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PAGE 3
A Message from André Gremillet, President & CEO of The Cleveland Orchestra
PAGE 7
INTRODUCTION
PAGE 9
Bronfman Plays Rachmaninoff Elim Chan, conductor
Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30 (page 10) by Sergei Rachmaninoff Yefim Bronfman, piano
Symphonic Dances, Op. 45 (page 14) by Sergei Rachmaninoff
Artist & conductor biographies (page 21)
PAGE 31
TCO SPOTLIGHT
Feature articles, musician interviews & season calendar
PAGE 45
IN THE NEWS
Noteworthy happenings at The Cleveland Orchestra
PAGE 50
SNAPSHOTS
Photo highlights from recent Cleveland Orchestra events
PAGE 54
THANK YOU
The community that brings the music to life
ON BEHALF OF THE MUSICIANS , staff, board, and volunteers of The Cleveland Orchestra, I am thrilled to welcome you to our 2024–25 season at Severance Music Center!
After a successful and critically acclaimed European tour with Music Director Franz Welser-Möst and pianist Víkingur Ólafsson earlier this month, we return home invigorated and excited to embark on a new and extraordinary year of music-making with you.
This year’s programming promises to be both ambitious and eclectic. There’s truly something to captivate every taste, from cherished classics and groundbreaking premieres to unforgettable recitals, movie presentations, family concerts, and digital productions on Adella.live, our growing digital home. The season culminates with our third annual Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Opera & Humanities Festival, centered this year around Janáček’s Jenůfa.
We kicked off the season last week in Mandel Concert Hall with Tchaikovsky’s Sixth Symphony, “Pathétique,” a poignant work the composer premiered shortly before his death. Frank Peter Zimmermann also joined the Orchestra in Robert Schumann’s rarely performed Violin Concerto. As you may know, Franz was unfortunately unable to join us for this opening week, but I am pleased to share that he is recovering well following our recent tour. We are grateful to Osmo Vänskä for graciously stepping in to lead these performances.
We’re equally grateful to conductor Elim Chan for accepting to lead this week’s program as she joins Yefim Bronfman for four performances of Rachmaninoff’s beloved Third Piano Concerto, a work the composer himself performed at Severance in 1932, as well as his nostalgic Symphonic Dances.
As evidenced by some of these works, The Cleveland Orchestra’s stages have long been a bridge between the past, the present, and the future, where the world’s greatest artists have performed and where tomorrow’s legends continue to emerge and develop, creating history with every performance. We are both honored and delighted to be witnessing that history with you every single week here at Severance. And as we celebrate the beginning of our 107th season with this special set of performances, our mission remains steadfast: to continue providing transformative musical experiences that inspire, enrich, and resonate deeply with our community and beyond. Whether at Severance, at Blossom, or on Adella, I hope you will join us frequently and share in the joy and wonder that each performance brings. Thank you for being with us, and here’s to another season of making music, memories, and history together!
André Gremillet President & CEO The Cleveland Orchestra
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IN 1939 , The Musical Courier asked Sergei Rachmaninoff about his thoughts on modern music in relation to his own musical style. His reply contained more than a hint of melancholy: “I feel like a ghost in a world grown alien. I cannot cast out the old way of writing, and I cannot acquire the new. I have made intense effort to feel the musical manner of today, but it will not come to me. …”
Sergei Rachmaninoff (seen here in the 1910s, around the time he composed his Third Piano Concerto) was part of a line of great Romantic pianist-composers that extended back to the 19th century.
Rachmaninoff’s feelings are understandable considering the musical world in which he was living in the United States. By this point, Arnold Schoenberg’s twelve-tone system had taken root and was just starting to be taught in universities. Igor Stravinsky was immersed in his neoclassical period, looking to the past for inspiration while still finding new approaches to melody, harmony, and rhythm. Meanwhile, John Cage was beginning his experiments with prepared pianos and chance procedures, which would ultimately lead him down a path that questioned the very tenets of music itself.
Even so, Rachmaninoff still enjoyed immense popularity, and, though he wrote comparatively little music in the latter half of his career — focusing mostly on performance — the works he did compose can be counted among his greatest and most beloved.
Tonight’s program, led by guest conductor Elim Chan, features two such examples — the Third Piano Concerto and the Symphonic Dances.
Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto continues the artistic path set forth in his Second Piano Concerto, balancing dazzling virtuosity with lush melodies and harmonies. Over 100 years later, the concerto — often dubbed “Rach 3” — still provides a formidable feat for players up to the challenge. Pianist Yefim Bronfman returns to Severance to tackle this demanding work, yet one that Rachmaninoff himself called the favorite of his concertos.
The Symphonic Dances was Rachmaninoff’s last completed composition before his death in 1943. While nostalgic in tone, encompassing dance rhythms, quotations from earlier compositions, and the composer’s characteristic use of the Dies irae chant, the work is also remarkably forward-looking, giving us a glimpse into a creative mind that was just beginning to reconcile the 19th century with the 20th. — Kevin McBrien
Thursday, September 26, at 7:30 PM
Friday, September 27, at 7:30 PM
Saturday, September 28, at 8 PM
Sunday, September 29, at 3 PM
Elim Chan, conductor
Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873–1943)
Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, 45 minutes Op. 30
I. Allegro ma non tanto
II. Intermezzo —
III. Finale
Yefim Bronfman, piano
INTERMISSION 20 minutes
Symphonic Dances, Op. 45 35 minutes
I. Non allegro
II. Andante con moto (Tempo di valse)
III. Lento assai — Allegro vivace
Total approximate running time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Thank you for silencing your electronic devices.
Thursday evening’s concert is sponsored by DLR Group.
by Sergei Rachmaninoff
BORN : April 1, 1873, in Semyonovo, Russia
DIED : March 28, 1943, in Beverly Hills, California
▶ COMPOSED: 1909
▶ WORLD PREMIERE : November 28, 1909, with the composer as soloist and Walter Damrosch conducting the New York Symphony
▶ CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA PREMIERE : November 8, 1928, with pianist Vladimir Horowitz, led by Music Director Nikolai Sokoloff
▶ ORCHESTRATION : 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion (bass drum, cymbals, snare drum), and strings, plus solo piano
▶ DURATION : about 45 minutes
THE DECADE BEFORE Sergei Rachmaninoff left Russia was, without a doubt, the apex of his career as a composer. Between 1907 and 1917, he wrote many of his greatest works. In addition to the Third Piano Concerto, the Second Symphony, the symphonic poem The Isle of the Dead, the choral symphony The Bells, the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, and a large number of songs and piano pieces all date from this 10-year period.
The Third Piano Concerto was written for Rachmaninoff’s first American tour in 1909. Little did the composer realize, at the time he received the invitation, that he would later make his home in America and eventually become a United States citizen. He accepted the offer to
tour to North America with some hesitation, and then only because he hoped that the fees he was promised would allow him to realize his dream of buying an automobile.
In this work, Rachmaninoff aspired to be worthy of the 19th-century virtuoso tradition in every respect. The last of the great Romantic pianist-composers in the lineage of Chopin, Liszt, and Rubinstein, Rachmaninoff also wanted, it seems, to emulate the synthesis between concerto and symphony achieved in the two piano concertos of Brahms
Rachmaninoff’s arrival in America caught the attention of several US newspapers such as this one, which hailed him as “Among the Foremost of Living Composers.”
This is shown by the many orchestral solos that join, and sometimes compete with, the piano soloist, as well as by the numerous thematic links between movements, carefully planned and masterfully executed.
Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto certainly doesn’t lack pianistic brilliance. But the soloist’s first two-dozen measures in the opening movement are so simple that they could easily be played by a child. This is the famous “hymn” theme that some commentators have tried to trace to an old religious chant from Kyiv, even though Rachmaninoff insisted that there was no such connection. When asked how his theme had been conceived, the composer said: “It simply wrote itself!”
The first theme is immediately repeated by the violas, accompanied by piano figurations that grow more and more complex. The changes in texture are gradual, and in less than three minutes, the hymn evolves into a cadenza. A new idea is then announced, first in the form of a staccato dialogue between piano and orchestra, and only then as a singing second theme. After a spectacular elaboration upon this theme, the hymn returns in its original form, leading into a free development section.
At the climactic moment, the tempo becomes faster and the entire orchestra enters fortissimo on a dissonant chord, after which the pianist launches into a second cadenza. Rachmaninoff later replaced his original cadenza with an even bigger one, but he preferred to play the first version when performing the work himself. (The printed score contains both cadenzas, which in fact differ only in their first halves.) The cadenza includes an accompanied portion with haunting wind solos that recall the hymn, and a fantasy, for piano alone, upon the singing second theme. Therefore, the cadenza effectively functions as the movement’s recapitulation. A coda states the hymn one last time, followed by the first staccato version of the second theme that has been heard in this form only once before. The repeat of this almost-forgotten detail shows that a good composer
strings, is subsequently taken over by the piano and considerably intensified in the process. The virtuoso figurations surrounding the theme form a bridge to the next section, a brief scherzando, in which the hymn from the first movement reappears, played by the clarinet and bassoon. The “Intermezzo melody” is then recalled, followed by a transition of a few measures leading into the last movement.
The third-movement Finale is in a broad A–B–A form. The “A” section consists of a string of themes with a sharp rhythmic profile, plus an expansive lyric idea. The “B” section itself can be divided into three sections, with a central episode marked Lento molto espressivo (slow, very expressive) flanked by a brilliant scherzando. The entire “B” section is based on material from the first movement, so that what was originally a lyrical second theme
The formal design of the [first] movement is, in fact, quite original and by no means as conservative as Rachmaninoff is often made out to be.
wastes nothing, and every detail finds its place in the larger structure. The formal design of the movement is, in fact, quite original and by no means as conservative as Rachmaninoff is often made out to be.
The second-movement Intermezzo opens with an orchestral introduction that gives the pianist the only respite in the entire concerto. The soulful melody, presented in turn by woodwinds and
becomes the basis for a series of scintillating variations, combined at one point with the hymn. After a recapitulation of the “A” section, the tonality changes from D minor to D major, for an ending that is both solemn and jubilant.
— Peter Laki
Peter Laki is a musicologist and frequent lecturer on classical music. He is a visiting associate professor of music at Bard College.
by Sergei Rachmaninoff
BORN : April 1, 1873, in Semyonovo, Russia
DIED : March 28, 1943, in Beverly Hills, California
▶ COMPOSED: 1940
▶ WORLD PREMIERE : January 3, 1941, with The Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Eugene Ormandy
▶ CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA PREMIERE : January 8, 1942, led by Music Director
Artur Rodziński
▶ ORCHESTRATION : 2 flutes, piccolo, 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, alto saxophone, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion (triangle, tambourine, bass drum, side drum, cymbals, tam-tam, glockenspiel, xylophone, chimes), piano, harp, and strings
▶ DURATION : about 35 minutes
IN HIS YEARS OF EXILE from Russia, Sergei Rachmaninoff fought a constant battle with the arbiters of taste, both in Europe and in America, who had decided that modern music had to be … modern. His roots were deeply planted in the soil of Russia and in the way of life he led there, and his music had evolved within the great (but relatively recent) Russian tradition, best represented by Tchaikovsky. His technique as a composer and orchestrator was unequaled, and his imagination was never dormant, but his style had little in common with the spirit of the Jazz Age or the various types of neoclassicism that were coming to life in the first decades of the 20th century.
