor of Contemporary Music and Improvisation Dana Jessen. His talks will focus on the technical and societal implications of artificial intelligence in music.</p><p>“These issues involve the production of human-machine socialities, and even more crucially, an exploration of what it means to be human, a topic that I feel we can delve into at length at �鶹��Ƶ,” Lewis says.</p><p>From 2013–14, Lewis served as the conservatory’s composer-in-residence, working closely with students and Conductor Tim Weiss. The Contemporary Music Ensemble premiered his piece <em>Flux</em> as part of those activities. During his upcoming visit, the �鶹��Ƶ Sinfonietta will perform his piece <em>Arcades</em> along with Tyshawn Sorey’s <em>For George Lewis</em>.</p><p>“I am looking forward to how the students and faculty perform <em>Arcades</em>, which is a very different kind of work that does not require a conductor,” Lewis says. “The students use the work’s tools to create a version that reflects who they are as individuals and as an ensemble.”</p><p>Weiss says he looks forward to conducting <em>For George Lewis</em>, a one-hour work that Sorey dedicated to one of his composing mentors. “Like a well-tended garden, its long form slowly morphs from a restrained, muted quietude into a gorgeous fabric of color and harmony where fragrant melodies are slowly spun,” Weiss says.</p><p>Lewis assumed the position of artistic director of the International Contemporary Ensemble <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/08/arts/music/george-lewis-international-contemporary-ensemble.html" target="_blank">in 2022</a>, succeeding percussionist Ross Karre ’05, who stepped down to take a faculty position at �鶹��Ƶ. The ensemble was cofounded and led for years by flutist Claire Chase ’01.</p><p>On April 10, the International Contemporary Ensemble will perform a <a href="/events/concert-contemporary-music-ensemble-international-contemporary-ensemble" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="f5ad47ac-3c85-4cc9-bd45-6c90bdd9089f" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Concert: Contemporary Music Ensemble with International Contemporary Ensemble">side-by-side concert</a> with �鶹��Ƶ’s Contemporary Music Ensemble, their second year doing so. Their program, Composing While Black: Volume II, references a term created by Lewis and Harald Kisiedu as the title for their 2023 book.</p><p>This concert is the culmination of events that are part of the International Contemporary Ensemble’s week-long residency. Members of the ensemble will connect with students through master classes and workshops. Alice Teyssier, flute, will teach a <a href="https://calendar.oberlin.edu/event/guest-master-class-alice-teyssier-flute">guest master class</a>, and will also co-lead a <a href="https://calendar.oberlin.edu/event/guest-lecture-alice-teyssier-damian-norfleet-composition">guest lecture in composition</a> with performer-composer Damian Norfleet. Dan Lippel, guitar, will teach a <a href="https://calendar.oberlin.edu/event/guest-master-class-dan-lippel-guitar">guest master class</a> and violinist Modney will lead a <a href="https://calendar.oberlin.edu/event/just-intonation-ii-presentation">presentation</a> on Just Intonation. These four International Contemporary Ensemble artists will also perform in the concert with the Contemporary Music Ensemble at the end of the week.<br><br>The Composing While Black book and concept “showcase Afrodiasporic contemporary and experimental music as an international, intercultural, and intergenerational space of innovation,” Lewis says. The concept “has now been taken up by ensembles and even major orchestras in Europe and the U.S., positioning �鶹��Ƶ College as an early adopter and a source of innovation itself.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The ensemble’s artistic director will lead a guest lecture and panel discussion, and the �鶹��Ƶ Sinfonietta will present a concert of music by and for him.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-02-24T12:00:00Z">Tue, 02/24/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Stephanie Manning ’23</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Courtesy of George Lewis</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-48270" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <div class="basic-box basic-box--yellow-outline"><h2 class="h3">Residency and Concert Details</h2><p><strong>Upcoming events:</strong></p><p><a href="https://calendar.oberlin.edu/event/guest-master-class-alice-teyssier-flute">Guest Master Class: Alice Teyssier, flute</a><br>Monday, April 6 | 4:00 PM | Stull Hall</p><p><a href="https://calendar.oberlin.edu/event/just-intonation-ii-presentation">Ciaccona with Just Intonation: A Practical Guide