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THE CARNEGIE TO LAUNCH DISTINCTIVE CHAMBER MUSIC SERIES IN JANUARY
The Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center will launch the "Carnegie in Concert" chamber music series on Thursday, January 10 with a performance by Ohio's premier men's vocal ensemble High Street A Cappella. The concert begins at 7:30 pm, preceded by an hors d'oeuvre and cocktail reception in the Ohio National Financial Services Gallery beginning at 6:00 pm.
Programmed to challenge traditional assumptions about chamber music, "Carnegie in Concert" will include a host of ensembles and musical genres which push the boundaries of the medium, combining obligatory string quartet and piano trio performances with jazz, bluegrass, folk, and ethnic music. The series is designed to engage both the informed classical music patron and the casual music listener with a wide breadth of acoustic offerings.
2008 Series Programming
The first of four concerts constituting the maiden series, the January 10 High Street A Cappella performance will feature the award-winning ensemble's trademark blend of classical repertoire and contemporary selections, defying time and stylistic boundaries with selections ranging from Mozart and Bruckner to James Taylor and Steely Dan. A semi-finalist in international competition and a demanded ensemble across the state, High Street's local performances have included appearances at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, and in Montgomery, Ohio as part of the High Street A Cappella Montgomery Woman's Club Scholarship Concert, which supports local high school seniors interested in pursuing collegiate study of music.
The series continues with three Thursday evening performances February through May, each at 7:30 pm at The Carnegie's Otto M. Budig Theatre. Northern Kentucky University's lauded string quartet-in-residence, the Azmari Quartet, takes the stage on February 28. Prize winners at the 2006 Plowman Chamber Music Competition and semifinalists in the TROMP International String Quartet Competition held in the Netherlands, the Azmari Quartet's performances have been described by the Cincinnati Enquirer as having "relentless energy and superb intonation." April 17 features the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra Floodwall Jazz Quintet, performing the repertoire of jazz-classical fusion giant Claude Bolling. The series closes on May 29 with a performance by Cincinnati's celebrated Queen City Brass, a stylistically dynamic ensemble featuring musicians from the Cincinnati Symphony and Kentucky Symphony orchestras and with multiple appearances on Garrison Keilor's "Prairie Home Companion."
"Carnegie in Concert" is planned to achieve perpetuity and an expanded calendar beginning in 2008-09. Subscriptions to the 2008 series, as well as single tickets to individual performances, are available through The Carnegie Box Office, online at www.thecarnegie.com, or by phone at 859.957.1940.
The Otto M. Budig Theatre
Restored in March 2006, the 465-seat Otto M. Budig Theatre is an ideal venue for art music, believes Joshua Steele, who assumed the post of Theatre and Facilities Manager of The Carnegie in July. While the plush jewel box proscenium has long been pursued as a music venue, and indeed has been used by the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra and other performers and ensembles, "Carnegie in Concert" will represent the first dedicated music series presented by the organization, a debut long overdue, according to Steele.
"The Otto M. Budig Theatre is a truly unique venue in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky market, not only for its beauty and historical significance but for its size, intimacy, and natural acoustic brilliance," says Steele. "Very few theatres can claim 465 seats evoking such a sense of closeness to the performance, a dynamic which should be breathtaking for the presentation of chamber music."
New Leadership
The rapid artistic and programmatic expansion taking place within the theatre department is one portion of a larger vision being implemented by new leadership at The Carnegie, including Executive Director Guy LaJeunesse and Theatre and Facilities Manager Joshua Steele. With extensive experience in the non-profit and philanthropic sectors during his dynamic career, LaJeunesse believes that The Carnegie holds great potential as the region's largest multi-arts venue.
"This truly is a landmark year for the Otto M. Budig Theatre and for The Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center as we expand the scope and breadth of our program offerings," says LaJeunesse, "but it's just the beginning! We are engaging the community in a new way; developing new audiences, growing our membership, and providing new volunteer opportunities. This is a direct reflection of the vision and commitment of Carnegie's Board of Trustees, along with our individual, corporate, and foundation donors, who have given so generously to the recent "re-birth" of the Budig Theatre at The Carnegie."
About The Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center
The Carnegie was established in 1972 in a former Carnegie Library, originally constructed in 1902. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places. Northern Kentucky's largest arts center, and the only such multi-disciplinary center in the area, The Carnegie concurrently presents visual arts, performing arts, and educational programming year-round. 6,000 square feet constitute the gallery space, where the work of new and emerging artists is exhibited in 6-8 shows annually. The Eva G. Farris Education Center provides arts education to over 5,000 children annually, many of whom live at or below poverty level. The 465-seat Otto M. Budig Theatre was fully restored and renovated in 2006, offering diverse performing arts programming ranging from music and theatre to film and comedy.
National City is the Season Sponsor of the Otto M. Budig Theatre. Lexus is the Official Car of the Otto M. Budig Theatre
The Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center receives ongoing operating support from the Fine Arts Fund and the Kentucky Arts Council
"Carnegie in Concert" 2008 Schedule
Thursday, January 10, 7:30 pm – High Street A Cappella
Hors d'oeuvre and cocktail reception beginning at 6:00 pm
www.highstreetmusic.com
Thursday, February 28, 7:30 pm – Azmari Quartet
www.theazmariquartet.com
Thursday, April 17, 7:30 pm – Kentucky Symphony Orchestra Floodwall Jazz Quintet
www.kyso.org
Thursday, May 29, 7:30 pm – Queen City Brass
www.queencitybrass.com
For More Information contact Theatre and Facilities Manager Joshua Steele at 859.957.1933 or jsteele@thecarnegie.com.
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