Susan Youens on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
To celebrate CSI's final season of its German poets series The Belletrists, Susan Youens delves into the profound contributions of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Known for his timeless poetry and dramatic works, Goethe's influence on the literary world is immeasurable. Through an exploration of love, nature, and the human experience that permeate Goethe's writing, Youens will illuminate how his insights remain viscerally relevant today.
Goethe: Aus den Büchern
CSI's second program dedicated to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe - and the final in its German poets series The Belletrists - explores songs taken from the books of the great writer. The world of Wilhelm Meister offers notes of innocence, suffering, and longing, while The Book of Suleika brings out the interplay of passionate earthly love and transcendent, spiritual desire in a blend of Eastern and Western literary traditions.
CSI Mobile: Intimate Voices
Experience an enchanting evening of chamber music that beautifully intertwines nature and intimacy.
The combination of Leoš Janáček’s String Quartet No. 2 "Intimate Letters" and Gerald Finzi's song cycle By Footpath and Stile creates a tapestry of heartfelt reflection and deep emotional landscapes, inviting us to explore the complexities of human connection against the backdrop of the natural world.
Harmonies of Heritage
Cincinnati Song Initiative, in partnership with the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust and Humanity Center, presents the first of two installments celebrating Jewish culture and history. Harmonies of Heritage explores rarely-performed classical songs in Hebrew, Yiddish, and Ladino languages for a powerful and unique evening of music.
Dayenu
Cincinnati Song Initiative, in partnership with the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust and Humanity Center, presents the second of two installments celebrating Jewish culture and history.
Join us for Dayenu - the quintessential Passover concert with JIVE: Jewish Innovative Voices & Experiences. Through new perspectives, new works and arrangements, and representing the rich and diverse Jewish musical traditions, JIVE brings together the themes of freedom, bondage, and resilience.
CSI Mobile: The Hartt School
CSI joins forces with The Hartt School at the University of Hartford to create a multi-day festival of American song, with a spotlight concert featuring the songs of Kurt Erickson.
Song Workshop 1
Margo Garrett leads The Fellowship of the Song’s first song workshop. Repertoire and artists to be announced on February 1.
Composers’ Roundtable
CSI Artistic Director Samuel Martin moderates a roundtable discussion that illuminates the process of artists engaging and interacting with composers, from the conceiving and commissioning of a new work through the preparation of its premiere performance.
mOthertongue: Lived Experience in Asian America
Images of Asia have long sparked the European musical imagination. As described by European poets and composers, these images include exotic landscapes and fetishized female figures, stereotypes that remain even as the Asian diaspora has taken root and claimed citizenship all over the world.
With three newly-commissioned song cycles by Asian American composers Justine F. Chen, Melissa Dunphy, and Kamala Sankaram, this recital asserts Asian American lived experience from the perspective of those of us who live it. As contrasted with Maurice Ravel’s “Asie,” a prime example of European musical Orientalism, these new songs describe the joys, pains, contradictions, and pride we experience as Asians living in this land we call home.
-Jennifer Lien
Song Workshop 2
Margo Garrett leads The Fellowship of the Song’s second song workshop. Repertoire and artists to be announced on February 1.
Understanding, Contextualizing, and Programming Spirituals
Soprano LaToya Lain and pianist/conductor Casey Robards provide an informative guide for engaging with the rich Spiritual repertoire.
Arts Admin Crash Course
CSI staff members Natasha Naik and Sam Martin avail themselves to the burning questions held by Fellows on how to bring their own unique projects to life. How do you write a grant? What paperwork do you file to start your own nonprofit organization? How do you go about organizing a community concert or event? Best practices for fundraising? It’s an open discussion at this lunch-and-learn event, tailored to whatever questions the Fellows have.
Fellows' Opening Concert
The ten fellows of CSI’s inaugural The Fellowship of the Song take the stage for the first of two scintillating programs.
The Art of Artist Management
Alex Fletcher, President of Fletcher Artist Management, provides a private lunch-and-learn session to illuminate the world of managers. From building a career based on artists’ passions, to how the client-manager relationship works, to whether management is right for every particular artist, this conversation covers topics tailored to the Fellows’ specific questions.
Song Workshop 3
Margo Garrett leads The Fellowship of the Song’s third song workshop. Repertoire and artists to be announced on February 1.
There Has Always Been Love
Love, in all its forms, can be found throughout nature and in each of us. Sometimes it's sensual, blissful, unconditional. Sometimes it's surprising, crazy, carnal. No matter the moment, love is everywhere - always.