to Violin Tuning</a><br>Monday, April 6 | 4:30 - 6:00 PM | Bibbins Hall Room 223 <br><br><a href="https://calendar.oberlin.edu/event/guest-master-class-dan-lippel-guitar">Guest Master Class: Dan Lippel, guitar</a><br>Wednesday, April 8 | 4:30 - 7:30 PM<br><br><a href="https://calendar.oberlin.edu/event/guest-lecture-alice-teyssier-damian-norfleet-composition">Guest Lecture: Alice Teyssier & Damian Norfleet, composition</a><br>Thursday, April 9 | 4:30 - 6:00 PM | Bibbins Hall, Room 224</p><p><a href="https://calendar.oberlin.edu/event/concert-contemporary-music-ensemble-with-international-contemporary-ensemble">Concert: Contemporary Music Ensemble with International Contemporary Ensemble</a><br>Friday, April 10 | 7:30 PM | Warner Concert Hall</p><p> </p><p><strong>Past 2026 Residency Events:</strong></p><p><a href="/events/guest-lecture-george-lewis" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="38125c57-88f8-458f-b351-4fc708b012ee" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Guest Lecture: George Lewis">Guest Lecture: George Lewis</a><br>Thursday, February 26 | 4:30–6:30 p.m. | Clonick Hall</p><p><a href="/events/concert-oberlin-sinfonietta-3014" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="183fed63-7c0a-4c14-bf7e-7bf8b05c84c0" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Concert: �鶹��Ƶ Sinfonietta">Concert: �鶹��Ƶ Sinfonietta</a><br>Thursday, February 26 | 7:30 p.m. | Warner Concert Hall</p><p><a href="/events/improvisation-george-lewis-way-change" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="0861cb54-111c-489e-808c-acd5c7e3db2f" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Improvisation as a Way of Change">Improvisation as a Way of Change</a><br>Friday, February 27 | 3:30–5 p.m. | The Birenbaum</p><p><a href="/events/george-lewis-residency-event-composing-while-black" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="4c188f52-0563-40e6-8fe4-ec6f108ffb1e" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="George Lewis Residency Event: Composing While Black">George Lewis Residency Event: Composing While Black</a><br>Friday, February 27 | 6–7:30 p.m. | The Birenbaum</p></div> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-48271" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <hr><p><em><strong>Stephanie Manning ’23</strong> completed her bassoon performance degree at �鶹��Ƶ while finding her way into journalism as a classical music critic. She returned to Cleveland after finishing a graduate diploma in journalism at Concordia University in Montreal. A regular contributor to </em>ClevelandClassical.com<em>, she has also published articles with </em>Signal Cleveland, The Montreal Gazette, <em>and</em> Carnegie Hall.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>�鶹��Ƶ Opera Theater Presents “Later the Same Evening and Bastianello”</h1> <p>awillia2 — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 17:51:29 +0000</p> <span>�鶹��Ƶ Opera Theater Presents “Later the Same Evening and Bastianello”</span> <span><span>awillia2</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-02-19T12:51:29-05:00" title="Thursday, February 19, 2026 - 12:51">Thu, 02/19/2026 - 12:51</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>From March 5 through 7, �鶹��Ƶ Opera Theater will transform paintings and folktale into living drama in <em>Later the Same Evening</em> and <em>Bastianello, </em>with music by John Musto and libretti by Mark Campbell. The double bill, performed by �鶹��Ƶ opera students, offers a rare opportunity for students to work directly with Musto and gain firsthand insight into the music.</p><p>Built around five paintings by Edward Hopper, <em>Later the Same Evening</em> is a one-act opera that follows the individual and intertwined romantic journeys of characters inspired by <em>Room in New York</em>, <em>Hotel Window</em>, <em>Hotel Room</em>, <em>Two on the Aisle</em>, and <em>Automat</em>. While Hopper’s paintings illustrate stillness and solitude, the opera imagines lives that unfold beyond the frame. Set in New York City, the characters’ individual stories intersect when they all find themselves in the same Broadway theater watching the same fictional show.</p><p>That scene is particularly striking, explains composer Musto, because “no one sings at all.” Yet earlier scenes include “allusions to tunes that are in this fictional show.” One of these fictional tunes, “Where is the Man in Manhattan?," is so convincing that, according to Musto, “somebody called the opera office and wanted to know where they could find the music to that old song.” The humor, he notes, is that “there wasn’t any song”—it exists only in the fictional musical <em>Tell Me Tomorrow. </em>While the show tunes may be imagined, the world of <em>Later the Same Evening</em> paints a very real human experience of love in all its stages.