First up was a concert with the Firelands Symphony on April 14 in Sandusky, OH, which featured internationally renowned dramatic soprano Jane Eaglen and the Terra Choral Society, under the direction of Michael Schirtz.  The program included beloved arias, choruses, and orchestral works from the operatic repertoire.  This concert was the first appearance for Ms. Eaglen after a serious illness, and she was in excellent voice. The chorus was expertly prepared by Mr. Schirtz, and the concert was very well received.  Selections included music by Puccini, Wagner, Verdi, and Mascagni, and concluded with a rousing chorus from Borodin’s opera Prince Igor.

On April 21, the Cleveland Pops Orchestra presented a concert entitled ” A Song and a Dance”,  with vocalists Jennifer DeDominici and Daniel Fosha and the Neos Dance Company, based in Ashland,OH. This concert included music of Broadway, with songs by Porter, Webber, Sondheim, Bernstein and others, and dance selections by Rodgers, Hamlisch, Bernstein, and the team of Kander and Ebb. I also had the opportunity to play one of my favorite numbers, “Clarinetist on the Roof”, complete with Bottle Dance and my original cadenza, which included a shofar call. Our young singers distinguished themselves with their wonderful singing, and the dancers, led by Brooke and Bobby Wesner, were exquisite.The sold-out audience was enthusiastic and appreciative of our talented guests, as well as our spectacular orchestra.  I had worked with Jen and Dan last summer in Colorado, and was extremely impressed with their extraordinary voices and emotional involvement. They are easy and fun to work with, and I enjoyed their work immensely.

I traveled north of the border to Hamilton,Ontario for a concert entitled “When Swing was King”, A concert title I borrowed from the Cleveland POPS marketing director Gordon Petitt.  Shirley and  Emily accompanied me, and we were able to stop on the way at Niagara Falls, the power and grandeur of which is always awe-inspiring. I have enjoyed my work in Canada, having conducted previously in Winnipeg and Calgary, and have appreciated the hospitality from our neighbors to the north.  I collaborated with Helen Welch, a marvelous jazz vocalist originally from England and now an American citizen residing in Ohio.  It’s always a slightly anxious time when you have only one rehearsal with an orchestra that you’ve never worked with, in a program which requires an excellent rhythm section and strong brass playing.  I wasn’t disappointed at all, as the veteran drummer, Ernie Porthouse, who was featured in Sing, Sing, Sing, was more than up to the task, and pianist John Sherwood was an expert accompanist for Stardust.  I took advantage of the opportunity to play my red clarinet with wearing my red jacket in the first half of the concert, and my blue clarinet and matching blue jacket in the second half.  Helen was not only in fine voice, but also interacted with the audience with her charming British humor.  Upon returning to Cleveland, I was able to hear my daughter Emily’s string quartet in concert, performing a movement from a Mendelssohn string quartet.  I was very proud of her performance and her progress in her violin studies.

My engaging four weeks concluded with a trip to Caracas,Venezuela for a concert with the Orquesta Sinfonica de Venezuela. The musical scene in Venezuela is really extraordinary, in a large part due to El Sistema, a method started in the 1970s by Jose Antonio Abreu, which supplies instruments and instruction to hundreds of youngsters from every economic background.  There are hundreds of orchestras in Venezuela, in no small part to the amazing Mr. Abreu.  This opportunity was possible thanks to my dear friend, colleague, and former student Ted Kuchar,  who is the orchestra’s new music director. I had been working on my Spanish with one of my students at CIM, and also assisted Emily at times with her Spanish studies at Beachwood High School. I’ve done rehearsals in Spanish in the past, but it’s been years, so I was determined to study to be able to do so in Caracas.  The music world is small, and my college friend from many years ago is the retired principal flutist and current music librarian with the orchestra, so it was great to work with him and see him again.  Also, the concertmaster studied at The University of Michigan with my CIM colleague Paul Kantor, and his brother, currently performing and teaching in Caracas, was a former cello student at CIM.  Additionally, two of the brass players in the orchestra are brothers of a former NRO clarinetist who is now in the Atlanta Symphony.

