Yo-Yo Ma to return to area

Akron Beacon Journal - April 1st, 2007

by Elaine Gureglan

Ever since superstar cellist Yo-Yo Ma visited Akron's E.J. Thomas Hall with his Silk Road Project musicians in 2003, Akron audiences have been clamoring for him to return. Next November, Ma will be back. He's slated for a sole recital in the Tuesday Musical series, his first solo performance in Akron

Ma's performance is one of six concerts that will be presented by the Tuesday Musical Association at E.J. Thomas Hall in its 2007-08 series. The other events are Chanticleer, tenor Lawrence Brownlee, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Irish Chamber Orchestra and pianist Garrick Ohlsson.

Since then, "I've been courting his personal manager," she said with a grin belying her steely resolve. Feld's persistence paid off in a solo classical recital that will feature cello music by Shostakovich, Piazzolla, Gismonti and Franck. The recital is one of eight Ma will give next season.

Season marks 120 years

The 2007-08 season marks the 120th anniversary of the Tuesday Musical Association, which began as a women's music club. The musicians among its members still preform for each other at club meetings. (Men have been allowed as members for quite a few years now.) And the public concert series by visiting artist has been in its current form for many years. Yet change has come to this group, which has a handful of paid employees and many volunteers.

Feld and her associates have been making presentations to Akron's Metropolitan Housing Authority, to spread the word about its concerts to people who might not otherwise have a chance to hear classical music. For last Sunday's Cleveland Orchestra concert at E.J. Thomas Hall, Tuesday Musical arranged free tickets for residents of Saferstein Towers. Seniors from Akron's Urban League have been provided free tickets to the Empire Brass Concert on May 8.

Through the group's student voucher program, about 175 students attended this year's Cleveland Orchestra program for free, along with 40 adults who paid $10 apiece.

Offering more master classes is another way the organization is broadening its scope.

Feld is cooking up ideas for a couple of unusual master classes in 2007-08 to go along with guest performances. She and Michell Kahan, director of the Akron Art Museum, are also hatching plans for what Feld calls an alternative music series of edgier performances, to run at the Art Museum auditorium in the 2008-09 season, in addition to the group's normal lineup at E.J. Thomas.

After a visit from an arts consultant a number of years back, Feld has kept in mind one piece of advice: "Don't be afraid to take a risk." Because the group is so fiscally responsible, it can afford to go out on a limb with a more expensive performer like Ma every now and then, Feld said.

Ma's name jumps off the list for the 2007-08 season. It's a coup for a group of this size to present him. But one of the best things about Tuesday Musical has been this organization's ability to catch talent as it develops. Not only are such up-and-coming artist still affordable, it's exciting for audiences to hear them because they aren't over exposed

A couple such performers are in the 2007-08 series. Lawrence Brownlee is a young tenor originally from Youngstown who won two prestigious prizes in 2006: the Kennedy Center's Marian Anderson award and the Richard Tucker Award. He was the first singer to win both awards in the same year. Brownlee will preform with the esteemed pianist Martin Katz. Feld said it's a good bet that Brownlee will include spirituals on his program, since he has made a habit of preforming them in recital.

Additionally, both musicians will give master classes. Rather than having Brownlee teach at university level, which is usually done, Feld is considering having him work with high school students, since she knows that area is rich in talent.

A second event that qualifies as less known, at least in the United States, is the Irish Chamber Orchestra. This ensemble began in Dublin in the 1970s and moved to the University of Limerick in 1995. It came to Felds attention through its management. She's always eager to give the audience the surprise of discovering an ensemble and she liked what she heard on recordings, so she signed them on.

Pianist Garrick Ohlsson's career took off when he won the 1970 Chopin International Piano Competition. He appeared in the Tuesday Musical series soon afterward, and again with violinist Miriam Fried in 1976. Ohlsson's last visit, a solo recital, was in 1992.

Feld calls Ohlsson a natural choice for tha Margaret Baxtresser Annual Piano Concert, which began in 2006-07 to honor the late Akron pianist. Baxtresser was friends with Ohlsson and many other musicians who have appeared in the Tuesday Musical series. Feld remembers warmly an after concert reception at Baxtresser's home, where Ohlsson lingered with a small group after all the other guest had gone home.

The all-male vocal group Chanticleer is an organization with an international reputation. With next season's performance, Feld has in mind a master class that's a rarity: one for choral singers. "When we have a choral group, the reason we have so many people in attendance is that they sing," Fels said.

She wants to invite members of area groups to participate in the master class. Depending on the response, she'll figure out how to narrow down the participants to a manageable number.

Big ideas come first for this venerable, vibrant organization. Logistics follow from there.