</p><p><em>Later the Same Evening </em>is uniquely balanced by <em>Bastianello</em>, an absurd one-act opera by the same composer and librettist. Based on an Italian folktale often compared to “The Three Sillies,” the opera follows Luciano, a husband who—after declaring his wife, father-in-law, and even his own mother to be stupid—sets out to find six people “more foolish, more idiotic, truly stupider, and more without a clue.” Along the way, he encounters a series of absurd characters with equally absurd problems, which Luciano helps to solve. </p><p>Composer Musto praises Campbell’s “genius,” noting that while <em>Bastianello</em> "originally read… very, very comedic,” Campbell "turned it very serious at the end,” a shift that really turned it into an opera… because of that last scene.” Due to Campbell’s expert storytelling and skillful balance of humor and seriousness, <em>Bastienello</em> is full of delightful absurdity and laughter while also exploring deeper, more human themes.</p><p>This double bill is expertly led and put together by Guest Stage Director Scott Skiba ’03 and Conductor Timothy Weiss, professor of conducting and director of the Contemporary Music Ensemble and �鶹��Ƶ Sinfonietta. </p><p>Although Skiba has maintained a relationship with �鶹��Ƶ since his graduation in 2003—returning for �鶹��Ƶ in Italy and several Winter Term operas—he is excited to be back, directing in the room where, in 1997, he discovered that he wanted to “work with singing-actors and help them on their journey to become more compelling, more believable, more dynamic.” He emphasizes that working on newer operas is “an especially good vehicle for talented students to learn,” because there’s no definitive performance of <em>Later the Same Evening</em> or <em>Bastianello.</em>” “It’s a blank canvas, more or less,” he says.</p><p>Skiba hopes the production will draw new audiences to the opera, pointing to the “beautiful moments of melodic writing and poignant, inspiring words” from both composer Musto and librettist Campbell. “You will laugh, you will cry, you get to see a lot of talented students,” he says, highlighting the unique balance between the two stories and the energy and work brought by the students of �鶹��Ƶ Opera Theater.</p><p>Conductor Weiss, who frequently works with contemporary music, highlights the unique challenge of performing newer works such as <em>Later the Same Evening </em>and <em>Bastianello. </em>“There’s not a lot of performance history to go on,” he explains, so even though �鶹��Ƶ Opera Theater “is not the first to do it, there’s an element of making the wheel, inventing the wheel, or at least remaking a wheel that was just made.” Weiss emphasizes that when working on newer compositions, “it’s always best to do it in consultation—or with—the composer,” which was an experience offered to both staff and students by the John Musto residency. </p><p>Weiss says there are many reasons to see these operas: “Comedy—there's ridiculous slapstick comedy. There’s uncontrollable, laugh-out-loud, belly-laugh funny moments, but there are also some incredibly tender, emotional scenes.” And in true �鶹��Ƶ fashion, he adds, “It's cold outside…the weather has been miserable, and this is a way to come together and just bask in the glow.”</p><p>Performances will be held in Hall Auditorium from March 5 through 7 at 8 p.m., and March 8 at 2 p.m. Tickets are now available online at the <a href="/artsguide/opera" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="f8f47558-9014-44a3-a1c8-42857cf91a24" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Opera 2025-26 Season">�鶹��Ƶ College Artsguide</a>. Reserved seating is $15, while discounted tickets for students, faculty, alumni, and senior citizens are available for $10.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Spring production features two one-act operas with music by John Musto and librettos by Mark Campbell.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-02-19T12:00:00Z">Thu, 02/19/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Kailey Pritchard ’26</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3873">�鶹��Ƶ Opera Theater</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=32971">Opera Theater</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=35596">Voice</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-48236" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <hr><p><em>Kailey Pritchard ’26 is a fourth-year voice major and a student communications assistant for the Office of Conservatory Communications. She is a member of the cast of this spring’s opera production.