Past Events

 
 

An exploration of improvisation through the lens of jazz and spoken word. Watch as artists collaborate to create a breathtaking, unique, and spontaneous performance, filmed in one take at High Line Nine.

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Hive Creates | Seek

January 31, 2021

 

Seek, a 30-minute interdisciplinary art film, directed by Nathan Hirschaut, intimately reveals the soul searching journey. Through an abstract quest into the deeper meanings of life, this film portrays the experiences one must go through to learn to trust themself. A story as old as time, shown through 6 cinematic scenes, reminds us of our own spiritual callings and asks us to reflect upon our inner purpose. Performed by dancer Zoe Hollinshead, opera singer Lydia Ghrahm, composer Assaf Shatil, and cinematography by Alex Sargent, Seek is a heart-opening story you will want to see.

 
 

Bandleader Kevin Oliver, Jr. is joined by group members Joshua Williams (bass & tuba), Daniel Berenfield (piano), Mwanzi Harriott (guitar), and Domo Branch (drums & cymbals) to close out the Amplified Currents Festival with an unparalleled presentation of original music, streamed live from Massawa.

 
 

Spoken Word Poet, Bianca Norwood, is joined by Jazz artists Jarien Jamanila, Jayla Chee, and Sarah Gooch. This special collaboration of improvised word and music will be performed and streamed live from Massawa.

 
 

Dancers Aaron Choate and Cyrie Topete perform an improvised set with Violas in the Park members Devin Moore, Lydia Grimes, Sean Juhl, and Joshua Kail. Join us for a brief talk about the concept and collaboration, followed by a live viewing of the performance recorded in Central Park.

 
 

A discussion with panelists Prof. Fredara Hadley, Juilliard’s first ethnomusicologist, Cameren Williams, founder of Cam Anai Strings, Inc., and Shereen Pimentel, actress most recently cast as Maria in Broadway’s West Side Story, moderated by violist and Opus Illuminate co-founder Devin Moore.

 
 

NADIA’s partner organization, Opus Illuminate, presents works by Joseph Bologne, Leaha Maria Villarreal, and Saad Haddad in an exciting program featuring performers Derek Wang (piano), Abigel Kralik (violin), and Drake Driscoll (cello). Tune in to watch this performance, recorded at Massawa.

 

Amplified Currents Festival of the Arts | Raquel Klein

October 23, 2020
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM EST

 

Raquel Klein leads an Oliveros Tuning Meditation followed by a conversation about her life as both a musician and a visual artist. The Oliveros Tuning Meditation brings people together by asking participants to listen to each other and contribute to the music by matching a pitch with one you hear. Sign up to participate in this interactive performance for both musicians and non-musicians alike. No prior experience necessary. 

 
 

Experience the unique nature of a rehearsal process as four acclaimed soloists, Angela Wee, Hava Polinsky, Devin Moore, and Michael Cantú collaborate together for the first time. Selections of string quartet by Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Dvorák, and Haydn will be sightread and streamed live from Massawa.

 
 

NADIA’s partner organization, Opus Illuminate, presents works by Billy Childs, Raven Chacon, and Eleanor Alberga, in an exciting program featuring performers Benjamin Beilman (violin), Nathan Meltzer (violin), Jordan Bak (viola), and Sterling Elliott (cello). Tune in to watch this performance, streamed live from Massawa.

 
 

Amplified Currents is joined by composers inti figgis-vizueta and Andrew Norman for a thought-provoking conversation about graphic scores, nuances of the creative process, collaborative communication, and much more. There will be an audience Q&A with inti and Andrew at the conclusion of the discussion.

 

Amplified Currents Festival of the Arts | Roxy Coss

October 17, 2020
7:30 PM - 8:30 PM EST

 

Musician, Composer, Bandleader, Educator and Activist Roxy Coss has performed around the world, headlining at the Newport Jazz Festival, Melbourne Big Band Festival, NYC Winter JazzFest, Earshot Jazz Festival, San Jose Jazz Summerfest, Jazz Standard, and Jazz Showcase. Watch Roxy Coss and her band perform a captivating set, streamed live from Massawa. 

 
 

Learn about The Moving Orchestra’s ensemble, their journey of interdisciplinary collaboration, and what inspires their creative process. The conversation will be followed with an improvisatory work of music and dance by members of the group. Tune in to watch this multifaceted performance, streamed live from Massawa.

 
 


An introduction to the mission of the Amplified Currents Festival of the Arts will be followed by a display of compositions by visual artists Hannah Wu, Susana Aldanondo, and Raquel Klein.  Get a glimpse into their work and lives through a discussion focused on their creative process, inspirations, and challenges. These pieces will be on display at Massawa for the duration of the festival.

 
 

Award-winning jazz pianist, bandleader, and composer Isaiah J. Thompson is joined by musicians Julian Lee (tenor saxophone), Liany Mateo (bass), and TJ Reddick (drums) to open the Amplified Currents Festival of the Arts with a night of electrifying jazz.

 

Live @ Massawa: Panel and Opus Illuminate

October 3, 2020
6:30 PM EST

 

NADIA and Live @ Massawa presents a panel discussion between Bethlehem Hagdu, Weston Sprott, Joy Payton-Stevens and Ehren Valmé. Preceding and following the panel, Opus Illuminate will present an exciting program of Bologne, Chaminade, Ponce, Clarke, and Coleridge-Taylor.