It was perhaps because his Fourth Piano Concerto had been poorly received in 1927 — nor was the composer satisfied with it himself — that Rachmaninoff cast his next piano concerto as a Rhapsody (in name) and a set of variations on a theme by Paganini (in form). This worked, and the public responded enthusiastically. The same approach brought into being the Symphonic Dances — the Third Symphony had similarly been roughly handled by the press in 1936. Rather than a Fourth Symphony, the new work —
By the time this photo was taken (in New York City in 1920), Rachmaninoff had left his Russian homeland behind and established a life and career in the United States.
which turned out to be Rachmaninoff’s last major composition — was cast originally as Fantastic Dances and then, acknowledging its true identity, as Symphonic Dances.
Ballet was in his mind, in any case, because the great Russian choreographer Mikhail Fokine was planning a ballet using the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, a plan which had Rachmaninoff’s enthusiastic support. This was premiered in 1939 without much acclaim, and a follow-up Fokine ballet on the Symphonic Dances never materialized (owing to Fokine’s death in 1942, followed by Rachmaninoff’s death a year later).
Perhaps Rachmaninoff did feel this music as dance music, with the powerful stamping rhythm of the first movement echoing ballets by Stravinsky and Prokofiev, and with the fleet waltz
his melodic style, deeply rooted, probably subconsciously, in the chanting of Orthodox priests that he had heard in his childhood. Melodies that move by step, or at least confined to narrow intervals, are readily related to plainchant, and such melodies abound in Rachmaninoff’s works. The great opening theme of the Second Piano Concerto is of this kind. It is also significant that a similar theme from the First Symphony is quoted at the end of the first movement of the Symphonic Dances, played in a quiet and dignified manner and standing apart from the strong pulse of the rest of the movement.
The first movement is a superb example of how to build the elements of structure from simple materials, in this case a descending triad, weaving under and over firm rhythmic support
With so much of the finale devoted to gloomy Russian introspection, ... the whole work comes nearer to being the Fourth Symphony [Rachmaninoff] never wrote. ...
rhythm of the second movement suggesting Ravel. The finale is more intricate and elusive, rhythmically, for behind the restless flow of sounds the composer was thinking of Russian and Western chant, the latter appearing as the Dies irae from the Latin Church’s mass, frequently cited by Rachmaninoff in his music. There is also reference to the Russian chant he had already set for chorus in his All-Night Vigil of 1915. These two references emerge as intrinsic to
and planted deeply (with endless chromatic digressions) in the key of C minor. A dialogue between oboe and clarinet puts the brakes on for the second section, which is slower, cast in a remote key, and richly melodic. Here an alto saxophone introduces one of Rachmaninoff’s endless melodies that grow and reshape themselves in a passionate evolution, often hinting at a Russian flavor.
The middle movement is a masterpiece of elegance in a waltz rhythm full
of shifts and turns, its main tune being a plaintive melody first presented by English horn and oboe in partnership. The orchestration is dazzling, and a muted brass fanfare punctuates the movement from time to time.
The third movement finale combines melancholy wistfulness (in the Lento assai section) with rhythmic exhilaration and virtuosity in the fast sections. The movement is a quest for its theme, which makes the initial Allegro sound fragmentary and restless, with contributions from the piccolo and trumpet that help to form a melodic core. But this is not to be reached until after a lengthy return to the slower tempo, when the cellos press the claim of something close to the Dies irae tune. The Allegro returns for an exuberant mélange of plainchants for
the full orchestra. With so much of the finale devoted to gloomy Russian introspection, not remotely suggestive of dance, the whole work comes nearer to being the Fourth Symphony he never wrote, with slow movement and finale being persuasively combined.
This masterly swansong was composed in quiet seclusion in the summer of 1940 when Rachmaninoff was living in Centerport, New York, in a house overlooking Long Island Sound.
— Hugh Macdonald
The Cleveland Orchestra has been inviting composer-conductors to Severance for decades — Maurice Ravel, Béla Bartók (right), and Igor Stravinsky among them. However, when they first came to Cleveland to present their own music, they ventured into “new and uncharted” territory and were met with some resistance from audiences and critics alike. Explore these famous figures and their early appearances with the Orchestra in this special exhibit.
THE MAGICBOX
outside the Grand Foyer
Explore our latest audio recordings with Music Director Franz Welser-Möst. The MagicBox offers a quick digital look at these releases and includes rehearsal footage from select recording sessions.
Take a photographic journey into the inner workings of Severance Music Center, including where musicians gather before concerts, where tour equipment is stored, and where the air for the organ comes from.
ONE OF THE MOST sought-after artists of her generation, Elim Chan performs an unusually wide-ranging repertorie of symphonic works extending from the Classical period to the present day. She was principal conductor of the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra from 2019 to 2024 and principal guest conductor of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra from 2018 to 2023. In spring 2023, the Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León announced a three-year collaboration with Elim Chan as associate conductor, focusing on Stravinsky’s ballets.
Having made her highly acclaimed debut with the BBC Symphony Orchestra at the 2023 BBC Proms, Chan conducted the orchestra again at the First Night of the Proms in 2024. Summer 2024 also saw her reunite with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, appear with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra at the Edinburgh International Festival, and make her debuts with the Mozarteumorchester Salzburg at the Salzburg Festival and with the Kammerakademie Potsdam at the 2024 Beethovenfest Bonn.
Highlights of Chan’s 2024–25 season include touring projects with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and MCO Academy, her highly anticipated return to the Hong Kong Philharmonic, and her debut in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Other engagements include debuts with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Orquestra
Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester, and return appearances with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, The Cleveland Orchestra, and San Francisco Symphony. A native of Hong Kong, Chan studied at Smith College and at the University of Michigan. In 2014, she was the first female winner of the Donatella Flick Conducting Competition, enabling her to spend the 2015–16 season as assistant conductor at the London Symphony Orchestra. The following season, Chan joined the Dudamel Fellowship program of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. She also owes much to the support and encouragement of Bernard Haitink, whose masterclasses she attended in Lucerne in 2015.
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INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED as one of today’s most acclaimed and admired pianists, Yefim Bronfman stands among a handful of artists regularly sought by festivals, orchestras, conductors, and recital series. His commanding technique, power, and exceptional lyrical gifts are consistently acknowledged by the press and audiences alike.
A frequent touring partner with the world’s greatest orchestras and conductors, the 2024–25 season begins with the Pittsburgh and NDR Hamburg symphonies on tour in Europe followed by appearances in China and Japan with the Vienna Philharmonic. With orchestras in the US, he returns to Cleveland, New York, Houston, Portland, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Miami, Sarasota, and Pittsburgh, and in Europe to Hamburg, Helsinki, Berlin, Lyon, and Vienna. In advance of a spring Carnegie Hall recital, his program can be heard in Austin, St. Louis, Stillwater, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Amsterdam, Rome, Lisbon, Spain, and Washington, DC. Two special projects are scheduled for this season — duos with flutist Emmanuel Pahud in Europe in the fall and trios with Anne-Sophie Mutter and Pablo Ferrández in the US in spring.
Born in Tashkent in the Soviet Union, Bronfman immigrated to Israel with his family in 1973, where he studied with pianist Arie Vardi, head of the Rubin Academy of Music at Tel Aviv University.
In the United States, he studied at The Juilliard School, Marlboro School of Music, and the Curtis Institute of Music, under Rudolf Firkušný, Leon Fleisher, and Rudolf Serkin. A recipient of the prestigious Avery Fisher Prize, in 2010 he was further honored as the recipient of the Jean Gimbel Lane prize in piano performance from Northwestern University and in 2015 with an honorary doctorate from the Manhattan School of Music.
“It’s
NOW FIRMLY IN ITS SECOND CENTURY , The Cleveland Orchestra, under the leadership of Franz Welser-Möst since 2002, is one of the most sought-after performing ensembles in the world. Year after year, the ensemble exemplifies extraordinary artistic excellence, creative programming, and community engagement. In recent years, The New York Times has called Cleveland “the best in America” for its virtuosity, elegance of sound, variety of color, and chamber-like musical cohesion.
Founded by Adella Prentiss Hughes, the Orchestra performed its inaugural concert in December 1918. By the middle of the century, decades of growth and sustained support had turned the ensemble into one of the most admired around the world.
The past decade has seen an increasing number of young people attending concerts, bringing fresh attention to The Cleveland Orchestra’s legendary sound and committed programming. More recently, the Orchestra launched several bold digital projects, including the streaming platform Adella.live and its own recording label. Together, they have captured the Orchestra’s unique artistry and the musical achievements of the Welser-Möst and Cleveland Orchestra partnership.
The 2024 – 25 season marks Franz Welser-Möst’s 23rd year as Music Director, a period in which The Cleveland
Orchestra has earned unprecedented acclaim around the world, including a series of residencies at the Musikverein in Vienna, the first of its kind by an American orchestra, and a number of celebrated opera presentations.
Since 1918, seven music directors — Nikolai Sokoloff, Artur Rodziński, Erich Leinsdorf, George Szell, Lorin Maazel, Christoph von Dohnányi, and Franz Welser-Möst — have guided and shaped the ensemble’s growth and sound. Through concerts at home and on tour, broadcasts, and a catalog of acclaimed recordings, The Cleveland Orchestra is heard today by a growing group of fans around the world.
FIRST VIOLINS
Liyuan Xie
FIRST ASSOCIATE CONCERTMASTER
Virginia M. Lindseth, PhD, Chair
Jung-Min Amy Lee
ASSOCIATE CONCERTMASTER
Gretchen D. and Ward Smith Chair
Stephen Tavani
ASSISTANT CONCERTMASTER
Dr. Ronald H. Krasney Chair
Wei-Fang Gu
Drs. Paul M. and Renate H. Duchesneau Chair
Kim Gomez
Elizabeth and Leslie Kondorossy Chair
Chul-In Park
Harriet T. and David L. Simon Chair
Miho Hashizume
Theodore Rautenberg Chair
Jeanne Preucil Rose
Larry J.B. and Barbara S.
Robinson Chair
Alicia Koelz
Oswald and Phyllis Lerner
Gilroy Chair
Yu Yuan
Patty and John Collinson Chair
Isabel Trautwein
Trevor and Jennie Jones Chair
Katherine Bormann
Analisé Denise Kukelhan
Gladys B. Goetz Chair
Zhan Shu
Youngji Kim
Genevieve Smelser
SECOND VIOLINS
Stephen Rose*
Alfred M. and Clara T. Rankin Chair
Jason Yu2
James and Donna Reid Chair
Eli Matthews1
Patricia M. Kozerefski and Richard J. Bogomolny Chair
Sonja Braaten Molloy
Carolyn Gadiel Warner
Elayna Duitman
Ioana Missits
Jeffrey Zehngut
Sae Shiragami
Kathleen Collins
Beth Woodside
Emma Shook
Dr. Jeanette Grasselli Brown and Dr. Glenn R. Brown Chair
Yun-Ting Lee
Jiah Chung Chapdelaine
VIOLAS
Wesley Collins*
Chaillé H. and Richard B. Tullis Chair
Stanley Konopka2
Mark Jackobs
Jean Wall Bennett Chair
Lisa Boyko
Richard and Nancy
Sneed Chair
Richard Waugh
Lembi Veskimets
The Morgan Sisters Chair
Eliesha Nelson
Anthony and Diane
Wynshaw-Boris Chair
Joanna Patterson Zakany
William Bender
Thomas Lauria and Christopher Lauria Chair
Gareth Zehngut
CELLOS
Mark Kosower*
Louis D. Beaumont Chair
Richard Weiss1
The GAR Foundation Chair
Charles Bernard2
Helen Weil Ross Chair
Bryan Dumm
Muriel and Noah Butkin Chair
Tanya Ell
Thomas J. and Judith Fay
Gruber Chair
Ralph Curry
Brian Thornton
William P. Blair III Chair
David Alan Harrell
Martha Baldwin
Dane Johansen
Paul Kushious
Maximilian Dimoff*
Clarence T. Reinberger Chair
Derek Zadinsky2
Charles Paul1
Mary E. and F. Joseph Callahan Chair
Mark Atherton
Thomas Sperl
Henry Peyrebrune
Charles Barr Memorial Chair
Charles Carleton
Scott Dixon
HARP
Trina Struble*
Alice Chalifoux Chair
Joshua Smith*
Elizabeth M. and William C. Treuhaft Chair
Saeran St. Christopher
Jessica Sindell2
Austin B. and Ellen W. Chinn Chair
Mary Kay Fink
Mary Kay Fink
Anne M. and M. Roger Clapp Chair
Frank Rosenwein*
Edith S. Taplin Chair
Corbin Stair
Sharon and Yoash Wiener Chair
Jeffrey Rathbun2
Everett D. and Eugenia S. McCurdy Chair
Robert Walters
ENGLISH HORN
Robert Walters
Samuel C. and Bernette K.
