The Cleveland Orchestra Announces 2018-19 Music Study Groups

The 2018-19 Cleveland Orchestra Music Study Groups will begin on September 25, 26, and 27 at convenient community locations throughout the Greater Cleveland area. The classes explore music from The Cleveland Orchestra’s 2018-19 Season at Severance Hall. The series is organized into three sessions, so registrants may choose a series length to best fit their schedule — selecting from fall, winter, and/or spring.

Music Study Groups are presented by The Cleveland Orchestra in partnership with community-based organizations with support from Friends of The Cleveland Orchestra and other generous donors to the Orchestra’s education programs. Engaging musical explorations for the community have long been part of The Cleveland Orchestra’s commitment to serve Northeast Ohio. Programs like Music Study Groups deepen the connection to the music in the concert hall, enrich the concert experience, and foster lifelong learning and a love of music.

Series Description

Music Study Groups explore music from the Orchestra’s upcoming classical music subscription concerts through lively presentations and listening activities. Participants, ranging from beginners to experienced listeners, learn about the lives and musical styles of composers in addition to the cultural and historical context of the music, while also developing keen listening skills. The registration fee includes the 2018-19 Listening Guide, a booklet of program notes and musical themes for featured works, printed with generous support from Jan Harding and George Coleman.

Music Study Groups are led by Rose Breckenridge, who earned her Ph.D. in music from Case Western Reserve University. In addition to her Music Study Group presentations, Dr. Breckenridge serves as the regular Concert Preview speaker for The Cleveland Orchestra’s Friday Matinee concert series and other select Cleveland Orchestra concerts at Severance Hall.

The League of American Orchestras’ Volunteer Council named Cleveland Orchestra Music Study Groups for a Roundtable Award in their 2017 Gold Book competition. The award was presented at the League’s 2017 National Conference held in Detroit, Michigan, in recognition of Cleveland Orchestra Music Study Groups and their work in the Cleveland community. Friends of The Cleveland Orchestra started Music Study Groups in 1921, and the Orchestra’s Education Department began to direct and fund the program in 1994, with continued support from Friends of The Cleveland Orchestra.

Music Study Group Dates and Locations

FALL: September 25 – November 15

WINTER: January 8 – March 7

SPRING: March 19 – May 23

Registrants may choose from four different community locations and meeting times. Registrants may also enjoy the option of making up a class at any location if they have a conflict on a particular class day.

Registration Information

Registration is easy and convenient. Mail-in registration brochures are available at all Music Study Group locations, Severance Hall information racks located in the Smith Lobby and near the Harris elevator, and on the Orchestra’s website here. Registration may be completed with credit card payment by calling 216-231-7355.

Music Study Group course fees are discounted for the choice of a longer series length: $100 for a three-part series; $80 for any two-part combination of fall, winter, or spring; and $50 for any one part. A sample class schedule for 2018-19 Music Study Groups is available on the Orchestra’s website here.

Community Partnerships

Music Study Groups are presented by The Cleveland Orchestra in partnership with Cuyahoga County Public Library and Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library. The Cleveland Orchestra’s partnership with Cuyahoga County Public Library also includes other Orchestra programs presented at their branches — Musical Explorers on the Road programs for preschoolers, chamber music concerts by Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra musicians, and interactive Family Workshops leading up to The Cleveland Orchestra’s annual Star-Spangled Spectacular summer concert in Downtown Cleveland.

For more information about Cleveland Orchestra Music Study Groups or any of the Orchestra’s other educational offerings, please contact Education and Community Programs at Severance Hall: 216-231-7355 or visit the Cleveland Orchestra’s Education page.