Tracker Organ Festival, Featuring Hans Davidsson

CCM presents the Tracker Organ Festival, a three-day musical celebration of the power, resonance and historical legacy of the mechanical-action in Greater Cincinnati. The festival's featured guest artist is renowned organist, music historian and reocording artist Hans Davidsson. He will perform three separate programs of works from the Baroque Era to the 20th century (including Bach, Brahms, Mendelssohn and Messiaen) on three of the area's finest tracker organs. Prior to each performance, Davisson will share an introduction to each instrument's cultural and historical impact. Admission to all events is free.

Workshop with Alice Parker

Alice Parker is the visiting composer for the concert of Vocal Arts Ensemble and Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra on March 22

R.Murray Schaffer in residence

CCM Chamber Chorale premieres Schaffer's work.

J.S. Bach’s Mass in B minor with “The Sound of Eternity“ a film by Bastian Clevé

The transcendental beauty of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach receives an imaginative interpretation in a multimedia concert hosted by the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM). CCM presents German director Bastian Clevé’s film, "The Sound of Eternity," a lush visual interpretation of J.S. Bach’s glorious "Mass in B minor." Accompanying the film will be a live performance of the work by the CCM Chamber Choir and Philharmonia Orchestra, under the baton of conductor Earl Rivers. The film and performance will be presented jointly at Knox Presbyterian Church (Michigan and Observatory Avenues, Cincinnati) on Friday, Nov. 21 at 8 p.m., with a pre-performance discussion led by Clevé at 7 p.m. A follow-up performance of the Mass (without the film) takes place at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 23. Clevé’s film, "The Sound of Eternity," received its U.S. premiere at the Oregon Bach Festival in 2006. It is constructed of 27 short, dialogue-free films—based on the 27-part musical structure of the Mass—that lead us through alpine mountains and glaciers to peaceful valleys and pulsating metropolitan cities. The result is a powerful meditation on existence and being, the religious and the unexplainable and, ultimately, the circle of life. Known as the “queen among masses,” Bach’s "Mass in B minor" is the composer’s opus ultimum and opus summum—the artistic record of a life’s work. Bach spent the last 15 years of his life at work on this significant piece, and it is the only complete mass that he ever composed, considered unique for the beauty of its musical expression. “For me personally, the 'Mass in B minor' is an incredibly inspiring, reflective, euphoric and jubilant experience, almost as if, far from a single person's destiny, a door opens into heaven. Out of this breathtaking experience the individual films have been created," says Clevé. “The vision behind the film is to let the audience take inspiration through their ears and eyes, leave them contently carried away, feeling fulfilled and complete, and—one hopes—to keep this happiness for a little while." Admission to the events is free.

Tan Dun “Water Passion after St. Matthew” (Tickets $10 (Students $5) at CCM Box Office)

Composed at the request of Helmut Rilling and the International Bachakademie in Stuttgart, as a modern musical Passion in English for chorus, and as a response to the 250th anniversary of Bach's death in 2000, Tan Dun's "water Passion" has enjoyed international acclaim in over 20 performances since its premiere. CCM's production, sponsored by the CCM's TSMC and Harmony Fund mark the Midwest premiere of the work.

William Porter “Organ Recital” (Organist Information)

J.S.Bach “Cantata BWV 131”

Chamber Singers Concert conducted by Jung Jin Baek

Carol Barnett “The World Beloved: A Bluegrass Mass”

CCM presents bluegrass quintet "Monroe Crossing" alongside the CCM Chorale to perform the regional premiere of Carol Barnett's "The World Beloved: A Bluegrass Mass". Guest conductor Dale Warland takes the podium for this event. According to visiting composer Barnett, The World Beloved melds "the solemnity of the classical choir-based mass with the down-home sparkle of bluegrass." The piece received its world premiere in January 2007 to critical acclaim; said the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, "The contrasts between the sophisticated classical choral sound and the jubilant bluegrass harmonies were effectively used to make the text come alive." Also featured on the program is Frank Martin's moving choral work, Mass, performed by the CCM Chamber Choir under the baton of faculty conductor Earl Rivers.