Jaffe Chair
CLARINETS
Afendi Yusuf*
Robert Marcellus Chair
Robert Woolfrey
Victoire G. and Alfred M. Rankin, Jr. Chair
Daniel McKelway2
Robert R. and Vilma L. Kohn Chair
Amy Zoloto
E-FLAT CLARINET
Daniel McKelway
Stanley L. and Eloise M. Morgan Chair
BASS CLARINET
Amy Zoloto
Myrna and James Spira Chair
BASSOONS
John Clouser*
Louise Harkness Ingalls Chair
Gareth Thomas
Jonathan Sherwin
CONTRABASSOON
Jonathan Sherwin
HORNS
Nathaniel Silberschlag*
George Szell Memorial Chair
Michael Mayhew§
Knight Foundation Chair
Jesse McCormick
Robert B. Benyo Chair
Hans Clebsch
Richard King
Meghan Guegold Hege
TRUMPETS
Michael Sachs*
Robert and Eunice Podis
Weiskopf Chair
Jack Sutte
Lyle Steelman2
James P. and Dolores D. Storer Chair
Michael Miller
CORNETS
Michael Sachs*
Mary Elizabeth and G. Robert Klein Chair
Michael Miller
Brian Wendel*
Gilbert W. and Louise I. Humphrey Chair
Richard Stout
Alexander and Marianna C. McAfee Chair
Shachar Israel2
BASS TROMBONE
Luke Sieve
EUPHONIUM & BASS TRUMPET
Richard Stout
TUBA
Yasuhito Sugiyama*
Nathalie C. Spence and Nathalie S. Boswell Chair
TIMPANI vacant
PERCUSSION
Marc Damoulakis*
Margaret Allen Ireland Chair
Thomas Sherwood
Tanner Tanyeri
KEYBOARD INSTRUMENTS
Carolyn Gadiel Warner
Marjory and Marc L. Swartzbaugh Chair
LIBRARIANS
Michael Ferraguto
Joe and Marlene Toot Chair
Donald Miller
Gabrielle Petek
ENDOWED CHAIRS CURRENTLY UNOCCUPIED
Elizabeth Ring and William Gwinn Mather Chair
Blossom-Lee Chair
Clara G. and George P. Bickford Chair
Sandra L. Haslinger Chair
Paul and Lucille Jones Chair
Charles M. and Janet G. Kimball Chair
Sunshine Chair
Otto G. and Corinne T. Voss Chair
Mr. and Mrs. Richard K. Smucker Chair
Rudolf Serkin Chair
CONDUCTORS
Christoph von Dohnányi
MUSIC DIRECTOR LAUREATE
Daniel Reith
ASSOCIATE CONDUCTOR
Sidney and Doris Dworkin Chair
Lisa Wong
DIRECTOR OF CHORUSES
Frances P. and Chester C. Bolton Chair
* Principal
§ Associate Principal
1 First Assistant Principal
2 Assistant Principal
This roster lists full-time members of The Cleveland Orchestra. The number and seating of musicians onstage varies depending on the piece being performed. Seating within the string sections rotates on a periodic basis.
Music Director
KELVIN SMITH FAMILY CHAIR
As we embark on our 2024 – 25 season, Music Director Franz Welser-Möst is poised to lead a series of concerts that promise to captivate and inspire. We recently caught up with him to discuss the season’s most anticipated performances, his longstanding collaborations with renowned artists, and the stories and vision guiding his programming decisions this year.
Looking ahead to our 23rd season together is like being a kid in a candy store! Which program would you highlight as particularly special to you?
FRANZ : One program that stands out to me is the one where we perform Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde [November 21–23]. The Orchestra and I haven’t played that piece in over 16 years — it’s been a long time coming. Mahler’s later works, especially this one, are profound and mind-boggling in their reflections on life and farewells. It’s a piece that has a special place in my heart.
Your choice of the tenor-baritone version for Das Lied is interesting, especially since the tenor-alto version is more commonly performed. What drove that decision?
FRANZ : It’s really strange — I think it’s a deeply personal choice. The male voice in this piece has always resonated with me on an emotional level. I think it has to do with my first exposure to Das Lied, which was through a recording of baritone Hermann Prey singing it. I listened to it often as a child, and that experience has stayed with me throughout my life. The tenor-baritone version brings a certain gravitas and intimacy that I find particularly compelling, and I’m looking forward to performing it with Limmie [Pulliam] and Iurii [Samoilov] this fall.
The Beethoven piano concerto cycle with Igor Levit is obviously another major highlight this season [November 6–17]. How do you approach preparing for such an extensive cycle compared to your usual concert weeks? ▶ ▶ ▶
▶
FRANZ : The preparation isn’t very different from my end, but it’s certainly a marathon for the soloist. For Igor, it’s more intense — each concerto demands a different mindset and emotional investment. But he’s one of the most exceptional pianists in the world today and is more than up to the challenge. For the Orchestra, it’s all about maintaining consistency and energy across multiple performances. Frankly, this cycle is going to be much more stressful for Igor than it will be for us!
You’ll also be performing a special program with Lithuanian soprano
Asmik Grigorian [March 13 & 15, 2025] before we leave for Carnegie Hall. Can you tell us more about your collaboration with her and this unique program?
FRANZ : Asmik is an extraordinary artist, one of those rare talents who appears maybe once every 50 years. I’m not exaggerating. We’ve worked together on several opera productions, and her intensity on stage is something to
behold. I’ve heard some people say they haven’t experienced such intensity since Maria Callas. Our concert with her will feature Richard Strauss’s Four Last Songs. Asmik has sung the Four Last Songs many times, and she brings a unique depth to them. But I felt that wasn’t enough to truly showcase her talent, so I suggested we also perform the final scene from Puccini’s Suor Angelica, which is incredibly powerful and will leave the audience deeply moved. I seriously expect some weeping at the end of the program!
With such diverse repertoire, how do you navigate the demands of these works and the need to keep the performances engaging for both the musicians and the audience?
FRANZ : It’s about finding the right emotional balance and pacing. With works like Das Lied and the Four Last Songs, for example, there’s a need for
introspection and emotional depth. But it’s equally important to ensure that each performance feels fresh and spontaneous. That’s where the relationship between conductor and orchestra becomes crucial. Our musicians and I have worked together for many years, and there’s a deep level of trust and understanding. This allows us to explore new nuances in the music, even in pieces we’ve performed many times before.
Speaking of long-standing relationships, you’ve worked with many great musicians throughout your career. How does your approach differ when collaborating with a new artist compared to someone you’ve worked with for years?
FRANZ : The first time you work with someone, there’s always an element of discovery. You’re learning about each other’s musical instincts and finding a common language. But when you’ve worked with someone over many years, there’s a deep, almost unspoken understanding that develops. It allows you to go further in your interpretations, to take risks, and to explore the music in new ways.
With Asmik, for example, we’ve developed a very close musical relationship over several years, starting with our collaboration on Salome in Salzburg in 2018. That production was a turning point for her career, and it was a
privilege to be part of that journey with her. When you have that kind of connection, it brings a special energy to the performance.
One last question: Which concerts this season, outside of the ones you are leading, are you most looking forward to as an audience member?
FRANZ : That’s always a tough one! But I’m particularly interested in the Tan Dun concert with Marc Damoulakis [October 31 & November 2]. Tan Dun’s music is incredibly innovative, and Marc is such a creative and skilled player. It’s going to be fascinating to see how they bring this unique Water Concerto to life.
I also think Thomas Adès’s program [February 20 & 22, 2025] is beautifully structured. America: A Prophecy is such a great piece. And there’s something about living composers conducting their own works that makes such programs very special.
THE ARTS OF COMPOSING and conducting emphasize opposite ends of the personality spectrum: the former tends to be an intensely private activity associated with the solitude of the studio, while the latter relies on the extrovert’s affinity for communicating with the public. Yet both can converge in the same artist.
This season, The Cleveland Orchestra is showcasing three stellar exemplars of the phenomenon. Esa-Pekka Salonen ascends the podium on October 10, 12, and 13, while Tan Dun makes his Cleveland conducting debut a few weeks later, on October 31 and November 2. And on February 20 and 22, 2025, Thomas Adès, returns to lead the Orchestra in a major new commission.
All three artists are leading figures in
the international classical music scene. Naturally, each brings unique “insider” knowledge when it comes to conducting their own music. But their insights into the creative process will likewise illuminate the works by other composers that they have selected for their respective programs.
Far from a novelty, the combination of composer-conductor roles was commonplace before the increasing complexity of professional musical life began to favor specialization. The Cleveland Orchestra’s own past includes numerous composer-conductors who made the trip to Cleveland to work with its fabled musicians. Maurice Ravel stopped by on his first American tour in 1928 — though Nikolai Sokoloff, the Orchestra’s first music director, complained that
his conducting was “both messy and ghastly” — while Igor Stravinsky began his association with the Orchestra in 1925. After leading a program of his works in 1955, he declared: “I am really a happy man batoning this fine group.”
Esa-Pekka Salonen initially envisioned a life devoted wholeheartedly to composition. But in 1983, at age 25, he impressed the music world when he filled in at the last minute for Michael Tilson Thomas to conduct the Philharmonia Orchestra in Mahler’s Third Symphony. To his own surprise, he thereby launched one of the preeminent conducting careers of our era.
After a decade or so spent immersing himself in the music of others as a conductor, Salonen recalled, he came to understand that “there is more than one truth,” compositionally speaking: it was not monopolized by the avant-garde European language in which he had been trained. That epiphany led to a creative breakthrough and a new focus on his work as a composer.
Salonen, now 66, has channeled some of his most innovative ideas as a composer through the age-old concerto format. Along with Ravel’s Le Tombeau de Couperin and Sibelius’s Fifth Symphony, Salonen’s Cleveland program will feature his expansive Cello Concerto, which was premiered in 2017. Originally written for Yo-Yo Ma, it will introduce Cleveland audiences to the remarkable young Finnish cellist Senja Rummukainen.
Yo-Yo Ma, as it happens, was featured on the soundtrack of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the Ang Lee film from 2000, for which Tan Dun’s music won both an Oscar and a Grammy Award. Born in a village in Hunan Province in 1957 and an émigré to New York, Tan Dun has become known for his imaginative fusions of Chinese and Western musical traditions.
