Strings

Study the unbroken legacy of the famous George Szell string sound. A legacy of legendary  Cleveland Orchestra concertmasters including Joseph Gingold, Rafael Druian, Danial Majeske to current concertmaster William Preucil. 

The string curriculum focuses on building chamber music skills within the smaller and larger group settings led by Cleveland Orchestra string principals and augmented by world-renowned musicians and pedagogues Herbert Greenberg and the Miami String Quartet. 

In his own words, long-time conductor of The Cleveland Orchestra George Szell "set out to build an orchestra with the finest European orchestral traditions of spontaneity, warmth and style with the finest American orchestral traditions of impeccable intonation, brilliance and smoothness of execution with particular emphasis on ensemble playing to the point of chamber musical feeling between each individual member."

Today, "under Franz Welser-Möst's directorship, The Cleveland Orchestra continues to be one of the most outstanding ensembles in the USA, with good reason. Moments are always well balanced. The brass proves exquisite. The strings play with a warm timbre.The high strings play with a radiance that can by no means be taken for granted in European concert halls.  In Welser-Möst's supple hands this chamber-like feel, left nothing to be desired"   
                                                         -Lars-Erik Gerth, Maintal Tagesanzeiger , August 21, 2004

Class size: 12 violins, 7 viola, 7 cello, 1 bass.

Winds/Horn

The Woodwind and French Horn curriculum is dedicated to the focused exploration and performance of the standard wind repertoire in addition to original and sometimes lesser known chamber music repertoire. The curriculum encourages individual interaction while guided by some of the world's leading instrumental artists.   

The curriculum is carefully designed to perform works that integrate winds, strings and piano together through a vast catalogue of larger chamber works that has included: Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time, Poulenc Sextet, Copland's Appalachian Spring, Stravinsky's Dumbarton Oaks as well as standard wind repertoire including Barber's Summer Music, Mozart and Beethoven's Quintets, Strauss Suite for Thirteen Winds and Gounod's Petite Symphony for Winds.

Cleveland Orchestra                     Reviews of 2003 Vienna Tour

"The roundness of the brass sound in the chorales deserves special mention. This sound, in conjunction with the wonderful woodwind solos, is a style firmly rooted in the traditions of the Old World and confirms them in a new way. " - Die Presse

"A wonderfully European sound particularly in the warm strings and the
                  full-bodied woodwinds ..." - Winer Zeitung

Piano

Perform the world's foremost chamber music. Each collaborative pianist performs 4-5 complete major works with winds and strings. Past repertoire includes: Brahms, Dvorak, Schubert & Schumann Quintets; Poulenc Sextet & Trio; Beethoven & Mozart Piano/Wind Quintets; Messiaens Quartet for the End of Time and Brahms Piano Quartets . 

Chamber Music will be coached by our world-class string, wind and piano faculty including Joela Jones, William Preucil, John Mack, Joshua Smith & Miami String Quartet.

Previous keyboard guest artists: Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Margaret Baxstresser, John Browning, Yefim Bronfman, Arthur Rowe, Gordon Back, Alan Chow, Garrick Ohlsson, Anne Epperson.

K/BM Keyboard Alumni hold positions with The Cleveland Orchestra, University of Southern California, Philadelphia Academy of Vocal Arts, Peabody Conservatory, Florida State, University of Kentucky, Pittsburgh State and Wesleyan University.

Class size: 3 piano.

Jerome LaCorte | Program Director | Phone: 330.672.2613 | E-mail: kbm@kent.edu