Stephen Paulus' Preconcert Lecture “Concerto for Organ, Chorus and Orchestra”

F.J.Haydn's "The Seasons" (Spring and Autumn), Stephen Paulus's "Concerto for Organ, Chorus and Orchestra" provided by Knox Music Series of Knox Presbyterian Church. Performed by Knox Choir, Soloists and Orchestra, Christina Haan (Organist), Earl Rivers (Conductor)

Jean-Baptiste Robin “French Organ Festival”

Jean-Baptist Robin, composer, recording artist and titular organist of the 1791 Clicquot Organ at the Cathedral of St. Peter, Poiters, France, visits Lakeside Presbyterian Church and Trinity Episcopal Church for a series of special concerts and educational events.

Karel Husa's “An American Te Deum”

The concerts are dedicated to Karel Husa, a Czech-born composer and Pulitzer Prize winner, who will also be a special guest for the evening.

mini-residency and organ recital by Pamela Ruiter-Feenstra

Regional Premiere of John Adams’s “On the Transmigraton of Souls”

Premiere of a work by Aaron Jay Kernis

Organ recital, premiere of William Bolcom’s “Four Preludes on Jewish Melodies”

Plum Street Temple Symposium (Temple information)

Featuring premieres of works by William Bolcom and Aaron Jay Kernis as well as a recital on the temple’s restored 1866 Koehnken organ.

Dale Warland conducts the Vocal Arts Ensemble of Cincinnati in concert (More information)

Dale Warland residency

One of America’s most respected choral conductors spends a week at CCM giving conducting masterclasses, coachings, and lectures on contemporary choral music.

Monteverdi “Vespers of 1610”

CCM Chamber Choir and Philharmonia Orchestra perform the crowning achievement of Monteverdi’s work in sacred music.

Jeffrey Kurtzman gives a pre-concert lecture on the Monteverdi Vespers

Cornetto lecture recital with Kiri Tollaksen (More about Martha Folts)

Featuring Martha Folts, harpsichord

Residencies for Monteverdi “Vespers of 1610” (More about Jeffrey Kurtzman, More about Kiri Tollaksen)

Jeffrey Kurtzman, internationally known Monteverdi scholar, gives coachings and masterclasses for singers and conductors.

Kiri Tollaksen gives a cornetto lecture recital.

Lecture by Guido Minoletti of Santiago, Chile: History of Music and Music Composition in Chile

Christopher Stembridge organ recital

Christopher Stembridge in residence at CCM

A noted scholar gives classes on Italian Baroque keyboard music, lectures on preparing scholarly editions for publication, and presents an organ recital.

Live webcast of Chorus America’s Choral/Orchestral Conducting Workshop at CCM

Choral Evensong led by Stephen Darlington

Choral Evensong led by Stephen Darlington

Stephen Darlington residency

Stephen Darlington, Director of Music of Christ Church, Oxford, works with CCM students in masterclasses, rehearsals, workshops, and discussions.

J. S. Bach’s “St. John Passion”

CCM Chamber Choir and Philharmonia Orchestra present a performance of one of the great Baroque masterworks.

Public forum, “What to Do When Words Hurt”: CCM presents a discussion and performance of J. S. Bach’s “St. John Passion” (press release)

A forum on religious intolerance in the Passions given by distinguished scholars and sponsored by TSMC.

Hans-Ola Ericsson, organist/composer (program, notes)

TSMC’s inaugural concert, featuring music for organ and live electronics.

Hans-Ola Ericsson, organist/composer

An open forum for CCM students and faculty to meet Mr. Ericsson and to discuss his work.

Christopher Stembridge, visiting lecturer (program)

A concert of music for the lute-harpsichord and “cembalo cromatico”, an ancient instrument that divides the octave into 19 notes.