There were two soloists for the concert, the principal flutist of the orchestra who played the Griffes Poem, and the principal clarinetist, who played the Copland Clarinet Concerto.  It was an all-American concert, and the orchestra really enjoyed playing the music of Williams, Gershwin, and Cole Porter, in addition to the aforementioned works. My collaboration with the clarinetist Mark Friedman was particularly special, as Mark is a fellow New Yorker and Juilliard graduate who has worked in Caracasfor 31 years.

As it turned out, I was able to rehearse completely in Spanish, which was really appreciated by the orchestra.  We had a very nice rapport, and our hard work came to fruition for the concert.  The accompaniment for the Copland Clarinet Concerto is fiendishly difficult, and the string players put forth a great effort to be able to cope with the difficult rhythm and intonation issues.

All in all, these past four weeks were most engaging, and I’m now looking forward to our final Cleveland Pops concert, the annual Salute to the Armed Forces on Friday, May 25 in Severance Hall.

The following morning, I took a flight to Asheville, North Carolina, where I led a performance with the Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra.  The repertoire included Stravinsky’s Petrouchka and the Ginastera Harp Concerto, with CIM concerto competition winner Shelly Du. It was the first time that the CIM Orchestra had played on tour, and the young musicians’ spirited playing was hailed by the appreciative audience.  An added bonus was the opportunity to see my 5 month old granddaughter Edie, as my return flight had a 3 ½ hour layover in Charlotte. We repeated this performance on March 28 at CIM; it was great to have a chance to play this great music a second time, and the orchestra, I think, felt a real confidence at this performance.

We are looking forward to our next concert, “A Song and a Dance” at Severance Hall on April 21, as the Cleveland POPS will collaborate with the brilliant NEOS Dance Company and exciting young vocalists Jennifer DiDominici and Daniel Fosha.

More soon on next month’s activities, which will includeconcerts with the Cleveland Pops, Firelands Symphony, Hamilton (Ontario) Philharmonic, and Orquesta Sinfonica de Venezuela.

We are currently busy preparing for our Salute to John Williams,
coming up on March 24.  The concert will feature “Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra” from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.  I believe that this will be the
first performance of the new edition being released by Hal Leonard Music. The concert is virtually sold out, and will feature trumpeter Gary Davis, saxophonist Howie Smith, and Star Wars characters.

This past week, the Cleveland Institute of Music hosted a
Conductors Guild Workshop, for which 14 conductors from various locations
converged on Cleveland for three days of tutelage with clinicians Theodore
Kuchar, Sasha Makila, and myself.  They received a significant amount of podium time with the CIM Orchestra, as well as lectures regarding string techniques, effective rehearsal practices, and making one’s way in a difficult profession. It
was rewarding to see the improvement in our participants, as they responded to
suggestions and new ideas.

My other musical activities featured a Valentine’s Day
Salute with vocalist and Tony Award winner Michael Maguire with the Youngstown
Symphony, and a concert featuring harpist Cheryl Losey in a performance of the
Ginastera Harp Concerto with the Firelands Symphony.

In addition, I have been reviewing approximately 800 auditions for the National Repertory Orchestra’s upcoming season this summer. These auditions took me to Chicago and to New York; while in New York, I enjoyed our family reunion as well as a delightful performance of How to Succeed in Business with Nick Jonas in the lead role.

My upcoming Cleveland Institute of Music activities include
a performance with the CIM Orchestra on March 25 in Ashville, NC, and a repeat
performance on March 28 at CIM. The concert with include Stravinsky’s Petrouchka and the Ginastera Harp Concerto, this time with CIM concerto competition winner Shelly Du.

More soon on next month’s activities, which will include
concerts with the Cleveland Pops, Firelands Symphony, Hamilton (Ontario)
Philharmonic, and Orquesta Sinfonica de Venezuela.

