Johannes, the Genius! CCM Celebrates Brahms Oct. 4-Nov. 11

Johannes Brahms turns 175 in 2008, and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) is celebrating!

CCM proudly hosts its first-ever Brahms Festival (Oct. 4-Nov. 11, 2007), showcasing the composer's many musical personalities. Brahms, one of classical music's great romantic figures, grew from playing piano in brothels and enduring a hopeless love for Clara Schumann, the wife of his mentor, to writing some of the most spiritually sublime works of all time. Join us as we fete the genius of Johannes!

After a preview concert by CCM's Polygon Trio on Oct. 4, the festival officially launches with a Brahms Birthday Bash (complete with birthday cake!) on Tuesday, Oct. 9, featuring a rousing performance by the CCM Philharmonia Orchestra and pianist Michael Chertock. The celebrations continue through Sunday, Nov. 11, and along the way, CCM features full-scale orchestral concerts, intimate chamber music events and a special conducting workshop, with renowned maestro Gustav Meier, all heralding the greatness of this master composer.

Orchestral concerts include performances by noted soloists: CCM alumna Anna Reider, concertmistress of the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, and faculty pianists Michael Chertock and Eugene Pridonoff. The Brahms Chamber Music concerts feature the Polygon Trio and an afternoon of dances and waltzes for piano four-hands from faculty artists Mark Gibson and Donna Loewy. A lunchtime Atrium Series-nicknamed Brown Bag & Brahms-features CCM's gifted student artists.

All events are FREE and open to the public, taking place on the CCM campus. Please see below for event details. Contact the CCM Box Office at 513-556-4183 for additional information.
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University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music
BRAHMS FESTIVAL
Schedule of events
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ORCHESTRAL CONCERTS
All Brahms Festival Orchestral Concerts take place in CCM's Corbett Auditorium.

Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2007; 8 p.m.
Brahms Birthday Bash!
Featuring the CCM Philharmonia Orchestra
Mark Gibson, conductor
Featuring Michael Chertock, piano

• Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80
• Symphony No. 3 in F Major, Op. 90
• Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 83

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Thursday, Oct. 11, 2007; 8 p.m.
Concert Orchestra
Annunziata Tomaro, conductor

• Hungarian Dance no. 6 in D Major
• Variations on a Theme of Haydn, Op. 56a
• Symphony no. 2 in D Major, Op. 73

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Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2007; 8 p.m.
Concert Orchestra and Choirs
Mark Gibson and Brett Scott, conductors
Eugene Pridonoff, piano

• Neues Liebeslieder Walzer Op. 65
• Schicksalslied, Op. 54
• Piano Concerto no. 1 in D Minor, Op. 15

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Thursday, Nov. 1, 2007; 8 p.m.
Philharmonia Orchestra
Mark Gibson, conductor
Anna Reider, violin

• Tragic Overture, Op. 81
• Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77
• Symphony no. 1 in C Minor, Op. 68

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CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERTS
Brahms Festival Chamber Music Concerts take place in CCM's Robert J. Werner Recital Hall.

Thursday, Oct. 4, 2007; 8 p.m.
Polygon Trio
Kurt Sassmannshaus, violin; William Grubb, cello; Frank Weinstock, piano

Piano Quartet in G Minor
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Sunday, Nov. 11, 2007; 4 p.m.
Mark Gibson, Donna Loewy, pianos
Members of the Duveneck Quartet, Luis Biava

• Waltzes, Op. 39, for Piano, 4-hands
• Piano Quartet in A Major, Op. 26

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ATRIUM SERIES: BROWN BAG & BRAHMS
Brown Bag & Brahms events take place in the CCM Village Atrium.

Oct. 9, 16, 23, 30 and Nov. 6, 2007; 12 noon
Selections will vary. Guests are encouraged to bring a sack lunch.
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BRAHMS CONDUCTING WORKSHOP
Corbett Auditorium

Saturday, Oct. 27: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2 p.m.-5 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 28:  12 p.m.-3 p.m. and 4 p.m.-7 p.m.
Featuring conductor Mark Gibson (faculty) and Gustav Meier (guest artist)

Maestro Meier, director of the conducting program at the esteemed Peabody Institute (Baltimore, Md.), will join CCM faculty artist Mark Gibson to lead a series of special master classes with conducting students on orchestral works of Brahms from CCM and around the country. All sessions are free and open to the public.

CCM's 2007 Brahms Festival is sponsored by William and Susan Friedlander.

For more information and events, visit www.ccm.uc.edu.