A gripping theatricality and sense of ritual imbue many of Tan Dun’s works, which frequently incorporate musical ideas inspired by natural elements. He will conduct two of his own compositions that manifest these traits. With his 1998 Water Concerto, which calls for the soloist — in this performance, Cleveland’s Principal Percussionist Marc Damoulakis — to manipulate basins filled with water, Tan Dun writes that he hopes to encourage the audience to “listen and rediscover life’s elements, things that are around us but we don’t notice.” His 2012 Concerto for Orchestra draws on his earlier opera, Marco Polo, about the legendary Italian traveler of the Silk Road.
The unique sound world that Tan Dun has developed gives him an unparalleled perspective on Britten’s Four Sea Interludes, which similarly originate from an opera, his landmark Peter Grimes. An early Stravinsky piece, Fireworks, will pay homage to still more elements as the concert’s dazzling opener.
Thomas Adès, born in London in 1971, made his conducting debut with The Cleveland Orchestra in spring 2023. For his return engagement, Adès has revised his millennial work America: A Prophecy. An apocalyptic meditation setting Mayan poetry and other texts, this newly expanded version of the piece was co-commissioned by the Orchestra and features The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus alongside mezzo-soprano Kelley O’Connor. Adès will juxtapose his music with the infrequently played Orchestral Set No. 2 by Charles Ives and a pair of sea-related works by Sibelius and the late Kaija Saariaho. When asked about performing the music of others, Adès responded, “The score is just a map of intentions. … The music came before the score. And the music is the thing behind the surface.” With this season’s stellar lineup of composer-conductors, we can fully expect each to illuminate the music beneath the score in the intriguing programs they have constructed. — Thomas May
Thomas May is a writer, critic, educator, and translator. A regular contributor to The New York Times, The Seattle Times, Gramophone, and Strings magazine, he is the English-language editor for the Lucerne Festival.
MARGARET ALLEN IRELAND CHAIR
Later this fall, Severance Music Center will be filled with sounds quite unusual for a concert hall — that of water dripping, splashing, and bubbling. Rest assured, a pipe has not burst in the basement! Rather, these sounds will be an integral part of Tan Dun’s 1998 Water Concerto, conducted by the Academy–Award winning composer-conductor on October 31 and November 1. We recently sat down with Principal Percussionist Marc Damoulakis to learn about performing this unique work and the preparations involved.
Will this be your first solo venture with the Orchestra?
MARC : I performed John Corigliano’s Conjurer concerto during Covid, which was my first solo appearance with the Orchestra. We were distanced, since it’s for strings and percussion only, and it was recorded for Adella.
How did you come across Tan Dun’s Water Concerto? Have you known about it for a long time, or was this a recent discovery?
MARC : It was written for my teacher, Christopher Lamb, and commissioned by the New York Philharmonic. I heard him play it in Boston in 2001 while I was in the New World Symphony and was absolutely taken by it. As percussion concertos go, it’s a fascinating one and I thought it would be great to give it a shot someday.
Was this also your first exposure to Tan Dun’s music?
MARC : He wrote a concerto for cello and percussion quartet that I played as a student, so I was familiar with him and his music. I didn’t realize he did film scores until Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was released, which is probably the opposite for most people. I knew him first as a concert composer!
This is an incredibly unique piece in terms of the setup and instruments required. Describe a bit about what that entails. What does your preparation look like? ▶ ▶ ▶
MARC : Finding and sourcing this stuff has taken tons and tons of hours. The soloist has two large acrylic hemispheres that are filled with water, miked, and placed on stands that are lit from beneath. Each member of the percussion section also has one of these bowls. As far as sounds go, there’s water dripping, plucking, splashing, bubbling. There are wooden bowls that are flipped upside down, float on the surface, and act as drums, alongside other cylinders, cups, and tubes that manipulate the water. Tan Dun calls for an instrument called the waterphone — this steel resonator that’s filled with water that can be bowed or drummed — which looks and sounds amazing. There are also some traditional instruments like gongs, bells, and vibraphone. So, it’s been really challenging to explore all these sounds. It’s like learning a completely different language.
Looking through the score, it seems like there’s some flexibility to put your own spin on the work. Do you feel that when you’ve been preparing it?
MARC : Yes, I do! There’s room for creativity and improvisation as well. The piece also has a theatrical element, but it comes honestly. It embodies the element of water. Tan Dun has taken something that’s so familiar to everybody and isolated it, putting it under a microscope. It’s an entirely original way to say something.
How would you tell someone who’s not familiar with the piece or Tan Dun’s music what to listen for? How would you recommend they go into this experience?
MARC : I would say just enjoy the experience. It’s a unique piece and utterly different than anything else. On one level, it stays true to a lot of what we percussionists do, engineering sounds and playing grooves, yet here, these are displaced on instruments that are completely one-of-a-kind.
Should people in the front row bring a poncho? I’m sure you’ll be wearing something that can get splashed!
MARC : Oh gosh … Hopefully not! There are many interpretations of this piece, and some span the spectrum of how crazy they get. Tan Dun dedicated the concerto to Tōru Takemitsu, so in my mind, that evokes more of a quiet garden rather than wild splashing. But we’ll see what happens!
OCT 3–5
HARDING CONDUCTS
SCHUMANN
Daniel Harding, conductor
HAYDN Symphony No. 92, “Oxford” *
WALKER Sinfonia No. 2
R. SCHUMANN Symphony No. 2
OCT 10, 12 & 13
SALONEN CONDUCTS
SALONEN
Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor
Senja Rummukainen, cello
RAVEL Le Tombeau de Couperin
ESA-PEKKA SALONEN Cello
Concerto
SIBELIUS Symphony No. 5
OCT 17–19
MAHLER’S THIRD SYMPHONY
Klaus Mäkelä, conductor
Jennifer Johnston, mezzo-soprano
The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus
The Cleveland Orchestra Children’s Chorus
MAHLER Symphony No. 3
OCT 31 & NOV 2
TAN DUN CONDUCTS
TAN DUN
Tan Dun, conductor
Marc Damoulakis, percussion
STRAVINSKY Fireworks
TAN DUN Water Concerto
BRITTEN Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes
TAN DUN Concerto for Orchestra
NOV 6 & 7
BEETHOVEN PIANO CONCERTO CYCLE PROGRAM 1
Franz Welser-Möst, conductor
Igor Levit, piano
Augustin Hadelich, violin
Julia Hagen, cello
BEETHOVEN Triple Concerto
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 3
NOV 9 & 12
BEETHOVEN PIANO CONCERTO CYCLE PROGRAM 2
Franz Welser-Möst, conductor
Igor Levit, piano
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 2
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 4
NOV 15–17
BEETHOVEN PIANO CONCERTO CYCLE PROGRAM 3
Franz Welser-Möst, conductor
Igor Levit, piano
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 1
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 5, “Emperor”
NOV 21–23
MAHLER’S SONG OF THE EARTH
Franz Welser-Möst, conductor
Limmie Pulliam, tenor
Iurii Samoilov, baritone
The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus
BERND RICHARD DEUTSCH Urworte
MAHLER Das Lied von der Erde
NOV 29–DEC 1
RHAPSODY IN BLUE
David Robertson, conductor
Marc-André Hamelin, piano
COPLAND Suite from Appalachian
Spring
GERSHWIN Rhapsody in Blue
ELLINGTON New World A-Comin’
COPLAND Suite from The Tender
Land
DEC 4
GERSTEIN IN RECITAL
Kirill Gerstein, piano
R. SCHUMANN Carnaval
FRANCISCO COLL Waltzes Toward Civilization
RAVEL La valse (trans. for piano)
LISZT Bénédiction de Dieu dans la solitude
LISZT Piano Sonata in B minor
DEC 5–7
AX PLAYS MOZART
Pablo Heras-Casado, conductor
Emanuel Ax, piano
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 20
SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 10
JAN 9, 11 & 12
AN AMERICAN IN PARIS
Stéphane Denève, conductor
Steven Banks, saxophone
MILHAUD La création du monde
GUILLAUME CONNESSON A Kind of Trane
POULENC Suite from Les biches
GERSHWIN An American in Paris
JAN 16–18
HAHN PLAYS BRAHMS
Elim Chan, conductor
Hilary Hahn, violin
BRAHMS Violin Concerto
LUTOSŁAWSKI Concerto for Orchestra
FEB 7–9
ALSO SPRACH
ZARATHUSTRA
Thomas Guggeis, conductor
Mark Kosower, cello
R. STRAUSS Also sprach
Zarathustra
DUTILLEUX Tout un monde lointain...
RAVEL La valse
FEB 13 & 15
BRUCKNER’S SEVENTH
Fabio Luisi, conductor
Tim Mead, countertenor
SILVIA COLASANTI Time’s Cruel Hand
BRUCKNER Symphony No. 7
FEB 20 & 22
ADÈS CONDUCTS ADÈS
Thomas Adès, conductor
Kelley O’Connor, mezzo-soprano
The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus
SIBELIUS The Oceanides
SAARIAHO Oltra Mar
THOMAS ADÈS America: A Prophecy IVES Orchestral Set No. 2
RECITAL
FEB 23
ÓLAFSSON & WANG IN RECITAL Víkingur Ólafsson, piano
Yuja Wang, piano
BERIO Wasserklavier
SCHUBERT Fantasie in F minor
LIGETI Bewegung (Movement) from Three Pieces for Two Pianos
BRUBECK Fugue from Points on Jazz
NANCARROW Study No. 6
(arr. Adès)
JOHN ADAMS Hallelujah Junction
ARVO PÄRT Hymn to a Great City
RACHMANINOFF Symphonic Dances
FEB 27–MAR 1
BEETHOVEN’S EROICA
Alan Gilbert, conductor
Leonidas Kavakos, violin
SHOSTAKOVICH Violin Concerto No. 2
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 3, “Eroica”
MAR 6–9
TCHAIKOVSKY’S FOURTH SYMPHONY
Franz Welser-Möst, conductor
Seong-Jin Cho, piano
RAVEL Rapsodie espagnole
RAVEL Piano Concerto in G major TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 4
MAR 13 & 15
HAYDN & STRAUSS
Franz Welser-Möst, conductor
Asmik Grigorian, soprano
HAYDN Symphony No. 52
R. STRAUSS Four Last Songs
JANÁČEK Suite from From the House of the Dead
PUCCINI Final Scene from Suor Angelica
MAR 14
PROKOFIEV’S FOURTH SYMPHONY
Franz Welser-Möst, conductor
HAYDN Symphony No. 52
PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 4
RECITAL
MAR 27
ANDSNES IN RECITAL
Leif Ove Andsnes, piano
GRIEG Piano Sonata
TVEITT Piano Sonata No. 29, “Sonata Etere”
CHOPIN 24 Preludes
APR 17–19
BACH’S EASTER ORATORIO
Bernard Labadie, conductor
Joélle Harvey, soprano
Adèle Charvet, mezzo-soprano
Andrew Haji, tenor
Gordon Bintner, bass-baritone
The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus
J.S. BACH Easter Oratorio
J.S. BACH Sinfonia from Cantata No. 29
J.S. BACH Magnificat
APR 24–26
MOZART & ELGAR
Kazuki Yamada, conductor
Francesco Piemontesi, piano
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 25
ELGAR Symphony No. 1
MAY 7
KISSIN IN RECITAL
Evgeny Kissin, piano
BEETHOVEN Piano Sonata No. 7
CHOPIN Nocturne in G minor, Op. 15, No. 3
CHOPIN Nocturne in E-flat major, Op. 55, No. 2
CHOPIN Nocturne in E minor, Op. posth. 72, No. 1
CHOPIN Polonaise in A major, Op. 40, No. 1, “Military”
SHOSTAKOVICH Piano Sonata No. 2
SHOSTAKOVICH Prelude and Fugue in F-sharp minor
SHOSTAKOVICH Prelude and Fugue in D-flat major
SHOSTAKOVICH Prelude and Fugue in D minor
MAY 8–10
MOZART’S SYMPHONY NO. 40
Franz Welser-Möst, conductor
MOZART Symphony No. 40
ALLISON LOGGINS-HULL New Work
PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 3 *
MAY 17, 22 & 25
JANÁČEK’S JENŮFA
Franz Welser-Möst, conductor Latonia Moore, soprano
Pavol Breslik, tenor
Miles Mykkanen, tenor
Nina Stemme, soprano
The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus JANÁČEK Jenůfa
Opera presentation sung in Czech with projected supertitles
MAY 23 & 24
VOX HUMANA
Franz Welser-Möst, conductor
Sarah Aristidou, soprano
Tony Sias, narrator
The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus POULENC La voix humaine
J.S. BACH Concerto from Komm, Jesu, komm
USTVOLSKAYA Symphony No. 5, “Amen”
J.S. BACH Aria from Komm, Jesu, komm
R. STRAUSS Symphonic Fantasy on Die Frau ohne Schatten
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2024 – 25 Featured Vocal Artists:
• Limmie Pulliam
• Asmik Grigorian
• Latonia Moore
• Nina Stemme
AN EVENING TO CHARM ALL YOUR SENSES!
