Fanfare Cincinnati Podcast

The CSO and Cincinnati Pops have commissioned composers to write fanfares for single instruments during this extraordinary time of pandemic. The CSO’s Nate Bachhuber and the Pops’ Sam Strater join host Chris Pinelo to discuss this important initiative.

As positions become available in the ensemble, the CSO holds auditions – attracting candidates from around the world. With each season comes at least a few new faces, and on this episode of our podcast, we meet two of the newest members of the Orchestra – horn player Molly Norcross and flutist Haley Bangs. We’ll talk about their journeys to becoming professional musicians.

CSO Proof is a new way to experience the Orchestra this season. Artists and audience share the same space on the stage of Music Hall in shorter, intermission-less performances that are casual, intimate and boundary-breaking. Each concert is a fresh collaboration with artists working across genres, featuring elements of theater, lighting and dance. On this episode, we talk CSO Proof with Orchestra President Jonathan Martin and feature a roundtable conversation with Director of Artistic Planning Nate Bachhuber, curator Timo Andres, and choreographer John Heginbotham, and finally our good friend and former Associate Conductor Keitaro Harada returns to the podcast.

We are now in the throes of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Pops seasons, and on Episode 27 of the Podcast, we started a conversation about how a season comes together. Those conversations with CSO Director of Artistic Planning and Administration Nate Bachhuber and Pops Director of Artistic Planning Sam Strater were so robust that we now present part two of “How Does a Season Come Together.” As we asked for questions from our listeners in this episode, please send them to lsnow@cincinnatisymphony.org

The Cincinnati Pops welcomes new Principal Guest Conductor Damon Gupton this season. Damon has been a popular presence on the podium going back to 2015, and in addition to being an accomplished conductor, is also a professional actor and television series regular. On this episode we talk Pops with Damon Gupton and Pops Conductor John Morris Russell.

Transatlantic is the newest album from the CSO and Music Director Louis Langrée and features the highly anticipated world premiere recording of George Gershwin’s An American in Paris – both the new critical edition and with special permission from the Gershwin estate – the unabridged critical edition. The album also features the original version of Edgard Varèse’s Amériques and Igor Stravinsky’s Symphony in C. On this episode we learn more from musicologist Mark Clague and Music Director Louis Langrée.

The exciting 2019-2020 seasons for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Pops are upon us, but how does a season come together? How are concert programs built? How are guest artists identified and selected? On this episode of the podcast, - the first of a two-parter - we learn about the making of a season with CSO Director of Artistic Planning and Administration Nate Bachhuber and Pops Director of Artistic Planning Sam Strater.

To kick-off the Orchestra’s 125th anniversary season, we present CSO Look Around, an immersive experience incorporating what’s akin to multiple flash mobs performing a diverse array of music — at times overlapping and interacting — and all inspired by the cultural tapestry that is Cincinnati. This two and a half hour celebration of the Queen City showcases more than 600 artists from 20 local ensembles, and culminates in a massive performance with the CSO conducted by Music Director Louis Langrée. Our guests on the podcast today are co-creators Shara Nova, Mark DeChiazza and Siri Imani.

Voyage is the 96th recording from the Cincinnati Pops and the first studio recording made at Music Hall following a major renovation draws. It draws inspiration from the stars and includes the world premiere recording of the title track by Academy Award-winning composer Michael Giacchino. His composition, Voyage, commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Moon landing. On this episode, we talk to Pops Conductor John Morris Russell and Principal French Horn about this exciting new release.

For 99 years, CSO musicians have played a collaborative and pivotal role in Cincinnati Opera’s summer festival season. A major, fulltime orchestra also performing in the pit for an opera company is rare in this country, and the special nature of this relationship elevates the level of artistry opera goers enjoy each and every summer. On this episode, we talk to Cincinnati Opera’s Artistic Director Evans Mirageas about what this summer has to offer, as well as Cincinnati Pops Conductor John Morris Russell, who is on the podium for an exciting Cincinnati Opera world premiere.

As we bid farewell to longtime CSO Violist Steve Rosen, who is retiring after decades of dedicated service and artistry, we are also getting to know musicians new to the Orchestra like Caterina Longhi. On this episode we talk to these remarkable individuals, each at very different points in their respective careers, about their unique journeys.

There are all kinds of studies that show singing in a group is good for your health and contributes to overall happiness. Assuming those studies ring true, the May Festival Chorus is one healthy, happy place to make music. Comprised of volunteer singers from throughout the Greater Cincinnati region, this ensemble is the artistic core of the intensive Cincinnati May Festival and serves as the official chorus for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Pops. On this episode, we find out what it’s like to surround yourself in song by visiting with Director of Choruses Robert Porco, Chorus Member Kristi Reed, and Associate Director of Choruses Matthew Swanson.

Staff conductors play an important role in the life of an orchestra and that’s certainly true for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Pops. For the past four seasons, Keitaro Harada and Gene Chang have served the Orchestra, Cincinnati audiences and the broader community in myriad ways. These two distinguished artists are now moving on to the next phases of their respective careers, and on this episode we explore what their role has been, how they came to conductors, and what’s next on their journeys.

The concertmaster, or first chair violin, plays a pivotal in an orchestra. Tim Lees held that important position for two decades with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, but retired recently due to injury. On this episode, we talk to Tim about his extraordinary tenure with the CSO and discuss what’s next on his journey. We also talk to Director of Orchestra Personnel Paul Pietrowski about this interim period, the process and purpose for getting guest concertmasters, and the search for the CSO’s next concertmaster

The Cincinnati May Festival features an extraordinary concentration of choral music and one of the Queen City’s most treasured traditions - dating all the way back to 1873. It is of course very closely tied to the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and on this episode, we explore the eight unique concert experiences that make up the 2019 Festival with Principal Conductor Juanjo Mena and Associate Director of Choruses Matthew Swanson.