Song Workshop 4
Margo Garrett leads The Fellowship of the Song’s fourth and final song workshop. Repertoire and artists to be announced on February 1.
No One Saves the Earth From Us But Us
The science is undeniable: our earth's climate is changing at alarming rates, and only we have the power to curb the effects it will have on our planet. The world premiere of Lisa Neher's monumental cycle confronts this reality while Ericsson Hatfield's award-winning cycle God's World celebrates the natural world that we must continue to cherish and protect.
Fellows' Closing Concert
The ten fellows of The Fellowship of the Song take the stage for the second of two scintillating programs.
Let It Be New
In its fifth year, Cincinnati Song Initiative proudly presents the world premieres by the 2024-2025 National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Composer Mentorship Program mentees.
Song Workshop with Iain Burnside
Join four singer-pianist duos as they work with the renowned Scottish pianist and coach Iain Burnside. Get an exclusive inside look into the perfection of not only song performances, but the collaborative process of interpretation between singers and pianists.
Goethe: Unbounded
Experience the magic of song in a concert celebrating the poetry of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, one of the most revered figures in literature. Often exploring the interplay between nature, the human spirit, and the quest for personal fulfillment, Goethe's text reflect a deep journey of self-discovery and emotional depth.
Let It Be New
Cincinnati Song Initiative proudly presents the world premieres of twelve commissioned songs from the 2023-2024 National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) composer mentorship program mentees.
The Fellowship of the Song: Fellows' Closing Concert
The ten fellows of CSI’s inaugural The Fellowship of the Song take the stage for the second of two scintillating programs.
The Fellowship of the Song: Murder Ballades
Pianist, scholar, and Follow the Lieder podcast host Mandee Madrid-Sikich delves into the genre of the murder ballade in this intriguing Song Connect study event. Available to auditors for in-person attendance, live-streaming, and unlimited replays until June 26.
The Fellowship of the Song: Sitting with Death
Pianist, scholar, and Follow the Lieder podcast host Mandee Madrid-Sikich leads a thoughtful Song Connect study event exploring our relationship with the concept of death through poetry and song. Available to auditors for in-person attendance, live-streaming, and unlimited replays until June 26.
The Fellowship of the Song: German Song Workshop
The Fellowship of the Song’s fourth and final song workshop explores German music by Johannes Brahms, Hugo Wolf, and Erich Korngold. Available to auditors for in-person attendance, live-streaming, and unlimited replays until June 26.
The Fellowship of the Song: Creative Programming
Soprano Laura Strickling illuminates strategies and approaches for creating song programs that create the most impact for today’s audiences. Available to auditors for in-person attendance, live-streaming, and unlimited replays until June 26.
The Fellowship of the Song: Spanish Song Workshop
The Fellowship of the Song’s third song workshop explores Spanish music by Enrique Granados, Xavier Montsalvatge, Fernando Obradors, and Joaquín Turina. Available to auditors for in-person attendance, live-streaming, and unlimited replays until June 26.
The Fellowship of the Song: Fellows' Opening Concert
The ten fellows of CSI’s inaugural The Fellowship of the Song take the stage for the first of two scintillating programs.
The Fellowship of the Song: Understanding, Contextualizing, and Programming Spirituals
Soprano LaToya Lain and pianist/conductor Casey Robards provide an informative guide for engaging with the rich Spiritual repertoire. Available to auditors for in-person attendance, live-streaming, and unlimited replays until June 26.
The Fellowship of the Song: Exploring the Unexplored
Soprano Toni Marie Palmertree and pianist Ellen Rissinger shed light on under-programmed song repertoire by both beloved and lesser-known composers. Available to auditors for in-person attendance, live-streaming, and unlimited replays until June 26.
The Fellowship of the Song: French Song Workshop
The Fellowship of the Song’s second song workshop explores French music by Lili Boulanger, Claude Debussy, and Francis Poulenc. Available to auditors for in-person attendance, live-streaming, and unlimited replays until June 26.
The Fellowship of the Song: Melody Out of My Heart
Soprano Toni Marie Palmertree and pianist Ellen Rissinger celebrate the opening of the inaugural Fellowship of the Song with a concert exploring stunning songs by underrepresented composers.
The Fellowship of the Song: Commissioning and Working with Composers
CSI Artistic Director Samuel Martin moderates a roundtable discussion that illuminates the process of artists engaging and interacting with composers, from the conceiving and commissioning of a new work through the preparation of its premiere performance. Available to auditors for in-person attendance, live-streaming, and unlimited replays until June 26.