The singers each performed selections individually, and also sang as a trio. Craig’s “Bring Him Home,” Ciaran’s “Maria,” and Gary’s “Joanna/Pretty Women” were among the many solo highlights, and their trio version of “Music of the Night” was something extraordinary.  The orchestra acquitted itself splendidly in a new John Williams Medley, and it was a treat for me to perform with the orchestra as clarinetist in Paul Ferguson’s excellent “42^nd Street Medley.”  The audience was in rare form, as they blew their horns (on my cue, for the most part) in “Feuerfest Polka” and “Mambo” from West Side Story, and Mell Csicsila was an expert pop gun performer in Strauss’ “Champagne Polka.”  Dr. Arthur Topilow made his annual trek from New Jersey to perform as the orchestral pianist, and joined trumpeter Jack Schantz, trombonist Paul Ferguson, drummer George Judy, bass guitarist Dean Newton, and me as clarinetist in the Rotunda for post concert dancing.  I always enjoy leading the countdown to the New Year!

I’d like to thank our audience for joining us for this special evening!  We always love performing to a large and animated audience, and this year’s sellout crowd was particularly inspiring.

We look forward to our upcoming concerts, The Texas Tenors on March 3, a Salute to John Williams on March 24, A Song and A Dance on April 21, and our annual Salute to the Armed Forces on May 25. We hope to see you often at the POPS!

The following day I took a very long flight to Hong Kong,
where I spent three days as guest conductor with the Hong Kong Phil.  I conducted two concerts with three of my favorite Broadway performers, Christianne Noll, Debbie Gravitte, and Doug LaBreque. It was a whirlwind trip – it would have been great to arrive earlier and stay longer, but obligations on either end of the trip made it impossible.  The audiences were very enthusiastic, and we did three encores!  In addition to conducting, I performed the 42^nd Street Medley as clarinetist that
Paul Ferguson wrote for me a few years ago. Upon entering the hall for rehearsal, one of the orchestra’s bassoonists, Vance Lee, introduced himself, or should I say reintroduced himself.  Vance was a student at the Cleveland Institute of Music from 1989 to 1993, and played in the National Repertory Orchestra, my summer festival, in 1994.  Gradually I discovered that eight alumni of the NRO and five alumni of CIM are members of the orchestra!  We had a lovely lunch the following day, and
it was great to see so many familiar faces.

I literally went from the podium to the airport, where I caught a 1:00 AM flight to San Francisco; I then connected on a red eye to Cleveland.  Shirley, Emily, and I
attended a Cleveland Orchestra concert that evening, with the talented Marin
Alsop conducting.

The next day was spent in rehearsal with the Firelands Symphony in Sandusky for our annual holiday concert with the wonderful Lynne Wintersteller as guest artist.  Lynne is
a native of Sandusky, and this concert marked her third consecutive year
singing at our holiday concert.  The concert on Sunday was very successful; in addition to Lynne’s spectacular performance, we used film clips from movies along with the music from several popular holiday movies, supplied by Cleveland Pops board member and TV producer George Veras.  Lynne’s performance of the Chipmunks’ “Christmas Don’t be Late” featured a chorus played by our wind players on kazoos.

My busy holiday season continued with performances with the Akron Symphony at the Chapel in Green, EJ Thomas Hall in Akron, and Medina Performing Arts Center.  Tina Stump again sang beautifully, and it was a treat to work with the Akron Symphony Chorus, under the outstanding direction of their chorus master, Maria Sellner.  The song Hanukkah Lights, which was new to me, turned out to be very well received by the audience.  It was written by composer Marvin Hamlisch, who wrote Chorus Line and many other shows, and performed by vocalist Gillian Hassert.  Gillian also sang Jingle Bell Rock with me at the end of my Clarinet Christmas medley.  The orchestra played very well, and it was a treat to perform with so many former students and colleagues, many of whom have also played with the Pops.