Tuesday, December 17 at 5:30 PM | Severance Music Center
Delight in a joyful cocktail reception with live music and wrap up your holiday shopping in the boutique marketplace filled with local artisanal goods. Then, enjoy a private holiday concert by your Cleveland Orchestra, followed by an exquisite three-course dinner in Severance’s iconic Bogomolny-Kozerefski Grand Foyer.
Tickets start at $200 per person clevelandorchestra.com/winterspree
ON AUGUST 23 , The Cleveland Orchestra and Music Director Franz Welser-Möst departed on a two-week tour of Europe, featuring eight concerts in six venues across five countries. This occasion marked the Orchestra’s 80th international tour in its 107-year history.
Kicking off the tour was an ambitious concert at the Berlin Philharmonie. Presented as part of the genre-defying Berlin MusikFest, the Orchestra performed works by John Adams and Prokofiev alongside the European premiere of Can You See? by Daniel R. Lewis Composer Fellow Allison Loggins-Hull.
The second leg of the tour was particularly notable, marking The Cleveland Orchestra’s return to Finland for the first time since 1965. In the first of two concerts at Helsinki’s Musiikkitalo, pianist Víkingur Ólafsson joined the Orchestra for Schumann’s Piano Concerto. Enthusiastic ovations greeted the ensemble both nights, leading one critic to exclaim, “One hopes that [the Orche-
stra’s] next visit to Finland is to take place without another sixty-year hiatus.”
Three days later, Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony — and the Liebestod from Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde as an encore — capped a program at the KKL during the Lucerne Festival, one of the Orchestra’s frequent and much-loved stopping places.
A concert on September 4 marked another special occasion: the 200th birthday of Anton Bruckner. To kick off Brucknerfest Linz 2024, the Orchestra performed the composer’s Fourth Symphony in his hometown of Ansfelden, mere steps away from where he was born — a truly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Near the end of the tour, the Orchestra enjoyed a brief yet welcome excursion to Bratislava’s Reduta Hall — another city it had not performed in since 1965 — before two final concerts at Vienna’s Musikverein, where the Orchestra has enjoyed a regular residency since 2003.
Though the Orchestra has seen many international tours over the years, this one in particular — with its mix of destinations both familiar and less familiar — made it a tour to remember.
2024 IS A GREAT TIME to be a fan of Anton Bruckner. This year marks the 200th anniversary of the Austrian composer’s birth, and The Cleveland Orchestra has been commemorating the occasion in several ways.
On August 16, the Orchestra released a new audio recording of Bruckner’s Symphony No. 4, led by Music Director Franz Wesler-Möst. This marks The Cleveland Orchestra’s third audio release of 2024, following Sergei Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 6 and an album featuring works by Béla Bartók. The recording is available for digital streaming and download in spatial audio on all major platforms.
Several days later, a new video production of the symphony was released on the Orchestra’s digital streaming
platform, Adella.live, featuring an interview with Welser-Möst. Both this and the audio recording were recorded live at Severance in March 2024.
These releases preceded the Orchestra’s recent tour of Europe with WelserMöst, which included two performances of Bruckner’s Fourth in Austria. The first was part of a concert given in Ansfelden, the composer’s hometown, on his birthday, September 4.
“Bruckner’s music was deeply rooted in the traditions of his homeland, but in many ways, his compositions were far ahead of his time,” Welser-Möst said before the tour. “This may be one of the reasons why his music has not lost its appeal. It inspires audiences through a profound listening experience.”
Visit clevelandorchestra.com/recordings and adella.live for more information.
Franz Welser-Möst discusses the artistry behind Bruckner’s Fourth Symphony preceding a performance of the work on Adella.live.
THIS SUMMER , Assistant Principal Bassoon Barrick Stees stepped down after 23 years of performances with The Cleveland Orchestra.
Alongside concerts at Severance, Blossom, and on tour, Stees frequently played chamber music with his Cleveland colleagues. He most recently appeared alongside Cleveland Orchestra flutist Mary Kay Fink and members of the New World Symphony in Dai Fujikura’s Cosmic Breath, part of a chamber concert given during the Orchestra’s South Florida Residency in November 2023.
Stees taught bassoon at the Cleveland Institute of Music, Kent Blossom Music Festival, Michigan State University, and
Interlochen Center for the Arts, among others. Over the years, he played with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra (where he was previously principal bassoon), Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and Los Angeles Philharmonic, and appeared at music festivals throughout North America, South America, and Europe. He was awarded the Presidential Scholar Teacher Recognition Award from the United States Secretary of Education.
Stees gave his final concert at Severance with The Cleveland Orchestra on July 25. After the performance of Dvořák’s Sixth Symphony, guest conductor Petr Popelka invited the bassoonist to the front of the stage for a solo bow, which was met with a rousing ovation from the audience and musicians.
Barrick Stees held the Sandra L. Haslinger Chair.
above: Barrick Stees after the Orchestra’s second Summers at Severance concert on July 25.
2024 HAS SEEN A WAVE of generosity from supporters of The Cleveland Orchestra, particularly through three major gifts from longtime patrons.
In August, the Orchestra announced a gift from the Kelvin and Eleanor Smith Foundation, funding the Kelvin Smith Family Chair currently held by Music Director Franz Welser-Möst for the rest of his tenure. The Foundation makes grants to nonprofit, charitable organizations around Cleveland that adhere to excellence in their missions, creativity in approach, fiscal responsibility, and dynamic leadership in their service to the community.
said, “I want to express my gratitude to the Smith Foundation for this gift. Now in the 23rd year of my partnership with The Cleveland Orchestra, I am astounded by the breadth and depth of what we have accomplished together.”
Earlier this year, longtime patrons and supporters Myrna and Jim Spira gave a special gift to support the Orchestra’s artistic programming, pension fund, and annual fund. The gift also endowed the Myrna and Jim Spira Bass Clarinet Chair, currently occupied by Amy Zoloto.
Jim Spira, a member of the Orchestra’s Board of Trustees since 2014, said, “It’s a privilege to be part of a community that has supported the development of an orchestra of this caliber in a city of this size. It’s a remarkable civic accomplishment.” President & CEO André Gremillet added to the sentiment: “This incredible gift is not only inspiring
It’s a privilege to be part of a community that has supported the development of an orchestra of this caliber in a city of this size. It’s a remarkable civic accomplishment.
— Jim Spira, Cleveland Orchestra Trustee
“The Smith Foundation wishes to applaud Franz Welser-Möst’s impactful leadership with a meaningful gift honoring his longstanding commitment to Cleveland,” said Ellen Stirn Mavec, president and chairman of the Foundation and granddaughter of the late Kelvin and Eleanor Smith. In response, Welser-Möst
but also essential in supporting our efforts to broaden and deepen relationships with Cleveland Orchestra audiences. This meaningful support also helps to ensure our sustainability and legacy for future generations.”
Another recently endowed musician chair came thanks to the generosity of
Tony and Diane Wynshaw-Boris, who established the Anthony and Diane Wynshaw-Boris Chair, currently occupied by violist Eliesha Nelson.
At a reception ceremony, the couple reflected on their decision to endow a viola chair. “I played viola when I was young,” Tony said. “And we have had several opportunities to hear what a wonderful musician [Eliesha] is when she played in community chamber concerts.” Diane commented further: “We have witnessed the efforts made by
the Orchestra and musicians to reach out and engage the entire Cleveland community, from schools to neighborhoods. We greatly appreciate and are proud of those efforts. [Tony and I] are honored and privileged to be able to endow a viola chair for Eliesha and do our small part to ensure that The Cleveland Orchestra maintains its excellence far into the future.”
right: 1) The centerpiece of the 2024 Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Opera & Humanities Festival was an imaginative production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. Directed by Nikolaus Habjan and conducted by Music Director Franz Welser-Möst, it featured the singers performing alongside larger-than-life puppets (including a dramatic Queen of the Night, dazzlingly sung by Kathryn Lewek).
Other festival highlights included: 2) a performance by jazz trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard, 3) a kidfriendly introduction to the opera — complete with activities in Smith Lobby — and 4) a panel discussion on diversity in classical music, moderated by (l-r) Jeremy Johnson and featuring Jessica Lee, Aaron Flagg, and Liza Grossman.
left: 5) Summertime in Northeast Ohio meant the start of the Blossom Music Festival and new opportunities to make memories with friends and family.
This season featured a fantastic lineup of classical gems, pops and Broadway favorites, and thrilling movies. 6) Superstar banjoist Béla Fleck jumpstarted Blossom’s classical concerts with his mesmerizing transcription of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, which turned 100 this year.
7) The season also featured two collaborations with the Blossom Festival Chorus: presentations of The Return of the King — the final film in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy — as well as a performance of Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor, conducted by Domingo Hindoyan
FROM TOP
above: The Cleveland Orchestra’s Education & Community department stayed busy this summer with several events in and around Cleveland.
1) Instrument “petting zoos” delighted our youngest fans at local summer festivals such as PRIDE in the CLE and Parade the Circle. 2) At Blossom on July 13, Hispanic Family Night brought people together for great food and great camaraderie.
3) The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra (COYO) ended their 2023–24 season with a special exchange with the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra, beginning with a joint concert at Blossom followed by a trip to Toronto to perform together at Roy Thomson Hall.
right: 4) After a brief hiatus, Summers at Severance returned with food and drinks on the front terrace followed by a concert in Mandel Concert Hall. The July 11 concert featured the Cleveland debut of conductor Oksana Lyniv and the Severance debut of pianist Inon Barnatan
below: 5) July 21 marked the annual Blossom Summer Soirée. Attendees were treated to a pre-concert reception with food and drinks, followed by a spectacular concert with Leslie Odom, Jr. and The Cleveland Orchestra. 6) Dressed in their summer best, (l-r) Peggy Koblenzer, Anne Dunn, Laura Milo, Katie Orendorf, and Tatiana Harris enjoy the evening’s festivities. 7) Hyun and Cathy Park smile for the camera during the reception held at Knight Grove at Blossom Music Center.
We are deeply thankful for the generosity of every member of The Cleveland Orchestra family.
