Cincinnati Music Hall at night.

An entity called the Music Hall Revitalization Corporation has been formed to implement long-stalled plans to renovate Cincinnati's 133-year-old Music Hall.  It has been a contentious effort, involving four tenant organizations with disparate needs and a sacrosanct identity inseparable, it seems, from that of the city itself. 
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Entrance to Carnegie Hall, 57th St. New York

The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra under the baton of music director Paavo Järvi, performed in New York's Carnegie Hall Feb. 15 for the first time in five years.  Cincinnati supporters and others celebrated afterward at Seppi's restaurant just around the corner from Carnegie Hall on W. 56th St.
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Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra president Trey Devey

In response to speculation, by the media and otherwise, about important issues currently facing the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, CSO president Trey Devey issued a statement to CSO subscribers and friends Feb. 11.  In it, Devey addresses questions about the financial condition of the orchestra in view of the $85 million gift by Cincinnati arts patron Louise Nippert in December, the status of plans to renovate Music Hall, and the simultaneous search for a new CSO music director and a new Cincinnati Pops conductor.  Both positions became open this season, with music director Paavo Järvi's announcement Jan. 7 that he will not renew his contract at the end of the 2010-2011 season, and Pops conductor Erich Kunzel's death from cancer Sept. 1. 
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Northside Tavern, Hamilton Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio

The revolution has come to classical music.  "Classical Revolution," that is, a nation-wide movement to take classical music to the people (instead of expecting the people to come to classical music).   Founded in San Francisco in 2006, non-profit "Classical Revolution" has a chapter in Cincinnati now.  Happenings -- concert is too formal a word -- take place the first Sunday of each month at Northside Tavern on Hamilton Avenue in Northside.
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Very precious life-affirming document

Papers?  Passport?  Limbo?  Here's what can happen if you become separated from that very precious, life-affirming document. (With thanks to Communications Director Christopher Pinelo and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, who shared their own cautionary tale from the CSO tour of Japan in October-November, 2009).
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Both Cincinnati Ballet and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra are keeping Cincinnati's arts profile high these days despite the troubled economy.  The ballet collaborated with Columbus' Ballet/Met in a splendid production of "Swan Lake" in both cities October 16-25.  The CSO, led by music director Paavo Järvi, is in Japan on a two-week tour calculated to maintain and enhance its image as a world class orchestra. The tour was fully paid for in advance through a combination of presenter's fees and donations by a cadre of generous CSO supporters.
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Scene from 2009 Leigo Lake Music Days

One of the more impressive experiences in my travels to hear music outside Cincinnati was at Leigo Lakes in Estonia in August, 2008.  It was a marathon event, a Järvid järvedel (järv means “lake” in Estonian) lasting from 5 p.m. until midnight.  Performing were  members of the Järvi family of Estonia (Neeme Järvi, his children Paavo, Kristjan and Maarika and numerous nieces, nephews and in-laws).  Reporting this year from Leigo is Pärnu resident Kristiina Viherpuu, who also sent fabulous photos.

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Cincinnati Pops conductor Erich Kunzel has been named honorary artistic director of the World Choir Games, to be held in Cincinnati in 2012.  Dubbed the "Olympics of choral music," the event takes place every two years on a different continent.  It will be the first time the competition, the largest of its kind in the world, has been hosted by a U.S. city.
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Crystal chandelier, Music Hall, Cincinnati

Allegretto grazioso marks the third movement of Johannes Brahms' Sonata in F Minor for Viola and Piano and might make a graceful heading for a blog.  It seems to fit this August 6 posting about the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra's just-concluded 2008-2009 season.
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Apologies to Steve Reich, but you know it's gonna rain in Cincinnati.  It happens rather sooner than later, given a drought once in a while.
  Atmospherics May 24, 2009:  "Wired," the new student-organized string band at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, sounds like more than 17 players.
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This space was created to accommodate "small bits" (and larger) relating to news, current events and issues that may be of interest to readers of this web site.  Here's a tip on what to do this weekend.
   Pianist Awadagin Pratt and students at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music have created their own "string band" called Wired.  Wired performs at 8 p.m. May 23 in Robert Werner Recital Hall at CCM, head-to-head with the Cincinnati May Festival's performance of "Luisa Miller" by Verdi at Music Hall.
   Pratt, artist-in-residence at CCM -- and a violinist as well as a pianist -- will lead a program whose very titles invite listeners, with music by Dvorak, Vivaldi, Haydn, Barber, Mahler and Mendelssohn.  P.S. it's free.
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"Music Discovery Project" flyer

Paavo Järvi, "The Planets" and Berlin DJ Paul van Dyk meet in Frankfurt.
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Please check back soon for posts in our new blog!

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