</em></p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Yasuhito Sugiyama Joins �鶹��Ƶ Conservatory Faculty as Visiting Assistant Professor of Tuba</h1> <p>awillia2 — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 22:01:46 +0000</p> <span>Yasuhito Sugiyama Joins �鶹��Ƶ Conservatory Faculty as Visiting Assistant Professor of Tuba</span> <span><span>awillia2</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-02-02T17:01:46-05:00" title="Monday, February 2, 2026 - 17:01">Mon, 02/02/2026 - 17:01</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Yasuhito Sugiyama joins the <a href="/conservatory" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="c9a9d04b-de53-47ef-8849-cb239abb537d" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Conservatory of Music">�鶹��Ƶ Conservatory</a> faculty this spring as a visiting assistant professor of <a href="/tuba" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="e880513e-014f-4a15-9931-3a954da91723" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Tuba">tuba</a>. A member of the Cleveland Orchestra since 2006, Sugiyama brings extensive performance and teaching experience to �鶹��Ƶ.</p><p>“We are beyond thrilled that Yasuhito Sugiyama, the principal tubist and a real star of the Cleveland Orchestra, has joined us at �鶹��Ƶ,” says Professor of Flute <a href="/alexa-still" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="3e1a79cf-02ac-4e57-9622-e4380853f2f0" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Alexa Still">Alexa Still</a>. “We’ve all been so inspired by his playing in the orchestra.”</p><p>Sugiyama began his professional career with the Kyoto Symphony Orchestra, followed by stints with the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra and Osaka Symphoniker. In 1997, he joined the New Japan Philharmonic and began performing with the Saito Kinen Orchestra. </p><p>He soon distinguished himself as a soloist, appearing with the New Japan Philharmonic in a 1998 performance of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Tuba Concerto and presenting solo recitals in Tokyo and Osaka the following year. </p><p>In 2003, Sugiyama became the first Asian musician to join the orchestra of the Vienna State Opera. He appeared in the 2005 Vienna Philharmonic New Year’s Concert under the baton of Lorin Maazel. He remained with the Vienna Philharmonic until September of that year before joining the Cleveland Orchestra.</p><p>A dedicated educator, Sugiyama has taught at the Cleveland Institute of Music and serves as a guest professor at Soai University and Tokyo College of Music. He has given master classes at institutions such as Indiana University, the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and Northwestern University.</p><p>“With such an illustrious performance career, it’s obvious that Yasuhito brings a wealth of experience to his teaching and coaching,” Still says. “He is also renowned for his pedagogy, and we are really excited for our �鶹��Ƶ students to benefit from that, too.”</p><p>A native of Hyogo, Japan, Sugiyama is a graduate of Soai University in Osaka, where he studied with Shuzo Karakawa of the Osaka Philharmonic. He also studied with Rex Martin at Northwestern University and with Robert Tucci of the Bavarian State Opera and the Munich Philharmonic. Other principal teachers include Shigeo Takeda, Fuminori Ogata, and Ronald Bishop. He studied chamber music with Shinichi Go.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The principal tuba player at the Cleveland Orchestra is a globally renowned performer and dedicated educator</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-02-10T12:00:00Z">Tue, 02/10/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=37356">Tuba</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/yasuhito-sugiyama" hreflang="en">Yasuhito Sugiyama</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/winds-brass-and-percussion" hreflang="und">Winds, Brass, and Percussion</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Courtesy of Yasuhito Sugiyama</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Creating Their Own Canon: The American Brass Quintet at �鶹��Ƶ College</h1> <p>awillia2 — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 19:05:50 +0000</p> <span>Creating Their Own Canon: The American Brass Quintet at �鶹��Ƶ College</span> <span><span>awillia2</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-02-03T14:05:50-05:00" title="Tuesday, February 3, 2026 - 14:05">Tue, 02/03/2026 - 14:05</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The American Brass Quintet is a group known for distinguishing itself from standard brass chamber music ensembles. First formed in 1960, the American Brass Quintet emerged at a time when new music for brass instruments was rare. Seeking to fill this void, the group chose to focus almost entirely on performing works they commission from living composers. The Quintet’s Emerging Composers Program specifically produces quintets by rising stars in the field. As of today, the quintet has premiered more than 150 new works for brass, performed across five continents, and is regarded as one of the premier chamber groups. </p><p>“This is a legacy we have carried on,” says trombonist Hillary Simms, who joined the group in 2023. “We don’t play any arrangements of popular classical music.”