To learn more, visit clevelandorchestra.com/give
Adella Prentiss Hughes Society
Gifts of $1,000,000 and more
Mr. and Mrs.* Geoffrey Gund
Joan Y. Horvitz*
Anne H. and Tom H. Jenkins
Milton and Tamar Maltz
Mrs. Jane B. Nord
Mr. and Mrs.* Richard K. Smucker
Gifts of $200,000 to $999,999
The Musicians of The Cleveland Orchestra (in-kind contribution for community programs and opportunities to secure funding)
Art of Beauty Company, Inc.
Mary Freer Cannon*
Iris and Tom Harvie
Haslam 3 Foundation
Dr. and Mrs. Anthony T. Lauria
Mrs. Norma Lerner
Jan R. Lewis
Mr. and Mrs. Albert B. Ratner
Jenny and Tim Smucker
Anonymous
Gifts of $100,000 to $199,999
Gay Cull Addicott*
Mr. and Mrs.* Eugene J. Beer
Mr. Yuval Brisker
Rebecca Dunn
Dr. Michael Frank and Patricia A.* Snyder
Mr. and Mrs. Michael J. Horvitz
The Walter and Jean Kalberer Foundation
Dr. and Mrs. Herbert Kloiber (Europe)
Mr. and Mrs. Dennis W. LaBarre
Thomas E. Lauria (Miami)
Ms. Beth E. Mooney
Patrick and Milly Park
Ilana and Chuck Horowitz Ratner
James* and Donna Reid
Jim and Myrna Spira
Ms. Ginger Warner
Mrs. Jayne M. Zborowsky
Lillian Baldwin Society
Gifts of $75,000 to $99,999
Mr. and Mrs. Alexander M. Cutler
Dr. Hiroyuki and Mrs. Mikiko Fujita
Richard and Michelle Jeschelnig
Mr. and Mrs. Douglas A. Kern
Mr. and Mrs. Alfred M. Rankin, Jr. Anonymous
George Szell Society
Gifts of $50,000 to $74,999
Randall and Virginia Barbato
Brenda and Marshall B. Brown
Irad and Rebecca Carmi
JoAnn and Robert Glick
Ms. Alexandra Hanna
Mr. and Mrs. Donald M. Jack, Jr.*
Elizabeth B. Juliano
Richard and Christine Kramer
Nancy W. McCann
The Oatey Foundation (Cleveland, Miami)
William J. and Katherine T. O’Neill
Mrs. Alfred M. Rankin, Sr.
Mr. and Mrs. James A. Ratner
The Ralph and Luci Schey
Foundation
Astri Seidenfeld
The Seven Five Fund
Richard and Nancy Sneed
Dr. Russell A. Trusso
Mr. and Mrs. Franz Welser-Möst
Paul and Suzanne Westlake
Barbara and David Wolfort
Tony and Diane Wynshaw-Boris
Anonymous
Elisabeth DeWitt
Severance Society
Gifts of $25,000 to $49,999
Victor and Abby Alexander
Dr. and Mrs. Wolfgang Berndt (Europe)
Mr. William P. Blair III*
Robin Dunn Blossom
Jeanette Grasselli Brown and Glenn R. Brown*
Dr. Robert Brown and
Mrs. Janet Gans Brown
Dr. Thomas Brugger* and Dr. Sandra Russ
J. C. and Helen Rankin Butler
Jim and Mary Conway
Judith and George W. Diehl
Elliot and Judith Dworkin
Mary Jo Eaton (Miami)
Mr.* and Mrs. Bernard H. Eckstein
Drs. Wolfgang and Gabi Eder (Europe)
Dr. and Mrs. Robert Ehrlich (Europe)
Mrs. Connie M. Frankino
Mr. and Mrs. Robert W. Gillespie
David and Robin Gunning
Sondra and Steve Hardis
Mrs. Lynn Heisler
Amy and Stephen Hoffman
David and Nancy Hooker
Richard Horvitz and Erica Hartman-Horvitz (Cleveland, Miami)
Mrs. Marguerite B. Humphrey*
Allan V. Johnson
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph P. Keithley
Cynthia Knight
John D. and Giuliana C. Koch
Ms. Cathy Lincoln
Jon A. and Virginia M. Lindseth, PhD
Mr. Jeff Litwiller
Mr. and Mrs. Ben Mathews
Mr. Stephen McHale
Randy and Christine Myeroff
The Honorable John Doyle Ong
Catherine and Hyun Park
Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin N. Pyne
Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Ratner
James and Marguerite Rigby
Mr.* and Mrs. David A. Ruckman
Mark and Shelly Saltzman
Donna E. Shalala (Miami)
Hewitt and Paula Shaw
R. Thomas and Meg Harris Stanton
Mr.* and Mrs. Donald W. Strang, Jr.
Tom and Shirley* Waltermire
Anya Weaving and Tom Mihaljevic
Meredith and Michael Weil
Anonymous (2)
Dudley S. Blossom Society
Gifts of $15,000 to $24,999
Mr. James Babcock
Mr. and Mrs. Jules Belkin
Mr. and Mrs. C. Perry Blossom
Mr. and Mrs. Charles P. Bolton
Dr. Christopher P. Brandt and Dr. Beth Sersig
Mr. D. McGregor Brandt, Jr.
Dr. Ben H. and Julia Brouhard
Meghan and Trent Brown
Mr. and Mrs. Kevin C. Conway
Mary* and Bill Conway
Mrs. Barbara Cook
Mrs. Anita Cosgrove
Mr. and Mrs. Matthew V. Crawford
Maureen A. Doerner and Geoffrey T. White
Nancy and Richard Dotson
Mr. Brian L. Ewart and Mr. William McHenry
Mr. and Mrs. Richard C. Fedorovich
Friends of The Cleveland Orchestra
Richard and Ann Gridley
Mr. Calvin Griffith
Gary L. and Cari T. Gross
Mr. and Mrs. Harley I. Gross
Kathleen E. Hancock
Jack Harley and Judy Ernest
Gerald Hughes
Mr. and Mrs. Brinton L. Hyde
Sarah Liotta Johnston and Jeff Johnston
Rob and Laura Kochis
Eeva and Harri Kulovaara (Miami)
Mr. and Mrs. S. Ernest Kulp
Ms. Heather Lennox
Daniel R. Lewis (Miami)
In honor of Emma Skoff Lincoln
Linda Litton
Mr. and Mrs. Alex Machaskee
Alan Markowitz M.D. and Cathy Pollard
Ann Jones Morgan
Sally S. and John C. Morley*
Jennifer and Alexander Ogan
Dr. Roland S. Philip and Dr. Linda M. Sandhaus
Douglas and Noreen Powers
Mr. Winthrop Quigley and Ms. Bonnie Crusalis
Saul and Mary Sanders (Miami)
Rachel R. Schneider
Dr. and Mrs. James L. Sechler
Meredith M. Seikel
Robyn Shifrin
Mr. and Mrs. Richard P. Stovsky
Kathryn and Duncan Stuart
Dr. Elizabeth Swenson
Bruce and Virginia Taylor
Philip and Sarah Taylor
Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Umdasch (Europe)
Karen Walburn
Mr. Daniel and Mrs. Molly Walsh
Mr. and Mrs. Jeffery J. Weaver
Robert C. Weppler
Max and Beverly Zupon
Anonymous (3)
Frank H. Ginn Society
Gifts of $10,000 to $14,999
Dr. and Mrs. D. P. Agamanolis
Mr. and Mrs. A. Chace Anderson
Ms. Viia R. Beechler
Laura and Jon Bloomberg
Ted and Donna Connolly
Mr. and Mrs. Chester F. Crone
Mrs. Barbara Ann Davis
Giles Debenham
Dr.* and Mrs. Lloyd H. Ellis Jr.
Joan Alice Ford
Dr. Edward S. Godleski
Mr. Robert Goldberg
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Gröller (Europe)
Alfredo and Luz Maria Gutierrez (Miami)
Robin Hitchcock Hatch
Dr. Robert T. Heath and Dr. Elizabeth L. Buchanan
Dr. Fred A. Heupler
Ms. Mary Joe Hughes
Donna L. and Robert H. Jackson
Barbara and Michael J. Kaplan
Andrew and Katherine Kartalis
Jonathan and Tina Kislak (Miami)
David C. Lamb
Charles and
Josephine Robson Leamy*
Dr. Edith Lerner
Dr. David and Janice Leshner
Mr. Fredrick W. Martin
Mr.* and Mrs. Arch J. McCartney
Drs. Amy and James Merlino
Loretta J. Mester and George J. Mailath
Claudia Metz and Thomas Woodworth
Mr. William A. Minnich
Brian and Cindy Murphy
Deborah L. Neale
Mr. David A. Osage and Ms. Claudia C. Woods
Mr. J. William and Dr. Suzanne* Palmer
Julia and Larry Pollock
Ms. Rosella Puskas
Mr. and Mrs. Roger F. Rankin
Kim Russel and Dirk Brom
Dr. Isobel Rutherford
Dr. and Mrs.* Martin I. Saltzman
Patricia J. Sawvel
David M. and Betty Schneider
Kenneth Shafer
Rev. George Smiga
Roy Smith
Michalis and Alejandra Stavrinides
Ryan and Melissa Stenger
Mrs. Mary L. Sykora
Taras Szmagala and Helen Jarem
Dr. Gregory Videtic and Rev. Christopher McCann
Susanne Wamsler and Paul Singer (Europe)
Mr. and Mrs. Fred A. Watkins
Denise G. and Norman E. Wells, Jr.
Sandy and Ted Wiese
Sandy Wile and Sue Berlin
Katie and Donald Woodcock
Anonymous (6)
The 1929 Society
Gifts of $5,000 to $9,999
Mr. and Mrs. Todd C. Amsdell
Claudia Bacon
Robert and Dalia Baker
Thomas and Laura Barnard
Fred G. and Mary W. Behm
Deena and Jeff Bellman
Mel Berger and Jane Haylor
Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence R. Beyer
Marilyn and Jeffrey Bilsky
Dr. and Mrs. Eugene H. Blackstone
Doug and Barbara* Bletcher
Laurel Blossom
Jeff and Elaine Bomberger
Ms. Kristina E. Boykin
Mr. and Mrs. David* Briggs
Frank and Leslie Buck
William and Barbara Carson
Ms. Maria Cashy
Victor A. Ceicys M.D. and Mrs. Kathleen Browning Ceicys
Mr. and Mrs. James B. Chaney
Ellen Chesler and Matthew Mallow (Miami)
Drs. Wuu-Shung and Amy Chuang
Drs. Mark Cohen and Miriam Vishny
Ellen E.* and Victor J. Cohn
Kathleen A. Coleman
Diane Lynn Collier and Robert J. Gura
Marjorie Dickard Comella
Robert and Jean* Conrad
Mr. and Mrs. Manohar Daga
Mr.* and Mrs. Ralph Daugstrup
Allan and Connie Dechert
Pete and Margaret Dobbins
Henry and Mary* Doll
Michael Dunn
Carl Falb
Regis and Gayle Falinski
Bruce* and Nancy Fisher
Jan and John Fitts
Ms. Nancy Flogge
Mr. and Ms. Dale Freygang
Barbara and Peter* Galvin
Joy E. Garapic
Mr. James S. Gascoigne and Ms. Cynthia Prior
Anne* and Walter Ginn
Brenda and David Goldberg
Barbara H. Gordon
André and Ginette Gremillet
Nancy Hancock Griffith
Candy and Brent Grover
The Thomas J. and Judith Fay Gruber
Charitable Foundation
Nancy* and James Grunzweig
Ms. Marianne Gymer
Mr. Newman T. Halvorson, Jr.
