PINES OF ROME
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Beachwood HS | 25100 Fairmount
Free Admission
Beachwood HS | 25100 Fairmount
Free Admission
PINES OF ROME
LIFE EMERGES, LIFE ENDURES
HOWE: Stars
NIELSEN: Helios Overture
MENDELSSOHN: Piano Concerto No. 1
Joyce Yu, piano
RESPIGHI: Pines of Rome
Image Projections by Cleveland Photographic Society
Conducted by Domenico Boyagian
LOBBY PHOTO GALLERY
Come early and stroll the gallery of incredible works by Cleveland Photographic Society | Opens at 3:00pm
THE MUSIC
LIFE EMERGES, LIFE ENDURES
The cosmos is within us. We are made of star stuff (gratuitous Carl Sagan quote, you’re welcome). SSO and the Cleveland Photographic Society partner to open the season with Stars, Helios Overture, and The Pines of Rome in a multi-sensory exploration of life across space and time: the distant stars with their building blocks of life, the life-giving light of the sun and the ancient trees that bear witness to centuries of human history.
These Pines have seen it all (maybe more than they wanted to): the laughter of children at play, the shadowy catacombs, moonlit forests full of clarinets and nightingales, and a weary but victorious Roman army marching home. Feel the spirit of the ancients live on as the Eternal City gloriously emerges from the mist into blazing sunrise and brass-filled crescendo. Life finds a way.
We’ve partnered with The Cleveland Photographic Society and their army of amazing local photographers to bring the music to life with over 100 stunning images that light up the stage. These artists are the real deal! No AI slop with pictures of 6-toed babies here.
Amidst it all, pianist and rising star Joyce Yu dazzles in Mendelssohn’s sparkling first piano concerto.
PREVIEW THE MUSIC
MEET THE ARTISTS
Celebrated for his expressive artistry, clarity of vision, and dynamic leadership, Maestro Domenico Boyagian has been hailed by The Cleveland Plain Dealer as “a born conductor” and “a conductor for whom the music is the sole point of standing before musicians.” Milwaukee’s Shepherd Express praised his “insightful grasp of style” and his ability to lead “with sensitivity in tempo and phrase.”
Now in his ninth season as Music Director of the Suburban Symphony Orchestra, Boyagian has guided] the ensemble through a vibrant period of growth, highlighted by a complete Beethoven Cycle that culminated in a sold-out Ninth Symphony at Severance Hall to celebrate the orchestra’s 70th anniversary. The 2025–26 season features works by Holst, Grieg, Prokofiev, Saint-Saens, Tchaikovsky, Sibelius, as well as the annual Young Soloist Concerto Competition. A dedicated advocate for education, Boyagian collaborated with pianist Lang Lang on the “101 Pianists” program to inspire young performers.
As Music Director of Cleveland Opera Theater, Boyagian has elevated the company to a leading regional force, conducting productions across the U.S. with companies such as Florentine Opera, Opera Southwest, Florida Grand Opera, Opera North, Opera Delaware, Opera Baltimore, and the Manhattan School of Music. Guest engagements have included the Milwaukee Symphony, Delaware Symphony, Palm Beach Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica, and the Bulgarian Festival Orchestra.
Born in Bologna, Italy, Boyagian studied at the Bologna Conservatory, Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, and the Cleveland Institute of Music. He has recorded Grieg works with Antonio Pompa-Baldi and the Ohio Philharmonic for Centaur Records, as well as Margaret Brouwer’s Voice of the Lake with Blue Streak Ensemble. His honors include a “Most Distinguished Artist” grant from Cleveland’s Community Partnership for Arts and Culture and recognition as one of the “Top 10 Most Successful Italians Under 40 in the U.S.” by the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce of New York.
Founded in 1887, Cleveland Photographic Society is one of the oldest and largest camera clubs in North America. For over 135 years, CPS has provided a community for photographers of all levels to learn, challenge and inspire each other. We are a very active club, offering a variety of activities for members and visitors alike, from guest speakers nearly every Friday evening at our clubhouse in Broadview Heights to special interest groups, mentoring, competitions, classes in both photography and photo editing, critique nights, exhibits, and field trips.
Praised by Richard Goode —“Joyce Yu’s playing is full of life and technically very impressive; she will have a bright career indeed.”Joyce is an internationally sought-after pianist whose performances have captivated audiences at venues including the Southampton Cultural Center, the Ebenezer Theater, and Delbridge Hall in Boston. Born in Hong Kong, she made her solo debut at fifteen with Orchestra Napolinova in Italy. She has appeared at the Banff Centre, the Gilmore Festival, and Pianofest in the Hamptons. Joyce’s passion for collaboration with fellow musicians has led her to numerous performances. She has developed a remarkable duo with violinist Minchae Kim. Her mentors include artists such as Cho- Liang Lin, Riche Hawley, Ivo-Jan Van Der Werff, and Ilya Kaler. Her career has been supported by Jack & Linda Gill scholarship in piano and violin, the Carmen Mihalache Dimulescu scholarship and the George Brough Memorial Endowment.
She is a full scholarship graduate at the Shepherd School of Music, Rice University with Jon Kimura Parke. She is a alumna at the Cleveland Institute of Music graduated with a bachelor’s degree with Italian pianist Antonio Pompa-Baldi. She holds two Artist Diploma from OAcademy. Joyce is currently furthering her artistic journey, working on her brain with Gabriela Montero.
She is represented by MonteroPregor.
For more information you can go to website: https://www.joyceyuklavier.
PROGRAM NOTES
Program notes will be available approximately one week before the performance.
Eduard Lalo: Symphonie Espagnole
Notes by violinist Yi-Chuan Li
Edouard Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnole, although directly translated to, “Spanish Symphony”, is considered a violin concerto by today’s standards. It was written in 1874 for violinist Pablo de Sarasate, the composer of Zigeunerweisen. It contains many Spanish themes and motifs throughout, including gypsy-style gestures in the first theme. This piece sparked a period of Spanish themed music, such as Bizet’s opera Carmen. Symphonie Espagnole also had an influence on Tchaikovsky. After Tchaikovsky went through a rough period of his life, his student Iosif Kotek introduced him to Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnole. He enjoyed it so much that he set aside his ongoing compositions to write his violin concerto in D major
Camille Saint-Saens: Cello Concerto No. 1
Notes by cellist Nick Jacques
Saint-Saëns’ first cello concerto is a piece with drama and operatic storytelling. I associate the first movement with a hero finding himself in a storm, followed by expansive themes in both the first and third movements where this character wrestles with doubt. By the time we get to the coda, our hero has come out victorious, signalled by the transition from A minor to A major. My favorite part of the piece is the deep F major theme in the third movement, which reminds me of a wise old man.
Felix Mendelssohn: Piano Concerto No. 1
Notes by pianist Max Tian
Mendelssohn’s First Piano Concerto shifts moods so quickly in the last two movements that it feels like a series of scenes in a film. The Andante, to me, is the warmest part of the piece. It feels like a song shared in a quiet space with the piano just floating over the strings in a calm, singing line. From there, the music does not really stop, since it connects straight into the finale, where the piano suddenly has a sparkling, rapid-fire energy that is flowing rather than heavy
VENUE
The concert takes place in the auditorium at Beachwood High School, 25100 Fairmount, Beachwood OH 44122 (entrances off Fairmount Blvd or Richmond Rd).
The auditorium and lobby photo gallery are accessible directly from the main entrance
Parking: Ample free parking is located steps from the main entrance and a drop off zone is available for those with mobility needs
THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS
