Carl Topilow and the Cleveland Pops Orchestra Celebrate 30 Years
In Monday’s (6/1) Beachwood Buzz Magazine (Beachwood, OH), Debby Zelman Rapoport writes, “In many ways, Cleveland Pops Orchestra is a love story set to music. It began with a shared vision between Carl Topilow and his late wife, Shirley Morgenstern Topilow, rooted in the belief that orchestral music could be exceptional, accessible, and fun. Although The Cleveland Orchestra had a strong presence, it did not have an orchestra devoted to symphonic pops. Carl and Shirley believed there was room in the city’s cultural landscape for both—and that Northeast Ohio audiences would embrace the energy, familiarity, and excitement of pops music performed by a full symphonic orchestra…. The orchestra made its public debut on Oct. 12, 1996…. Carl has been bringing music to life from the podium with warmth, artistry, and a sense of showmanship. As founding conductor and music director, he has shaped programs that blend the familiar and the unexpected … performed with the richness of a full symphonic orchestra…. Among Carl’s many accomplishments, Cleveland Pops remains the most personal expression of his life’s work … Today, that legacy is being carried forward by the next generation.”