The Fellowship of the Song: American Song Workshop
The Fellowship of the Song’s first song workshop explores American music by Dominick Argento, Lori Laitman, John Musto, and Tania León. Available to auditors for in-person attendance, live-streaming, and unlimited replays until June 26.
Who’s Afraid of Herr Hugo Wolf?
Have you ever wondered what’s the deal with the songs of Hugo Wolf? Need an opportunity to tell the world why his songs are so great? Then join us for this friendly conversation where we’ll explore the songs of the big-bad Wolf! We’ll focus on two of his greatest songs, “Im Frühling” and “Ganymed,” for a lively discussion where all opinions are welcome. A short informative introduction by our host, Simon Barrad, will precede hot-takes, unpopular truths, and lively debate by the group.
To the Woods
The science is conclusive: our planet is warming to alarming degrees, and only we have the power to slow its effects. Be inspired to take action through the visceral words of Edna St. Vincent Millay, Henry David Thoreau, and UC poetry professor Felicia Zamora in this powerful Earth Day program.
CSI Mobile: The Hartt School
CSI joins forces with The Hartt School at the University of Hartford to create a multi-day festival of American song, with a spotlight concert featuring the songs of Lori Laitman.
Norden: Exploring Scandinavian Song and Diction
You’ve probably heard of iconic Scandinavian composers Edvard Grieg, Jean Sibelius, and Carl Nielsen, but how many of their songs have you heard in concert? Though among the most beautiful and coloristic works in the repertoire, songs by Scandinavian composers are less frequently represented on song recitals in America. Guided by Dr. Alisa Jordheim, a Fulbright Scholar and Fellow of the American Scandinavian Foundation, we explore this stunning repertoire and introductory approaches to diction for performers.
Fauré/Debussy Cage Match!!!!
You know them, you love them, and now you choose between them! Our first-ever Song Connect event explores iconic settings by Gabriel Fauré and Claude Debussy of two poems: Mandoline and Claire de lune. What makes them similar? What sets them apart from each other? And whose settings will emerge victorious? Come with your unwavering opinion or get ready to be swayed through conversation and listening during the event. Either way, it’s bound to be a great time!
An Afternoon with Will Liverman & Myra Huang
Will Liverman, the multi-talented baritone, composer, and producer who knows no creative boundaries, joins the inimitable pianist Myra Huang for a one-time-only experience here in Cincinnati. Join these two dazzling artists for a varied and poignant journey through song.
The Belletrists: Josef von Eichendorff
In the third program of its series The Belletrists, Cincinnati Song Initiative explores an array of settings from the Romantic literary giant Josef von Eichendorff. Themes of wandering, the passing of time, and nostalgia permeate this program that explores German culture, poetry, and music.
Under Your Wing
The Mainstage season opens with a unique opportunity to explore the human condition through song. In partnership with the Cincinnati Music & Wellness Coalition, world-class artists share musical stories of life, love, struggle, and triumph, all through the lens of physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
CSI Mobile: Oberlin Conservatory
CSI heads up the road for a residency at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Artists will work with students on their own song studies and present a contemporary all-American program free and open to the public.
Let it Be New
Cincinnati Song Initiative presents the commissioned songs from the 2022-2023 National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) composer mentorship program mentees.
Americana: What Shall We Remember?
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Three artist-storytellers bring a program of varied American song to life. Nostalgic calls from the past, fused with jovial, reflective, and empowering stories of today help provide a path forward for the journey ahead.
Beautiful Small Things
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Cincinnati Song Initiative presents LYNX Project in Beautiful Small Things, a concert celebrating the newly released album of music from the Amplify Series. The Amplify Series is a project in which the words of nonspeaking autistic poets are set to music by classical composers. From 2016-2020, the poets for this project were all residents of Cincinnati, OH and members of the Cincinnati Rapid Prompting Method (RPM) community.
Unforgettable: The Golden Age of the Great American Songbook
CSI and Queen City Cabaret team up to present a delectable program of Golden-Age tunes from the Great American Songbook. Featuring selections from the 1930s through 1960s, take a trip with some of Cincinnati’s greatest cabaret personalities and explore all this era has to offer!
Narrative of a Slave Woman: Songs of Suffering, Hope, and Freedom
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Cincinnati Song Initiative presents the internationally-performed lecture recital Narrative of a Slave Woman, providing arguably the most comprehensive journey in contextualizing the words of Spirituals with the very real-world stories they tell from the darkest chapter of this nation. Join distinguished artists LaToya Lain and Casey Robards for this profound journey that places the Spiritual - and everything it stands for - in the spotlight.