</p><p>The group will showcase its focus on innovative new works at its �鶹��Ƶ concert, hoping to captivate the audience through a variety of music and emotions.</p><p>One program highlight will be <em>Sacred Geometry</em>, a striking work by David Biedenbender inspired by the architecture of Antoni Gaudí, who designed the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. “[The piece] is spectacular, energetic, emotional, and lively,” says trombonist John D. Rojack, “with a nod to heavy metal rock at the end.”</p><p>Audiences should also look forward to <em>Quinteto Concertante</em> by Osvaldo Lacerda, with movements reminiscent of Brazilian folk music that zero in on each instrument. The ensemble will play the spirited first movement of<em> Book of Brass</em>, a quartet devised for the group by the Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Jennifer Higdon.</p><p>Additional contemporary pieces will include Philip Lasser’s <em>Common Heroes, Uncommon Land</em>, which features spoken-word sections, and Anthony Barfield’s <em>Samsara, </em>a beautifully written homage to the Buddhist concept of rebirth by one of the quintet’s former students. </p><p>The one technically classical work in the program, a Baroque piece by John Dowland titled <em>Can She Excuse My Wrongs?</em>, has a modern twist first popularized by Sting.</p><p>Rojack considers the concert more of a film than a movie, saying, “It will be something you can discuss and think about, and it stays with you for days after you leave… It still surprises me how often people say that they had no idea brass could do the things we did.”</p><p>In addition to its performance at Finney Chapel, the American Brass Quintet will hold an educational residency on campus, leading multiple master classes on different instruments. These efforts are part of the group’s additional focus on educational initiatives, which have included being faculty-in-residence at the Juilliard School. </p><p>The quintet’s horn, Eric Reed, expressed great excitement about working with �鶹��Ƶ students: “It’s a kind of perfect fit for us to do a residency here, where we know that chamber music and contemporary music are highly valued.”</p><p>Quintet members will also lead a career talk for students navigating work in the music industry. “We can open up the floor and address that there is not just a single path in our business,” Reid says. </p><p>Ultimately, the American Brass Quintet stands out for its focus on the future. In line with this focus, Hillary Simms recalls one of her first assignments in the ensemble: playing in the premiere of the Barfield piece included in the �鶹��Ƶ program. She points out the level of creative freedom she had in bringing this piece to life. </p><p>“It has a big trombone cadenza in the middle of it…and [the group] gave me free rein artistically on what to do with it, so it just felt amazing to join a group that let me do that.” </p><p>Whether through an intentional focus on new commissions by renowned and emerging composers, the creative freedom given to its members, or initiatives that educate the next generation of players, these five musicians are creating their own canon for what brass can be for decades to come.</p><p>For a final word on the upcoming concert, Rojack emphasized the joy it will bring alongside its innovation. “In our current climate, we need something that helps everybody feel great. That will leave people smiling and thinking for a while.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Les Misérables on Broadway. Yo-Yo Ma. The Sala Sao Paulo. Metallica. What do these musical names all have in common? They are the professional connections you can find among the members of the American Brass Quintet, set to perform in �鶹��Ƶ on Friday, February 20.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-02-04T12:00:00Z">Wed, 02/04/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Zach Terrillion ’24</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2364">Artist Recital Series</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Courtesy of the American Brass Quintet</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-47741" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <div class="basic-box basic-box--faint"><h2 class="h3">Concert Details</h2><p><a href="/events/american-brass-quintet" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="7b2dbedb-dbab-46b7-bc34-07360fc90ea8" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="American Brass Quintet">The American Brass Quintet</a><br>7:30 p.m. Friday, February 20, 2025<br>�鶹��Ƶ College Finney Chapel<br>90 N. Professor St.