Let It Be New
Jun
22
to Jul 31

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.

View Event →

Creating Song in 360
May
17

Creating Song in 360

Today, art song is primarily experienced in niche or academic spaces, despite the noble efforts of many art song initiatives across the country. Modern American audiences crave accessibility, relevance, and participation, but most have never had the chance to experience art song up close. So what if we could get them out of their seats and bring them onto the stage from the comfort of their home?

View Event →
No One Saves the Earth From Us But Us
May
16

No One Saves the Earth From Us But Us

  • College-Conservatory of Music, Werner Recital Hall (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

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.

View Event →
The Art of Artist Management
May
15

The Art of Artist Management

  • College-Conservatory of Music, Mary Emery Hall (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

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.

View Event →
Arts Admin Crash Course
May
14

Arts Admin Crash Course

  • College-Conservatory of Music, Mary Emery Hall (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

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.

View Event →
mOthertongue: Lived Experience in Asian America
May
12

mOthertongue: Lived Experience in Asian America

  • College-Conservatory of Music, Werner Recital Hall (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

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

View Event →
Dayenu
Apr
6

Dayenu

Cincinnati Song Initiative, in partnership with the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust and Humanity Center and the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, presents the second of two installments celebrating Jewish culture and history. Experience the story of Passover like never before through vibrant multi-genres, new works and arrangements, and the soulful and diverse Jewish musical traditions of the holiday.

View Event →
CSI Mobile: Intimate Voices
Feb
18

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.

View Event →
Goethe: Aus den Büchern
Feb
2

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.

View Event →
Susan Youens on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Jan
14

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.

View Event →
Song Workshop with Iain Burnside
Dec
8

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.

View Event →
Goethe: Unbounded
Nov
3

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.

View Event →
Let It Be New
Jun
30
to Jul 31

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.

View Event →
The Fellowship of the Song: Murder Ballades
May
25

The Fellowship of the Song: Murder Ballades

  • College-Conservatory of Music, Dieterle Vocal Arts Center 100 (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

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.

View Event →
The Fellowship of the Song: Sitting with Death
May
24

The Fellowship of the Song: Sitting with Death

  • College-Conservatory of Music, Dieterle Vocal Arts Center 100 (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

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.

View Event →