Gary Hanson and Barbara Klante
Clark Harvey and Holly Selvaggi
Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Hatch
Barbara L. Hawley and David S. Goodman
Matthew D. Healy and Richard S. Agnes
Dr. Toby Helfand
Anita and William Heller
Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Herschman
Mr. and Mrs. Martin R. Hoke
Dr. Keith A. and Mrs. Kathleen M. Hoover
James* and Claudia Hower
Phillip M. Hudson III (Miami)
Elisabeth Hugh
Mrs. Laura Hunsicker
David and Dianne Hunt
Richard and Jayne Janus
Reuben Jeffery (Miami)
Robert and Linda Jenkins
Mr. David and Mrs. Cheryl Jerome
Dr. Richard* and Roberta Katzman
Rod Keen and Denise Horstman
Howard and Michele Kessler
Joanne Kim and Jim Nash
Dr. and Mrs.* William S. Kiser
Audrey Knight
Mr. and Mrs.* S. Lee Kohrman
Dr. Ronald H. Krasney and Vicki Kennedy*
Douglas and Monica Kridler
Peter* and Cathy Kuhn
Mr. and Mrs.* Arthur J. Lafave, Jr.
Dr. and Mrs. John R. Lane
Dr.* and Mrs. Roger H. Langston
Kenneth M. Lapine and Rose E. Mills
John N.* and Edith K. Lauer
Young Sei Lee
Judith and Morton Q. Levin
Dr. Stephen B. and Mrs. Lillian S. Levine
Drs. Todd and Susan Locke
David and Janice* Logsdon
Joan C. Long
Caetano R. Lopes (Miami)
Anne R. and Kenneth E. Love
Richard and Terry Lubman (Miami)
Neil and Susan Luria
David Mann and Bernadette Pudis
Mr. Keith G. Marsh
Dr. Ernest and Mrs. Marian Marsolais
Mr. and Mrs. Bruce V. Mavec
James and Virginia Meil
Dr. Susan M. Merzweiler
Lynn and Mike Miller
Drs. Terry E. and Sara S. Miller
Curt and Sara Moll
Amy and Marc Morgenstern
Eudice M. Morse
Mr. Bert and Dr. Marjorie Moyar
Mr. and Mrs. Scott C. Mueller
Mr. Raymond M. Murphy
Mr. Christopher B. Nance and Ms. Jessica V. Colombi
Richard and Kathleen Nord
Mr. and Mrs. Forrest A. Norman III
Malinda and Robert Och
Thury O’Connor
Harvey* and Robin Oppmann
Richard Organ and Jamie Nash
Mr. Henry Ott-Hansen
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth W. Outcalt
Chris and Susan Pappas
Eliot Pedrosa (Miami)
Alan and Charlene Perkins
Dr. Marc A. and Mrs. Carol Pohl
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Porter
Dr. and Mrs. John N. Posch
Mr. Robert and Mrs. Susan Price
Sylvia Profenna
Pysht Fund
Lute and Lynn Quintrell
Beth and Clay Rankin
Brian and Patricia Ratner
Mr. and Mrs.* Robert J. Reid
Ms. Julie Severance Robbins
Lisa Robinson and Robert Hansel
Amy and Ken Rogat
Robert* and Margo Roth
Dr. Adel S. Saada
Dr. Vernon E. Sackman and Ms. Marguerite Patton*
Mr. and Mrs.* James A. Saks
Richard Salomon and Laura Landro
Richard B. and Cheryl A. Schmitz
Ms. Beverly J. Schneider
Gary Schwartz and Constance Young
Sally and Larry Sears
Mr. Eric A. Seed and Ms. Ellen Oglesby
Deborah Sesek
Drs. Daniel and Ximena Sessler
Mr.* and Mrs. Michael Shames
Mr. Philip and Mrs. Michelle Sharp
Howard and Beth Simon
Mr. James S. Simon
The Shari Bierman Singer Family
Drs. Charles Kent Smith and Patricia Moore Smith
Mrs. Gretchen D. Smith
Sandra and Richey* Smith
Mr. and Mrs. William E. Spatz
George and Mary* Stark
Howard Stark M.D. and Rene Rodriguez (Miami)
Sue Starrett and Jerry Smith
AJ and Nancy Stokes
Ms. Lorraine S. Szabo
Robert and Carol Taller
Alan and Barbara Taylor
Mr. John R. Thorne and Family
Mr. and Mrs. Gary B. Tishkoff
Mr.* and Mrs. Robert N. Trombly
Drs. Anna* and Gilbert True
Steve and Christa Turnbull
Robert and Marti* Vagi
Bobbi and Peter* van Dijk
Mr. and Mrs. Les C. Vinney
Kenneth H. Kirtz*
Mr. Randall Wagner
Mr. and Mrs. Eric Wald
John and Jeanette Walton
Greg and Lynn Weekley
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Allen Weigand
Dr. Edward L. and Mrs. Suzanne Westbrook
Stephen Whyte and Rebecca Ralston
Dr. Paul R. and Catherine Williams
Ms. Linda L. Wilmot
Bob and Kat Wollyung
Mr. Graham Wood
Anonymous (3)
Composer’s Circle
Gifts of $2,500 to $4,999
Mr. Leonard H. Abrams*
Ms. Nancy A. Adams
Kristen and Matthew Alloway
Sarah May Anderson
Susan S. Angell
Chris Ansbacher
Ms. Bonnie M. Baker
Eric Barbato and Elisha Swindell
Ms. Katherine Barnes
Dr. James Bates
Mrs. Lois Robinson Beck
Drs. Nathan A.* and Sosamma J. Berger
Margo and Tom Bertin
Mitch and Liz Blair
Zeda W. Blau
Marilyn and Lawrence Blaustein
Ms. Pamela M. Blemaster
Blossom Friends of The Cleveland Orchestra
Mr. John and Mrs. Robyn Boebinger
Dr. and Mrs. Timothy Bohn
Mr. and Mrs. Richard H. Bole
David and Julie Borsani
Ms. Ellen Botnick
Dr. David Bowers
Lisa and Ronald Boyko
Adam and Vikki Briggs
Matthew D. Brocone
Mr. and Mrs. Dale R. Brogan
Dale and Wendy Brott
Bennett Brown
Mrs. Frances Buchholzer
Mr. Gregory and Mrs. Susan Bulone
James Burke
Mr. and Mrs. Robert G. Busha
Mr. and Mrs. William D. Buss II
Mr. William Busta and Joan Tomkins
Dr. and Mrs. William E. Cappaert
Peter and Joanna Carfagna
Mr. and Mrs. John J. Carney
Dr. Ronald Chapnick* and Mrs. Sonia Chapnick
Mr. and Mrs. Kerry Chelm
Gregory and Kathrine Chemnitz
Gertrude Kalnow Chisholm and Homer D.W. Chisholm
Mr. and Mrs. Edward A. Chuhna
Robert and Judy Ciulla
Pete Clapham and Anita Stoll
Jill and Paul Clark
Richard J. and Joanne Clark
Dr. William and Dottie Clark
Drs. John and Mary Clough
Mr. John Couriel and Dr. Rebecca Toonkel (Miami)
Laura Cox
Drs. Kenneth and Linda Cummings
Karen and Jim Dakin
Dr. and Mrs. Thomas M. Daniel
Jeffrey Dean and Barbara and Karen Claas
Mr. Douglas Dever
Michael and Amy Diamant
Dr. and Mrs. Howard Dickey-White
Mr. and Mrs. David C. Dillemuth
Do Unto Others Trust (Miami)
Carl Dodge
Jack and Elaine Drage
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Dreshfield
Mr. Barry Dunaway and Mr. Peter McDermott
Bill Durham (Miami)
Ms. Mary Lynn Durham
Mr. and Mrs. Robert P. Duvin
Mr. and Mrs. Ronald E. Dziedzicki
Peter and Sandy Earl
Erich Eichhorn and Ursel Dougherty
S. Stuart Eilers
Peter and Kathryn Eloff
Andy and Leigh Fabens
Mr. and Mrs. Frederick A. Fellowes
Anne Ferguson and Peter Drench
Mr. William and Dr. Elizabeth Fesler
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Filippell
Nancy M. Fischer
Mr. Dean Fisher
Joan and Philip Fracassa
Mr. and Mrs. Larry Frankel
Howard Freedman and Rita Montlack
Mr. William Gaskill and Ms. Kathleen Burke
Mr. and Mrs. M. Lee Gibson
Daniel and Kathleen Gisser
Holly and Fred Glock
Dr.* and Mrs. Victor M. Goldberg
Pamela G. Goodell
Ms. Aggie Goss
Mr. Robert Goss
Dr. and Mrs. Ronald L. Gould
Bob Graf and Mia Zaper
Mr. James Graham and Mr. David Dusek
Drs. Erik and Ellen Gregorie
Mr. Morgan Griffiths
Mr. Davin and Mrs. Jo Ann Gustafson
Mr. Ian S. Haberman
Mary Louise Hahn
Dr. James O. Hall
Megan Hall and James Janning
Mr. and Mrs. David P. Handke, Jr.
