CCM Celebrates the 200th Anniversary of Verdi’s Birth With Performances of ‘Requiem’

Photography by Dottie Stover.

CCM’s Philharmonia Orchestra, Chamber Choir and Chorale will present a rare two-evening run of Giuseppi Verdi’s Requiem at 8 p.m. on both Friday, Feb. 1, and Saturday, Feb. 2, in UC’s Corbett Auditorium. Tickets are on sale now.

CCM mounts these performances in celebration of the 200th anniversary of the composer’s birth, which will be Oct. 10, 2013. Huge choral and orchestral forces come together for this highlight of the 2013 CCM Orchestra Series, with choirs prepared by Earl Rivers, director of Choral Studies, and Brett Scott, Choral Studies faculty member, as well as performances led by Maestro Mark Gibson, director of Orchestral Studies and of the CCM Philharmonia.

Soloists for both performances include:

• CCM alumna Helen Lyons, soprano, who most recently returned to sing the title role in CCM’s acclaimed 2011 concert performance of Puccini’s Turandot;
• Leah de Gruyl, mezzo soprano, who sang Mother Goose in CCM’s Mainstage production of Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress in 2012;
• CCM alumnus Daniel Weeks, tenor, who was both a national finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and the winner of the National Federation of Music Clubs’ Young Artist Competition.
• Andrew Funk, bass, who recently performed with Opera Lyra Ottawa, San Francisco Opera, Opera Boston, Arizona Opera and Chicago Opera Theater.
• Yi Li, tenor, a winner of the CCM 2012 Opera Scholarship Competition and Musical America’s “New Artist of the Month” for March 2012;
• Nathan Stark, bass, who recently served as a cover in Britten’s Billy Budd at the Metropolitan Opera.

Ariel String Quartet’s Inaugural CCM Concert Series Continues Dec. 4

The Ariel String Quartet at CCM. Courtesy of The Enquirer/ Liz Dufour

The Ariel String Quartet‘s inaugural CCM concert series continues at 8 p.m. next Tuesday, Dec. 4 in UC’s Robert J. Werner Recital Hall. Winners of the Fischoff Grand Prize, the Quartet’s program is scheduled to include:

• Erwin Schulhoff: String Quartet No.1
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: String Quartet No. 21 in D Major, KV 575
• Johannes Brahms: Piano Quintet in F Minor, Op. 34 (featuring James Tocco, piano)

Last month, the Quartet visited CET, Cincinnati Public Television to record an episode of Showcase with Barbara Kellar. You can view the entire episode here.

Earlier last month, Musical America also featured the Ariel Quartet in its New Artist Spotlight! You can view the profile here.

‘Musical America’ Names Ariel String Quartet New Artists of the Month

Musical America has selected the Ariel String Quartet for its New Artist Spotlight this month!

Learn more about the Quartet, including its connection to the LaSalle Quartet (CCM’s storied quartet-in-residence from 1953-88) by reading Musical America‘s feature here.

The Ariel Quartet’s 2012-13 CCM concert series continues on Tuesday, Dec. 4. Learn more about their inaugural season at CCM here.

Guest Artist Massimo La Rosa Presents ANFE Benefit Concert on April 3

Guest Artist Massimo La Rosa.

On Tuesday, April 3, the Consulate of Italy in Detroit and CCM are pleased to present a benefit concert for the Associazione Nazionale Famiglie Emigrati’s (National Association of Immigrant Families or ANFE) Light of Life Fund featuring Massimo La Rosa, principal trombone for the Cleveland Orchestra, accompanied by Elizabeth DeMio, pianist.

The concert begins at 8 p.m. in CCM’s Robert J. Werner Recital Hall. Tickets to the concert are $15 general admission and $10 for children 12 and under and can be purchased at the door. For additional information, please contact the ANFE at anfe.benefitconcert.cincinnati@gmail.com or 216-501-3063.

Musical America Names CCM Student as ‘New Artist of the Month’ for March 2012

Artist Diploma candidate Yi Li with Mark Gibson and the CCM Philharmonia.

Congratulations to first-year Artist Diploma candidate Yi Li for being named “New Artist of the Month” by Musical America! Each month, Musical America spotlights an important emerging talent with an in-depth profile. You can view Li’s profile here.