Lisa Heinrich, Alison La Rosa Montez, Tom Brown, Linda Miller, and Bonnie Svetlik perform Brian Taylor’s "Spirito Sereno" at last year’s free Cleveland Composers Connection Concert

With trips, upcoming weddings and the like, my wallet’s been strapped a bit lately.  So I’m always on the lookout for inexpensive, if not free, things to do around town.  Although I’m out of town this weekend, there’s a free concert on Sunday night that caught my attention and I figured I’d share because we all could use a cheap night out once in a while.

This Sunday at 7pm, the Greater Cleveland Flute Society is hosting their annual Cleveland Composers Connection Concert. The performance will take place at First Unitarian Church of Cleveland in Shaker Heights (21600 Shaker Blvd.)

Bonnie Svetlik, president of the Greater Cleveland Flute Society, performs at last year’s Cleveland Composers Connection Concert

I’ve attended the Flute Society’s annual concert the last couple of years and always find it to be a beautiful – and CLE-centric – way to spend a Sunday. Audiences are treated to an evening of Cleveland flutists performing pieces written by locally-based composers. (Here’s my recap of last year’s concert.)

Now in its 15th season, the Greater Cleveland Flute Society provides opportunities for flutists of all backgrounds to support and learn from one another. In addition to the Cleveland Composers Connection Concert, which is their year-end signature event, they offer recitals, lectures and masterclasses all centered around the flute.

The Cleveland Composers Connection Concert often features others musicians in addition to flutists. Here Joseph Rebman performs at last year’s concert.

For this year’s Cleveland Composers Connection Concert, the Greater Cleveland Flute Society has handpicked 9 flute compositions that were submitted for consideration by local composers:

• Linda Allen– Flute Loops for flute and piano
• Eric Ewazen– Sonata No. 1 for flute and piano
• Stephen Griebling– Colorful Cordoba for flute and piano
• Bryan Kennard– Between Three Colors for flute, oboe, and alto flute
• Kaley Kleinman– Fantasy for Three Flutes
• Jeffrey Mumford– An Evolving Romance for flute and piano
• William Rayer– Night Trains for piccolo, 4 C flutes, alto, and bass
• John H.C. Thompson– A Look from Many Sides for solo flute
• Marshall Jones– Nuclear Placidity for 2 piccolos, 4 C flutes, alto, and bass

The group strives for a diverse sound in these concerts, so while some of the pieces are solely for the flute, others showcase how the flute can complement instruments like the piano and oboe.

In looking at the list of composers, I’m happy to see a great mix of previous years’ favorites – such as Rayer, Griebling and Kennard, as well as new additions to the series.

Last year’s composers: Brian Taylor, Jeffery Quick, William F. Rayer, David Kechley, Monica Houghton, Larry Baker and Tom Lopez

In particular, one composer to look forward to is Kaley Kleinman, a flutist from South Euclid, Ohio who is off to Notre Dame College this Fall. While I am impressed by musicians of any kind, young composers in particular astonish me because I think back to that age and how I would never have had that ability to put thoughts and emotions into music.

So if you’re looking for a pleasant evening that’s easy on your bank account this weekend, connect with composers and musicians in our own backyard and check out the Greater Cleveland Flute Society’s Cleveland Composers Connection Concert.

More information about the Greater Cleveland Flute Society:

• GCFS Upcoming Events
• @ClevelandFlute on Twitter
• Greater Cleveland Flute Society on Facebook

Photos credit: Terence Wei, courtesy of Greater Cleveland Flute Society