Jane Hargraft and Elly Winer
Mr. Samuel D. Harris
Lilli and Seth* Harris
In Memory of Hazel Helgesen
Drs. Gene and Sharon Henderson
T. K.* and Faye A. Heston
Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Hirshon
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen J. Holler
Thomas and Mary Holmes
Charles M. Hoppel and Marianne Karwowski Hoppel
Lois Krejci-Hornbostel and Roland Hornbostel
Xavier-Nichols Foundation/ Robert and Karen Hostoffer
Phillip Huber
Mr. Brooks G. Hull and Mr. Terry Gimmellie
Dr. and Mrs. Grant Hunsicker
Donald* and Joyce Ignatz
Ruth F. Ihde*
Ms. Melanie Ingalls
Ms. Kimberly R. Irish
Dr. and Mrs. Paul C. Janicki
Dylan Jin
Mr. Jeremy V. Johnson
Joela Jones and Richard Weiss
Dr. Eric Kaler
Mr. Donald J. Katt and Mrs. Maribeth Filipic-Katt
Milton and Donna* Katz
Mr. Karl W. Keller
The Kendis Family Trust:
Hilary & Robert Kendis and Susan & James Kendis
Bruce* and Eleanor Kendrick
Mrs. Judith A. Kirsh
Steve and Beth Kish
Michael Kluger and Heidi Greene
Mr. Ronald and Mrs. Kimberly Kolz
Ursula Korneitchouk
Dr. and Mrs. John P. Kristofco
Dr. Christine A. Krol
Dr. Jeanne Lackamp
Alfred and Carol Lambo
Mr. and Mrs. John J. Lane, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Richard L. Larrabee
Mrs. Sandra S. Laurenson
Dr. and Mrs. Arthur Lavin
Richard and Barbara Lederman
Mr. Elliot and Mrs. Christine Legow
Michael and Lois Lemr
Robert G. Levy
Mr. and Mrs.* Thomas A. Liederbach
Eva and Rudolf Linnebach
Mr. Henry Lipian
Ms. Agnes Loeffler
Mary Lohman
Mr. and Mrs. Carlos Lopez-Cantera (Miami)
Linda* and Saul Ludwig
Peter and Pamela Luria
Mr. and Mrs.* Robert P. Madison
Robert M. Maloney and Laura Goyanes
Janet A. Mann
Herbert L. and Ronda Marcus
Martin and Lois* Marcus
Dr.* and Mrs. Sanford E. Marovitz
Ms. Dorene Marsh
Kevin Martin and
Hansa Jacob-Martin
Ms. Amanda Martinsek
Mr. and Mrs. Sandy McMillan
Ms. Nancy L. Meacham
Dr. and Mrs. Kevin Meany
Mr. James E. Menger
Mr. and Mrs. Gerald A. Messerman
Mr. Glenn A. Metzdorf
Beth M. Mikes
Amy Miller and Nikhil Rao
Mr. and Mrs. David S. Miller
Mary Ellen Miller
Mr. Tom Millward
Anton and Laura Milo
Dr. Shana Miskovsky
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas W. Morris
Susan B. Murphy
B Murray
Dave and Nancy Murray
Karen and Bernie Murray
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Myers
Joan Katz Napoli and August Napoli
Dr. Anne and Mr. Peter Neff
Mark and Paula Nylander
Richard and Jolene O’Callaghan
Mr. and Mrs. John Olejko
Dr. and Mrs. Paul T. Omelsky
George Parras and Mary Spencer
Drs. James and Marian Patterson
Dr. Lewis E. and Janice B. Patterson
David Pavlich and Cherie Arnold
Robert S. Perry
Dale and Susan Phillip
Mr. Richard W. Pogue
Donna L. Pratt* and
Patrick J. Holland
Karen Pritzker
Drs. Raymond R. Rackley and Carmen M. Fonseca
Dr. James and Lynne Rambasek
Mr. Todd J. Reese
David J. Reimer and Raffaele DiLallo
Dr. Robert W. Reynolds
Mr. Chris Rhodes
David and Gloria Richards
Joan and Rick Rivitz
Mr. D. Keith* and Mrs. Margaret B. Robinson
Mr. and Mrs. Jay F. Rockman
Eric Rose (Miami)
David and Mitsuko Rosinus (Miami)
Dr. and Mrs. Ronald Ross
Drs. Edward and Teresa Ruch
Anne Sagsveen
Michael and Deborah Salzberg
Mr. and Mrs. Lowell Satre
Ms. Patricia E. Say
Bryan and Jenna Scafidi
Mr. Paul H. Scarbrough
Don Schmitt and Jim Harmon
John and Barbara Schubert
Mr. James Schutte
Dr. John Sedor and Ms. Geralyn Presti
Ms. Kathryn and Mr. Michael Seider
Caltha Seymour
Lee Shackelford
Ginger and Larry Shane
Harry and Ilene Shapiro
Ms. Frances L. Sharp
Larry Oscar & Jeanne Shatten
Charitable Fund of the Jewish Federation
Dr. and Mrs. William C. Sheldon
Mr. John F. Shelley and Ms. Karen P. Fleming
Mr. Richard Shirey
Mr. and Mrs. Reginald Shiverick
Michael Dylan Short
Zachary and Shelby Siegal
Jim Simler and Dr. Amy Zhang
James Simon
Sarah Sloboda and Oskar Bruening
Bruce L. Smith
David Kane Smith
Mr. Joshua Smith
Mr. Eugene Smolik
Drs. Nancy and Ronald Sobecks
Drs. Thomas and Terry Sosnowski
Diane M. Stack
Maribeth and Christopher Stahl
Edward R. & Jean Geis Stell Foundation
Ms. Natalie Stevens
Frederick and Elizabeth Stueber
Mike and Wendy Summers
Mr. Marc L. Swartzbaugh
Mr. Robert D. Sweet
Eca and Richard Taylor
Ms. Aileen Thong-Dratler
Dr. and Mrs. Michael B. Troner (Miami)
Dr. and Mrs. Wulf H. Utian
Joan Venaleck
Mr. and Mrs. Steven M. Venezia
Teresa Galang-Viñas and Joaquin Viñas (Miami)
George and Barbara von Mehren
John and Deborah Warner
Margaret and Eric* Wayne
Tilles-Weidenthal Foundation
Mr. Peter and Mrs. Laurie Weinberger
Emily Westlake and Robertson Gilliland
Ms. Jennifer Wynn
Rad and Patty Yates
Ms. Carol A. Yellig
Ms. Helen Zakin
Dr. Rosemary Gornik and Dr. William Zelei
Mr. Kal Zucker and Dr. Mary Frances Haerr
John and Jane Zuzek
Anonymous (7)
The Cleveland Orchestra extends heartfelt gratitude to these generous organizations and partners who bring concerts and educational programs to life for our community.
Learn more at cleveland orchestra.com/partners
Gifts of $300,000 and more
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc.
NACCO Industries, Inc.
Gifts of $200,000 to $299,999
Jones Day Foundation
Ohio CAT
The J. M. Smucker Co.
Gifts of $100,000 to $199,999
CIBC
KeyBank
Gifts of $50,000 to $99,999
FirstEnergy Foundation NOPEC
Parker Hannifin Foundation
PNC
Gifts of $15,000 to $49,999
Akron Children’s Hospital
BakerHostetler
Buyers Products Company
Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland Clinic
DLR Group | Westlake Reed Leskosky
Frantz Ward LLP
The Giant Eagle Foundation
Lake Effect Health
Miba AG (Europe)
Northern Haserot
Northern Trust
Olympic Steel, Inc.
Park-Ohio Holdings
RPM International Inc.
RSM US LLP
Thompson Hine LLP
Westfield Insurance
Anonymous
Gifts of $2,500 to $14,999
BDI
Blue Technologies, Inc.
Brothers Printing Company
BWX Technologies, Inc.
Callahan Carpet
The Cedarwood Companies
Citymark Capital
The Cleveland-Cliffs Foundation
Eaton
Evarts Tremaine
The Ewart-Ohlson Machine Company
Gross Residential
Kohrman Jackson & Krantz, PLL
The Lincoln Electric Foundation
McKinley Strategies
Nordson Corporation
The Sherwin-Williams Company
Solich Piano & Music
Ver Ploeg & Marino (Miami)
Margaret W. Wong & Associates LLC
Gifts of $1,000,000 and more
The Brown and Kunze Foundation
Mary E. & F. Joseph Callahan Foundation
The Milton and Tamar Maltz Family Foundation
The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation
David and Inez Myers Foundation
State of Ohio
The Kelvin and Eleanor Smith Foundation
Richard & Emily Smucker Family Foundation
Timken Foundation of Canton
Gifts of $500,000 to $999,999
The William Bingham Foundation
Cuyahoga County residents through Cuyahoga Arts & Culture
Ohio Arts Council
The Payne Fund
Gifts of $250,000 to $499,999
The Dr. M. Lee Pearce Foundation, Inc. (Miami)
Gifts of $100,000 to $249,999
Paul M. Angell Family Foundation
Cleveland Browns Foundation
The Cleveland Foundation
Haslam 3 Foundation
Jewish Federation of Cleveland
Myra Tuteur Kahn Memorial Fund of the Cleveland Foundation
Kulas Foundation
John P. Murphy Foundation
Park Foundation
Anonymous
Gifts of $50,000 to $99,999
The George W. Codrington Charitable Foundation
The Jean, Harry and Brenda Fuchs Family Foundation, in memory of Harry Fuchs
GAR Foundation
The George Gund Foundation
Martha Holden Jennings Foundation
The Oatey Foundation
Wesley Family Foundation
Gifts of $15,000 to $49,999
The Abington Foundation
Akron Community Foundation
The Batchelor Foundation, Inc. (Miami)
The Bruening Foundation
The Mary S. and David C. Corbin Foundation
Mary and Dr. George L. Demetros Charitable Trust
The Sam J. Frankino Foundation
The Gerhard Foundation, Inc.
The Helen Wade Greene Charitable Trust
The Catherine L. & Edward A. Lozick Foundation
With the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners
National Endowment for the Arts
The Nord Family Foundation
The PNC Charitable Trusts
The Esther and Hyman Rapport Philanthropic Trust
The Reinberger Foundation
Albert G. & Olive H. Schlink Foundation
The Sisler McFawn Foundation
Third Federal Foundation
The Veale Foundation
The George Garretson Wade Charitable Trust
The Welty Family Foundation
The Thomas H. White Foundation, a KeyBank Trust
Anonymous
Gifts of $2,500 to $14,999
The Ruth and Elmer Babin Foundation
The Bernheimer Family Fund of the Cleveland Foundation
Cleveland State University Foundation
C.S. Craig Family Foundation
Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities
James Deering Danielson Foundation
Dorn Family Foundation
Fisher-Renkert Foundation
The Harry K. Fox and Emma R. Fox Charitable Foundation
The Hankins Foundation
The Muna & Basem Hishmeh Foundation
George M. and Pamela S. Humphrey Fund
In His Step Foundation
The Kirk Foundation (Miami)
The Laub Foundation
The Lehner Family Foundation
The G. R. Lincoln Family Foundation
Elizabeth Ring Mather and William Gwinn Mather Fund
Ohio Humanities Council
The M. G. O’Neil Foundation
The O’Neill Brothers Foundation
The Perkins Charitable Foundation
Charles E. & Mabel M. Ritchie
Memorial Foundation
SCH Foundation
Lloyd L. and Louise K. Smith
Memorial Foundation
The South Waite Foundation
Stroud Family Trust
Uvas Foundation
The Edward and Ruth Wilkof Foundation
The Wuliger Foundation
Anonymous
Listing as of August 2024
As a courtesy to the audience members and musicians in the hall, late-arriving patrons are asked to wait quietly until the first convenient break in the program. These seating breaks are at the discretion of the House Manager in consultation with the performing artists.
As a courtesy to others, please silence all devices prior to the start of the concert.
Audio recording, photography, and videography are prohibited during performances at Severance. Photographs can only be taken when the performance is not in progress.
For the comfort of those around you, please reduce the volume on hearing aids and other devices that may produce a noise that would detract from the program. For Infrared Assistive-Listening Devices, please see the House Manager or Head Usher for more details.
Contact an usher or a member of house staff if you require medical assistance. Emergency exits are clearly marked throughout the building. Ushers and house staff will provide instructions in the event of an emergency.
Regardless of age, each person must have a ticket and be able to sit quietly in a seat throughout the performance. Classical Season sub-
Download today for instant, secure, and paperless access to your concert tickets.
For more information and direct links to download, visit clevelandorchestra.com/ticketwallet or scan the code with your smartphone camera to download the app for iPhone or Android.
Available for iOS and Android on Google Play and at the Apple App Store.
Cleveland Orchestra performances are broadcast as part of regular programming on ideastream/WCLV Classical 90.3 FM, Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 4 PM.
scription concerts are not recommended for children under the age of 8. However, there are several age-appropriate series designed specifically for children and youth, including Music Explorers (for 3 to 6 years old) and Family Concerts (for ages 7 and older).
Beverages and snacks are available at bars throughout Severance Music Center. For Cleveland Orchestra apparel, recordings, and gift items, visit the Welcome Desk in Lerner Lobby.
We are so glad you joined us! Want to share about your time at Severance? Send your feedback to cx@clevelandorchestra.com Hearing directly from you about what we are doing right and where we can improve will help us create the best experience possible.
The Cleveland Orchestra is grateful to the following organizations for their ongoing generous support of The Cleveland Orchestra: the State of Ohio and Ohio Arts Council and to the residents of Cuyahoga County through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.
The Cleveland Orchestra is proud of its long-term partnership with Kent State University, made possible in part through generous funding from the State of Ohio.
The Cleveland Orchestra is proud to have its home, Severance Music Center, located on the campus of Case Western Reserve University, with whom it has a long history of collaboration and partnership.
© 2024 The Cleveland Orchestra and the Musical Arts Association Program books for Cleveland Orchestra concerts are produced by The Cleveland Orchestra and are distributed free to attending audience members.
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