Program:

Joseph Bologne: Sonata for two violins No. 5
(Phoenix Avalon, violin; Adrian Steele, violin)
Cecile Chaminade: Flute Concertino
(Audrey Emata, flute; Umi Garrett, piano)
Manuel Ponce: Sonata a Duo
(Adrian Steele, violin; Kayla Cabrera, viola)

Panel Discussion

Rebecca Clarke: Lullaby and Grotesque
(Cami Williams, viola; Micheal Cantu, cello)
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor: 5 forest Scenes
(Youlan Ji, piano)

 

Opus Illuminate Concert 6

October 1 - 3, 2020

 

Program:

Florence Price (1887 - 1953) (Spoken Program Notes)
String Quartet No. 1 in G Major
Watch

Carlos Simon (Meet The Composer)
Elegy: A Cry From the Grave
Watch

Grażyna Bacewicz (Spoken Program Notes)
String Quartet No. 4
I. Andante- Allegro Molto
II. Andante
III. Allegro Giocoso
Watch

Performed by the Almas Quartet:
Haig Hovsepian and Emera Gurath, Violins
Jiwon Kim, Viola
Lydia Rhea, Cello

 

Live @ Massawa: The Joe Block Trio

September 27, 2020
4:00 PM EST

 

The Joe Block Trio, Live @ Massawa’s resident jazz ensemble, returns for another evening of music making. Sets to include Block’s original charts and arrangements alongside vibrant interpretations of jazz standards. No admission required, but donations welcome.

Joe Block, piano
Jason Maximo Clotter, bass
TJ Reddick, drums

 

Live @ Massawa: Salsa Night

September 26, 2020
6:30 PM EST

 

Enjoy an evening of high energy latin music featuring Los Hacheros lead vocalist Papote Jimenez, vocalist and flutist Jeremy Bosch, pianist Yeisson Villamar, bassist Alex Apolo Ayala, percussionist Max Starcevic Castro, and drummer Victor Pablo in their first performance at Live @ Massawa. No admission required, but donations welcome.

Musicians:
Papote Jimenez, lead vocals
Jeremy Bosch, flute and vocals
Yeisson Villamar, piano
Alex Apolo Ayala, bass
Max Starcevic Castro, conga drums
Victor Pablo, drumset

 

Opus Illuminate
Concert 5

September 17 - 19, 2020

 

Program:

Chaya Czernowin (Meet the Composer)
The Last Leaf
Alex Mayer, oboe
watch

Hannah Ishizaki (Meet the Composer)
I've been looking for you in a room full of self produced thoughts
Nathan Meltzer, violin; Ellexis Hatch, dance; Megan Murphy, cinematography
watch

Katie Jenkins (Meet the Composer)
Wear A Mask
Produced by Katie Jenkins and Derek Louie
Spoken word by Nayib Felix
Cinematography by Dylan Louie
Nathan Meltzer, violin; Devin Moore, viola; Derek Louie, cello
watch

 

Opus Illuminate
Concert 4

September 3 - 5, 2020

 

Program:

George Walker (1922-2018) (Spoken Program Notes)
Piano Sonata No. 5
Evren Ozel, piano
watch

Joseph Phillips (Meet the Composer)
Never Has Been Yet
Chelsea Guo, piano; Britnie Narcisse, narrator
watch


Black Breath
Created and performed by:
Morgan Scott and Zamo Mlengama, spoken word; Cameren Williams and Devin Moore, viola
watch

 

Opus Illuminate
Concert 3

August 20 - 22, 2020

 

Program:

Kevin Day (Meet the Composer)
Gymnopedie for Cello and Piano
Michael Cantu, cello; Umi Garrett, piano
watch

Yuko Uebayashi (Meet the Composer)
Flute Sonata: I. Allegro Moderato
Audrey Emata, flute; Christina Emata, piano
watch

Aida Shirazi (Learn more)
Blood Moon for Clarinet Quintet
The Pogossian Family:
Movses Pogossian, Varty Pogossian, violin; Cara Pogossian, viola; Eddie Pogossian, cello; Anoush Pogossian, clarinet
watch

 

Opus Illuminate
Concert 2

August 6 - 8, 2020

 

Program:

Joseph Bologne (1745-1799)
Sonata No. 4 for 2 Violins (arr. for flute and violin)
Audrey Emata, flute; Phoenix Avalon, violin
watch

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912)
5 Forest Scenes for solo piano, Op. 66
Eylül Esme Bölücek, piano
watch

Manuel Ponce (1882-1948)
Sonata a dúo for violin and viola
Randall Goosby, violin; Natalie Loughran, viola
watch

 

Opus Illuminate
Concert 1

July 23 - 25, 2020

 

Program:

Louise Farrenc (1804-1875)
Cello Sonata in B-flat Major, Op. 46, III. Finale
Derek Louie, cello; Umi Garrett, piano
watch

Clara Schumann (1819-1896)
Three Romances for Violin and Piano (arr. for Viola), I. Andante molto
Devin Moore, viola; Benjamin Pawlak, piano
watch

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912)
Sonata in D minor, Op. 28 for Violin and Piano, I. Allegro ma non tanto
Nathan Meltzer, violin; Jessica Xylina Osborne, piano
watch

 

Presenting: CIM BSU

July 9, 2020
8:30 EST

 

An interview with Cleveland Institute of Music’s Black Student Union about their activism and the change they created within CIM.

Learn more about CIM BSU