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Heights Chamber Orchestra Concert
Dean Buck is an award-winning conductor and has been described by Cleveland Classical as “fearless and firm,” and “precise and confident.” In September 2023, Dean was awarded Second Prize (First Prize was not awarded) at the 2nd International Italian Conducting Competition. Dean serves as opera conductor at Baldwin Wallace Conservatory. He additionally is the Assistant Conductor and Chorus Master of Cleveland Opera Theater, where he is also Music Director of [NOW]Fest, an annual festival of New Opera Works. The New York Times called his conducting “tender and gentle,” as well as “agile and well balanced.” Since relocating to Cleveland, Dean has cemented himself in the orchestral scene. He is a frequent Guest Conductor of the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra, and Assistant Conductor of The Cleveland Pops Orchestra, The Firelands Symphony Orchestra and regularly with the Heights Chamber Orchestra.
Eric Charnofsky, piano, enjoys a multi-faceted career as a pianist, composer, lecturer, conductor, and narrator. As a collaborative pianist, he has performed throughout North America with members of major American orchestras. A graduate of The Juilliard School where he majored in piano accompanying, Mr. Charnofsky also holds degrees in solo piano performance and composition from California State University, Northridge. Mr. Charnofsky has been a pre-concert lecturer for the Cleveland Orchestra, an Associate Faculty member at the Music Academy of the West, rehearsal pianist for Lyric Opera Cleveland, convention accompanist for the National Flute Association, music director and pianist for musical theater productions in Los Angeles, and is featured on recordings on the Capstone, Albany, and Crystal labels. He is active in Musical Arts administration, serving on boards for the Cleveland Chamber Music Society and Chamber Music Society of Ohio, and is Assistant Director for the annual She Scores festival. He has also narrated with the Cleveland Orchestra and other ensembles.
Giuseppe Verdi’s Oberto, Conte di San Bonifacio Overture, is from the opera in two acts. It was Verdi's first opera, written over a period of four years, and was first performed at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan, on 17 November 1839. The La Scala production enjoyed "a fair success" and the theatre's impresario, Bartolomeo Merelli, commissioned two further operas from the young composer. The opera takes place in 1223 in Northern Italy. Giuseppe Verdi composed over 30 operas, though only about half of them are still regularly staged.
Ernest Bloch's Concerto Grosso No. 1 for String Orchestra with Piano Obbligato. In 1920, the Swiss-born American composer Ernest Bloch was appointed the first Musical Director of the newly formed Cleveland Institute of Music, a post he held until 1925. Attracted by the prospect of a position that would allow him to focus his energies, he accepted the offer. Already renowned as both composer and teacher, Bloch rapidly built a following at the Institute, raising the enrollment from seven in December of 1920 to 200 the following October, and 400 a year later. Despite his success, Bloch soon found himself in conflict with his wealthy supporters, perhaps because of his refusal to compromise on artistic issues which led to his departure from Cleveland. The Concerto Grosso was composed shortly before Bloch's departure, in response to the doubts of some students that such a work could still be written. As proof, he wrote the Prelude of the Concerto Grosso. Over the next few months, Bloch finished the remaining movements.
Louise Farrenc, Symphony No. 1 in c minor op. 32, was renowned in her lifetime as a pianist, composer, and teacher, but it is only recently that her compositions have emerged from many years of neglect. Symphony No. 1– cast in the German tradition – is an exceptionally accomplished work, finely orchestrated, lyrical, and fiery. Ms. Farrenc studied piano from an early age and after becoming interested in composing, she applied to the prestigious Paris Conservatory at age 15. After completing her studies, Farrenc started her career as a concert pianist, becoming quite famous in the 1830s. In 1842, she became the only woman to be appointed to the position of professor at the Paris Conservatory in the 19th century. Despite not having the popular profile of her male composer counterparts, Louise Farrenc never gave up writing music. She penned orchestral symphonies and overtures (of which Hector Berlioz was a major fan). Over time, she became one of the greatest piano professors in Europe. As a composer, she never received the popular recognition she deserved during her lifetime, but she kept writing her music and fighting for equality. Louise Farrenc is considered one of the most brilliant women of the 19th century.
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