REVIEWS | NEWS
15 Seasons Inspiring Audiences
Cleveland Classical Review: BlueWater Chamber Orchestra meditates on the passage of time
(October 5, 2024)
October 15, 2024
Artistic Director Daniel Meyer led the BlueWater Chamber Orchestra in an engaging program of new and familiar works, including David Biedendender’s River of Time, with former BlueWater principal trumpet and co-artistic director Neil Mueller as soloist.
As a glorious opener, the Cleveland School of the Arts R. Nathaniel Dett Concert Choir (Robert McCorvey, director) and the BlueWater Orchestra combined forces during four spiritual and gospel arrangements. CSA also supplied select string players from the school to sit alongside the professionals, adding tonal depth and youthful energy. | READ MORE »
“BlueWater continues to make its mark on Cleveland’s musical landscape.”
— ClevelandClassical.com
Cleveland Classical Review: BlueWater Chamber Orchestra with guitarist Jason Vieaux at the Covenant
(May 9, 2024)
May 2, 2024
Grammy-winner Jason Vieaux, the featured soloist in a collaboration between BlueWater and the Cleveland Classical Guitar Society, is both an international touring artist and a local hero, who treated the capacity audience to an elegant performance of Vivaldi’s D-major concerto — originally for lute — with a fine sense of pacing and crisp articulations. Vieaux played out in solo passages and blended with the string orchestra when the composer intended for the plucked instrument to be part of the ensemble. | READ MORE »
“Both soloist and ensemble contributed stylish playing in the slow movement, giving a sense of direction to the melodic lines. The third movement was a pure Vivaldian romp, but effortlessly played by all.”
— ClevelandClassical.com
BlueWater Chamber Orchestra: Jason Vieaux plays Vivaldi & Dorman
(May 4, 2024)
May 2, 2024
“I’m really looking forward to this concert because the last time I played with BlueWater was around ten years ago, when I played Rodrigo’s Concierto Aranjuez with them,” guitarist Jason Vieaux said during a telephone conversation. “The Vivaldi concerto is very popular and well-known to audiences, and I think it will pair well with Avner Dorman’s concerto.” | READ MORE »
WCLV Interview: Jason Vieaux with BlueWater Chamber Orchestra
(May 4, 2024)
May 2, 2024
This weekend, BlueWater Chamber Orchestra concludes their fourteenth season with a concert featuring guitarist Jason Vieaux. The program includes a concerto by Antonio Vivaldi as well as the Cleveland premiere of Avner Dorman’s How to Love. WCLV’s John Mills welcomed Vieaux into the studio to preview this program. | LISTEN »
Cleveland Classical Review: a remarkable program with Kondonassis
(March 16, 2024)
April 4, 2024
In a sensitive solo turn, harpist Yolanda Kondonassis gave the world premiere of Itoh’s work at University Circle’s Church of the Covenant on March 16, joined by BlueWater Chamber Orchestra and conductor Daniel Meyer. Their collaboration was the highlight of a program that was all-around remarkable for its delicate touch. | READ MORE »
“From the start, it was clear Kondonassis had something special in store.”
— ClevelandClassical.com
WCLV Interview: Yolanda Kondonassis Plays Ravel and Itoh
(March 16, 2024)
March 14, 2024
On Saturday, March 16, harpist Yolanda Kondonassis will appear with the BlueWater Chamber Orchestra performing music of Maurice Ravel and Takuma Itoh. Kondonassis spoke with WCLV’s John Mills about the concert as well how music can help the environment. | LISTEN »
BlueWater Chamber Orchestra: a conversation with harpist Yolanda Kondonassis
(March 16, 2024)
March 13, 2024
“I think everybody who plays an instrument has a piece that when they heard it for the first time, they said — this is what I want to do with my life because I want to play this piece as many times as I can,” harpist Yolanda Kondonassis said during a Zoom call. | READ MORE »
Cleveland Classical Review: Jinjoo Cho soars in Barber Concerto
(Nov. 17, 2023)
November 28, 2023
In a pre-holiday offering, Bluewater Chamber Orchestra’s audience received gifts simple and somber, with intermittent thrills, on Friday evening, November 17. In an all-American program, the pleasures were many: Cindy McTee’s moving Adagio for strings, Barber’s firework of a Violin Concerto, and Copland’s wise portrait of rural America, Appalachian Spring. | READ MORE »
“(Jinjoo Cho’s) first musical entrance, a soaring line that sounds like the best kind of movie music, surprised us with its unabashed gorgeousness.”
— ClevelandClassical.com
Violinist Jinjoo Cho: Barber with BlueWater Preview
(Nov. 17, 2023)
November 14, 2023
Following up on her Tchaikovsky Concerto performance four years ago, violinist Jinjoo Cho will make a return appearance with BlueWater Chamber Orchestra. This time, the first prize winner of the 2014 International Violin Competition of Indianapolis will focus on the Concerto of Samuel Barber — part of an all-American program led by Daniel Meyer. | READ MORE »
WCLV interviews Artistic Director Daniel Meyer in anticipation of Season 14’s first concert—Yaron Kohlberg Plays Shostakovich
(Oct. 7, 2023)
September 30, 2023
WCLV Ideastream Public Media’s John Mills speaks with Maestro Meyer about BlueWater’s upcoming program featuring Shostakovich, Stravinsky, and Bach with guest piano soloist Yaron Kohlberg. | LISTEN TO INTERVIEW »
“The playing was refined, alert and sensitive… BlueWater trademarks.”
— Cleveland Plain Dealer | Cleveland.com
“Viva Latina!”— BlueWater Chamber Orchestra
(March 4, 2023)
March 14, 2023
Accordionist Hanzhi Wang held the Church of the Covenant audience in thrall on March 4 as she demonstrated mastery of the wild marvel that is her instrument in a performance of Piazzolla’s Bandoneon Concerto. The BlueWater Chamber Orchestra and conductor Daniel Meyer provided able accompaniment there, as well as lovely accounts of works by Arriaga and Copland in this Latin-tinged program. | READ MORE »
“The accordion piece put wings under my feet.”
— Audience Member, “Viva Latina!” (March 4, 2023)
“Heaven and Earth” at the Church of the Covenant
(Oct. 8, 2022)
November 3, 2022
Wonderful things can happen when two accomplished ensembles collaborate. Such was the case on Saturday, October 8, when the Cleveland Chamber Choir and the BlueWater Chamber Orchestra joined forces at the Church of the Covenant in a program titled “Heaven and Earth.” The result was spectacular. | READ MORE »
Jonathan Moyer & BlueWater in “Fantastical Machines” concert
(March 9, 2022)
March 9, 2022
BlueWater Chamber Orchestra’s concert at the Church of the Covenant on Saturday evening, March 5 checked all the boxes for a memorable concert experience. It lasted 80 minutes and nixed an intermission, developed a clever theme through unusual repertoire (although it didn’t take itself too seriously there), and featured an engaging soloist in organist Jonathan Moyer as well as a communicative conductor in Daniel Meyer, both of whom spoke briefly and informatively without simply recycling program notes. | READ MORE »
“BlueWater’s concert at the Church of the Covenant…checked all the boxes for a memorable concert experience.”
— ClevelandClassical.com