Cleveland Chamber Symphony lists 2008-2009 concerts

The Cleveland Chamber Symphony — as far as I'm concerned, the top new music group in Cleveland — has posted its upcoming concert schedule on its Web site.

On Oct. 5, a Sunday afternoon (the exact time is not posted) at Baldwin-Wallace College's Gamble Auditorium, the symphony will perform "Terpsichore's Dream" by Augusta Read Thomas, the world premiere of a new work by Larry Baker, "Cayuga Lake (Memories)" by Karel Husa and "Solstice" by Donald Erb. Erb is a Cleveland-area composer, and "Solstice" (which sounds like a winter storm) is a piece about 12 minutes long, available on the Cleveland Chamber Symphony's excellent "New American Scene III" album.

On March 22, 2009, also at Gamble, look for a new flute concerto by Jing Jing Luo, a new work by Jeffrey Mumford and "Kammersymphonie No. 1" by Schoenberg.

May 10, 2009, at Glick Recital Hall at the Cleveland Music School Settlement, expect "Boston Fancies" by Steven Stucky, "String Quartet" by Steven Smith, "Tatterdemalion" by Libby and "Nine Poems" by Dan Visconti.

May 16-17 2009, back at Baldwin-Wallace, is reserved for the Young and Emerging Composers Competition.

New album features Duckworth's music

An an Overgrown Path reports on a new album featuring music by William Duckworth, one of my favorite composers. The new Boston Secession album, "Surprised by Beauty," includes seven selections from Duckworth's "Southern Harmony" and compositions from Arvo Part, Gavin Bryars and others. Pliable's posting goes into considerable detail to discuss Duckworth's career and explain why the album is recommended.

I'm back

I apologize for my silence of the last 3-4 months. I have not lost interest in music, but I have been called away by a variety of other interests and pressing concerns. I have not lost interest in publicizing new music and Cleveland (and around the world), and I am resuming posting.