�鶹��Ƶ, OH 44074</p><p>Concert tickets are available <a href="/artsguide/artist-recital-series" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="45aa0e3b-e65d-412a-8bf3-ebef6e94c55b" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Artist Recital Series">online</a> and by phone at 800-371-0178. Patrons may also purchase them in person between noon and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at �鶹��Ƶ College’s <a href="/tickets" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="429cc5fb-5f26-481e-b0e5-b64e579b8fce" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Central Ticket Service">Central Ticket Service</a>, located at 67 N. Main Street, in the lobby of the Eric Baker Nord Performing Arts Complex.</p><p>Free Artist Recital Series tickets for enrolled �鶹��Ƶ students are available through the <a href="/artsguide/ticket-information/claim-your-seat" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="c8ebe5e1-a9b0-4ab1-8c72-30bbaf6c5d6a" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Free Artist Recital Tickets for Students">Claim Your Seat</a> program, made possible through the generosity of Richard ’62 and Linda ’62 Clark. </p><p>Learn more about the <a href="/artsguide" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="c8c7f4d5-b181-4ea9-b07e-662bee9d48cd" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Arts at �鶹��Ƶ">Arts at �鶹��Ƶ</a>.</p><p>This program is proudly supported by <a href="https://www.ideastream.org/" target="_blank">Ideastream Public Media</a>, official media partner of the Artist Recital Series.</p></div> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-47742" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <hr><p><em><strong>Zach Terrillion ’24</strong> graduated from �鶹��Ƶ with a major in English, minor in creative writing, and concentrations in journalism and public humanities. After a year-long term as the marketing and development fellow at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in California, they have recently returned to Ohio to support the Conservatory of Music’s artistic programming, including promotion for the Artist Recital Series.</em></p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>The Enduring Relevance of “Spring Awakening”</h1> <p>awillia2 — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 19:12:14 +0000</p> <span>The Enduring Relevance of “Spring Awakening”</span> <span><span>awillia2</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-01-29T14:12:14-05:00" title="Thursday, January 29, 2026 - 14:12">Thu, 01/29/2026 - 14:12</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>�鶹��Ƶ Music Theater marks its inaugural collaboration with Beck Center for the Arts in February with the musical <em>Spring Awakening</em>, bringing a powerful, timely coming-of-age story to the stage. “The stories that we’re telling in this are, unfortunately, incredibly relevant,” says director and professor of music theater <a href="/victoria-bussert" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="cf36b3f7-a94a-452f-a17d-cc66585aa6ac" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Victoria Bussert">Victoria Bussert</a>.</p><p>Though set in 19th-century Germany, the musical confronts issues that are contemporary and heavy, such as sexuality, abuse, abortion, and suicide. It follows a group of repressed teenagers whose frustration with the unfairness of society ultimately boils over, most notably in the Act II ensemble number “Totally F---ed.” In that moment, the cast storms the stage, leaving chairs scattered behind them. </p><p>Based on the play by Frank Wedekind, <em>Spring Awakening</em> features a book and lyrics by Steven Sater and a rock-influenced score by Duncan Sheik. Bussert leads the creative team alongside music director <a href="/matthew-webb" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="8644a9ba-1288-4545-b080-c427e6ef9b0f" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Matthew Webb">Matthew Webb</a> and choreographer <a href="/lauren-marousek" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="7fb06a76-e51b-4d3f-8363-a7d1c64cf9c9" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Lauren Marousek">Lauren Marousek</a>, both �鶹��Ƶ faculty members.