I’m now looking forward to ringing in the new year with
the Cleveland Pops and our annual New Year’s Eve concert and dance.  Our special guests this year are the Three Phantoms, with whom I worked in Fresno last February.  Their excellent show inspired me to have them join us, and we expect an exciting concert, followed by dancing, coffee and desserts, and our midnight balloon drop!
I especially look forward to our New Year’s Eve pianist, my brother Dr.
Arthur Topilow, who has been playing for our New Year’s Eve concerts since
2005.  Not only does he play in the orchestra for the concert, but he also performs with the combo for dancing in the Grand Foyer.  He is joined each year
by his wife, Dr. Judy Topilow, who also makes the trip from New Jersey.

Fox anchors Tracy McCool and Wayne Dawson were congenial narrators for The Night Before Christmas to the music of Randol Bass.  Todd Meany showed off  his velvet tones in I’ll Be Home for Christmas and demonstrated a fierce low register for You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.  Fox weather reporters Angelica Campos and the legendary Dick Goddard were effective vocalists in Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and White Christmas respectively, and Melissa Reid tickled the ivories in a tasteful rendition of the Christmas Song.  All purpose reporter Kenny Crumpton took over
conducting duties for Sleigh Ride.

A preview was seen on Fox 8 on November 21, the Monday before the concert, when 6 members of the Cleveland Pops Orchestra teamed up with Fox 8 celebrities on the morning show.

Further congratulations to string players from Beachwood High School and Middle School as well as from the Cleveland Institute of Music for their performances.  Percussionist Mell Csicsila and trumpeter Jack Schantz were also featured Pops artists.  Paul Ferguson’s artful arrangements were heard on no less than five of the featured selections.  I always enjoy performing as clarinetist with the orchestra – I played Hanukkah and Christmas selections.

Upcoming concerts include the Cleveland Pops’ annual Christmas concert in Avon Lake featuring William Zurkey’s excellent concert choir, a pair of Broadway concerts with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, a holiday concert with the Firelands Symphony, holiday concerts with the Akron Symphony, and of course Cleveland Pops’ New Year’s Eve celebration, featuring the Three Phantoms, three phenomenal veterans of the Broadway stage.  The concert includes a midnight ballon drop, free coffee and desserts and dancing to two bands.  Start a new tradition, and join the Cleveland Pops on New Year’s Eve at 9:00 PM.  My brother Arthur will be making the trip from New Jersey to perform as pianist with the orchestra as well as playing with one of the bands for the post concert dancing.

On Saturday, October 29, the Cleveland Pops Orchestra experienced its most successful ever G Clef Ball, our annual fundraiser. The InterContinental Hotel was our host, and they outdid themselves in a beautiful presentation. Our chairperson and Pops board member Sondra Boyd was in charge once again, and the silent auction, Pops sampler CD, flowers, food, and general ambience made the evening special. Our honoree, Medical Mutual of Ohio CEO Rick Chiracosta, was not only feted by all who attended, but also was featured vocalist for the rock classic “Teenager in Love”. He was also surprised by my invitation to serve as conductor for George Bizet’s “March of the Toreadors” from Carmen. The Mutual Gifts Gospel Choir, MMOH’s very own choral ensemble was led by Jimmy Wilcher in an uplifting performance of Total Praise. Pops drummer George Judy played a flamboyant solo in Sing Sing Sing, and the orchestra performed the Cleveland Browns march. The crowd enjoyed dancing a variety of selections played by entire orchestra, highlighted perhaps by a conga line which was formed for I Go to Rio. All in all, it was a great evening from every standpoint, and one that will help immensely to allow the orchestra to continue to prosper.

On Sunday, October 30, I conducted the Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra in a Halloween “Spooktakular” at Severance Hall. Many orchestra members were attired in costume, and I got to wear my Superman “muscle” costume. Included was a performance of “The Chill of the Orchestra”, narrated by Eric Charnofsky, a CIM faculty member who dressed as Count Dracula and delivered the narration in a distinctive Transylvanian accent. We also played Dukas’ Sorcerer’s Apprentice, conducted by my Melisse Brunet and Darth Vader’s March, conducted by Lei Lei; both are graduate students in orchestral conducting at CIM.