</p><p>Bussert has directed the show twice before, including at the height of the COVID pandemic, but says, “ This is easily the most intense because of what’s going on in society today.” For Bussert, a sobering moment of realization came when <em>Roe v. Wade</em> was overturned in 2022. “That very day, I said, ‘We need to do <em>Spring Awakening</em> again.’ We’re forgetting the result of women not having autonomy over their bodies.”</p><p>For the choreography, Marousek drew from the score’s alternative rock influences. “ So much of when they break into song is inner life coming out,” she says. “They move differently during the rock songs versus during the scenes as school kids.”</p><p>She added that rehearsing during �鶹��Ƶ’s winter term—a four-week immersive, non-classroom learning period—has allowed the group to focus deeply with minimal distraction. “It’s been a true professional rehearsal process.”</p><p>Adding to the professionalism is the show’s venue, Beck Center for the Arts in Lakewood, which hosts the 14-performance run. “ It’s really important in students’ training that not all of their experiences be on campus,” Bussert says. Having the actors work with a prestigious theater “ helps bridge that gap between being a college student and entering the industry.”</p><p>Beck Center also helped bring in set designer and lighting designer Trad Burns, whose contribution Marousek describes as “epic.” Bussert agrees. “He went full-fledged German expressionism, creating a shattered world.”</p><p>The impressive central staircase is flanked by two lower staircases with platforms on the side. These spaces are home base for Anjanette Hall and Matthew Wright, the pair of actors and �鶹��Ƶ faculty who portray all the adult characters in the show. </p><p>Before audiences come to see it for themselves, they should know that <em>Spring Awakening </em>“is not going to be for everybody,” Bussert says. “It’s an intense piece of theater” — one with a difficult, but important message.</p><p>“One of the things I think is important to discuss with the students about our art form is its very wide audience reach,” she adds. “It is our duty, especially at �鶹��Ƶ, to produce pieces that will inspire curiosity, conversation, and thought.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">�鶹��Ƶ Music Theater stages the Tony Award–winning musical at Beck Center for the Arts from February 12 to March 1.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-01-29T12:00:00Z">Thu, 01/29/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Stephanie Manning ’23</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3878">Conservatory of Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4111">Music Theater</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/victoria-bussert" hreflang="und">Victoria Bussert</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/lauren-marousek" hreflang="und">Lauren Marousek</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/matthew-webb" hreflang="und">Matthew Webb</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/music-theater" hreflang="und">Music Theater</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-47625" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <div class="basic-box basic-box--faint"><h2 class="h3">Event Details</h2><p><a href="https://calendar.oberlin.edu/event/oberlin-at-beck-center-for-the-arts-2026-spring-awakening" target="_blank">�鶹��Ƶ at Beck Center for the Arts 2026: <em>Spring Awakening</em></a><br>February 13- March 1, 2026<br><a href="https://beckcenter.org/theater" target="_blank">Beck Center for the Arts</a><br>17801 Detroit Avenue<br>Lakewood, Ohio 44107</p><p>Tickets: $20 - $40</p><div style="background-color:#EFEEEC;padding:10px 20px;"><p><strong>Content Advisory</strong><br><em>Spring Awakening</em> contains mature themes and situations, including discussions of consent, sexuality, coming out, mental health, body autonomy, and mention of teenage suicide/gun violence. The production also includes depictions of sexual activity. Recommended for mature audiences.</p><p><em>Spring Awakening</em> is presented through a special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. <a href="http://mtishows.com" target="_blank">mtishows.com</a></p></div></div> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-47626" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <hr><p><em><strong>Stephanie Manning ’23</strong> completed her bassoon performance degree at �鶹��Ƶ while finding her way into journalism as a classical music critic. She returned to Cleveland after finishing a graduate diploma in journalism at Concordia University in Montreal. A regular contributor to </em>ClevelandClassical.com<em>, she has also published articles with </em>Signal Cleveland, The Montreal Gazette, <em>and</em> Carnegie Hall.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> </main></body></html>