On Wednesday, November 2, I conducted the CIM Chamber Orchestra in beautiful Mixon Hall. The opportunity to play smaller repertoire in a great acoustical setting was most welcomed by our students. We opened with a lovely performance of Mozart’s Symphony #39, followed by Theme and Variations for Clarinet and String Orchestra by Ante Grgin, a Serbian composer, and played by Nicola Djurica. Nicola’s charismatic playing delighted the audience, which responded with an enthusiastic standing ovation. His performance was nothing short of amazing. The second half of the concert featured Richard Strauss’ Suite from Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, which enabled many of our orchestra members to chance to shine in solo roles. The most significant of these was the solo violin, played beautifully by Oriane Carcy, one of our two exchange students from the Paris Conservatory. The exchange student is Hector Chemelle, who performed as principal second violin. Principal cellist Thomas Carpenter and principal violist Allison George also were prominent in the success of the performance.

I look forward to the Pops’ holiday concert on Sunday, November 27 and our annual New Year’s Eve concert featuring The Three Phantoms, as well as guest appearances with the Elgin Symphony, Akron Symphony, and Hong Kong Philharmonic.

The concert itself was a great success. Earlier this summer, The Orchestra had polled our supporters to select its favorite Cleveland Pops selections in order to play these pieces on the first half of the program. I played Paul Ferguson’s brilliant arrangement of Benny Goodman classics, and George Judy outdid himself with a dazzling drum solo on Sing Sing Sing, one our signature numbers. The orchestra also acquitted itself famously with stirring performances of Victory at Sea, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Themes from 007. I also got to show my new jacket with its fantastic purple lining, courtesy of master tailor Joseph Scafidi, who was in the audience to acknowledge the applause for his fine work.

The great Motown Group, The Contours, performed their classic selections for the second half of the concert, to the delight of our audience. Classics such as Do You Love Me, My Girl, First a Look at the Purse, and A Little Misunderstanding were presented with style and panache. Their singing and dancing are without equal; perhaps most impressive is 73 year old Sylvester Potts, an original member of The Contours, whose energy and style is nothing short of remarkable. The preconcert talk, presented by their music director and keyboard player Glen Raby, was a fascinating look at the genesis of the Contours, as well as the history and origins of Motown music. I had the opportunity to play along with the band on alto sax the Thursday morning before the concert at Fox 8, and enjoyed both playing and getting to know the members of the group. All in all, it was a most successful concert, and a great way to start the season.

On the previous Wednesday, I conducted the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM) Orchestra in a performance at Severance Hall of the music of Michael Daugherty, Stravinsky, and Ravel. Michael is a professor of composition at the University of Michigan, and his music has enjoyed widespread popularity. We performed the dynamic and exciting Red Cape Tango from his Metropolis Suite, a piece based on the Superman comics, which started right here in Cleveland. CIM violinist Emily Nebel was featured in a brilliant performance of the Stravinsky Violin Concerto, and also was a member of our violin section with the Pops on Friday evening. I have conducted Ravel’s second suite from his ballet Daphnis and Chloe on many occasions, but Wednesday’s concert was my first involvement with the first suite. It proved to be a most rewarding experience – Ravel’s music is without par in terms of color, atmosphere and orchestration. When we started the second suite after playing the first, it felt like an old friend. The orchestra did a terrific job with this difficult repertoire.

On the previous Saturday, I conducted the opening concert of the Firelands Symphony at the Sandusky State Theater. The concert featured the Neos Dance Company from Mansfield in performances of Copland’s Appalachian Spring, Gershwin’s Lullaby, Tico Tico, and the Mambo from West Side Story. We also played Sarasate’s Carmen Fantasy, performed brilliantly by violinist and CIM alumna Alicia Hui, who is now principal second violinst with the Columbus Symphony. In addition, the orchestra played Ginastera’s Estancia, my adaptation of Kreisler’s Praeludium and Allegro which I combine with the popular song Autumn Leaves, and Dudley Buck’s Fantasy on The Star Spangled Banner, for which the audience rises and sings the national anthem along with the orchestra a the end of the piece.

Neos Dance Company, under the excellent guidance of lead dancers Brooke and Bobby Wesner will be joining the Pops on our April 21 concert, and we look forward to their return to the stage of Severance Hall, where they have been our guest for past performances.

Upcoming events this week include the Pops’ annual fundraiser, the G Clef Ball, which this year will be honoring Medical Mutual of Ohio’s CEO Rick Chiracosta. This elegant event will be held on Saturday, October 29, at the Intercontinental Hotel, and promises to be a great evening. The following day, I will be conducting the CIM Orchestra in a Halloween concert at Severance Hall.

Thanks to the musicians, board, and staff of the Cleveland Pops Orchestra for their support, and to our loyal and enthusiastic audience for making it all possible.

The Pops recently recorded the music for the Cleveland Browns fight song, entitled “HI-O-HI-O FOR CLEVELAND” for promotional use by the Browns. Pops principal trombonist Paul Ferguson came up with four creative versions of the song: march, vocal, Dixieland, and rock. The recording session was held in Kulas Hall at the Cleveland Institute of Music, and our talented musicians again rose to the challenge with spirit and enthusiasm. See the video here Cleveland Browns Fight Song

My other musical activities last week included a concert at Severance Hall with The Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra. The program featured concerto competition winner violinist Natalie Lin’s performance of the Britten Violin Concerto. I had never heard the piece previous to this occasion, but grew to really enjoy and admire it. Natalie’s performance was spectacular. We also performed Pictures at an Exhibition, which was very well received.

Last weekend I traveled to New Jersey for a performance as clarinetist at the Deal JCC with my brother, pianist Arthur Topilow, and vocalists Liz Larsen and Sal Viviano. I had worked with Sal on several occasions, but never with Liz, and they were both excellent. I played for the first time Astor Piazzolla’s Escualo, which I had first heard at the Pops Tango evening back in February. I also played an Italian medley on my green, white, and red clarinet, which I played at our Mediterranean Cruise concert in April. The real highlight was performing with my 97 year old mom, Pearl Josephs, in the audience!

Tony Plog is a dear friend and colleague from my days as conductor of the Summit Brass, and it was a real treat to conduct “Weiter”, a piece that he wrote in 2008 for the National Repertory Orchestra. Tony is professor of composition at the University of Freiburg in Germany, and Weiter is a German word which literally means “further”, but in a more colloquial meaning signifies “go for it”. This composition is a perpetual motion, with tremendous rhythmic energy from beginning to end, and the audience response was extremely positive.

The concert also marked my first performance of Cesar Franck’s The Accursed Huntsman, a piece that I’ve admired for several years. While not nearly as well known as his Symphony in D Minor, it’s a really cool piece that not surprisingly features the French horns. Our students played really well, and the piece came off splendidly.

Also on the concert was the Bartok Viola Concerto, played beautifully by Jaimie Sachay, a winner of the CIM concerto competition. Bartok only left fragments of the piece, and it was finished posthumously by his disciple Tibor Serly. The work has become a staple of the viola repertoire.

The concert concluded with Prokofief’s witty Lt. Kije Suite, taken from a movie score that Prokofief wrote in the 1930’s upon his return to Russia.

Earlier in the week, Shirley and I attended a benefit concert for Montefiore held in Mixon Hall at CIM. It was a tribute to the late Elliot Wilensky, songwriter and brother of Steven Wilensky, chairman of the board at Montefiore. Having grown up in Bayonne, NJ, I have known the Wilensky family since childhood, and have become reacquainted with Steven, who recently retired from a senior management position at American Greetings. It was delightful yet bittersweet evening, as Steven and guest vocalists led a moving reminiscence of Elliot’s life, with many references to growing up in Bayonne. I felt particularly connected, as I suggested holding the event at beautiful Mixon Hall; in addition, I had recommended vocalist Connor O’Brien, who did a wonderful performance of Elliot’s music. Elliot was an extraordinarily gifted songwriter who wrote many hit songs for vocalists including Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, and Smokey Robinson.

I look forward to the upcoming concert at Severance Hall of the CIM Orchestra on Wednesday, September 21. More soon!