Because of the ongoing Covid pandemic, we held our Members Program online over Zoom. Members pre-recorded their performances and were played online. Performers were Anthony Degregorio, xylophone, Gayna Bassin, violin, Keiko Alexander, piano, and Lise Proto, piano. It was wonderful to hear our talented friends perform and catch up afterwards online.

Christ Church, United Church of Christ

15 South Fort Thomas Avenue

Fort Thomas, KY 41075

The second Matinée Musicale Members Program was held at Christ Church in Fort Thomas at 1:00pm. Our administrative director, Judy Martin, welcomed everyone and spoke about our Grant program to promote music education in the Greater Cincinnati area. She introduced representatives from two of our grant recipients, Susan Pace of Chamber Music Cincinnati, and Elizabeth Council-Phelan and Vincent Phelan, Founders and Co-Artistic Directors of the Corryville Suzuki Project, who spoke about their organizations.

Susan Pace talked about the upcoming event, Library Palooza, which will feature chamber music groups and an instrumental “petting zoo” at the Downtown Public Library on April 25, 2020. She demonstrated some Boom Whackers, colored tubes that produce musical notes, which will be played at the event.

Elizabeth and Vincent Phelan spoke about the Corryville Suzuki Project, the Suzuki method of violin instruction, and introduced several young violinists from the same family who performed for us.

Then, members of Matinée Musicale performed a delightful program of classical, opera and seasonal favorites!

The first meeting of the 107th Season of Matinée Musicale Cincinnati took place on Wednesday, September 11th at 11 am at the home of Marjorie Fryxell.  Judy Martin, our Administrative Director, welcomed everyone and gave an update regarding grants and scholarships that have been awarded this year. Grant recipients John Pennycuff, founder and treasurer of Winton Woods Educational Foundation, and Beth Miller, director of high school choirs for Winton Woods City School District, spoke about how much the grants have helped them.

For the musical part of the meeting, Trio Jeng, soprano, and Janelle Gelfand, piano, performed Cuarto Madrigales Amatorios by Joaquin Rodrigo. Then Ellen Stephens, cello, and Marjorie Fryxell, piano, performed 12 Variations on “Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen”, Op. 66 by Ludwig van Beethoven. To close the program, Virginia Coleman, clarinet, Laurel Hinkle, horn, and Susan Herman, piano, performed two movements from the Trio for Clarinet, Horn and Piano, Op. 274 by Carl Reinecke.

Ellen Stephens, whose string quartet, the Southbank Quartet, also received a grant, spoke about her music program at Immanuel School of Music, Immanuel United Methodist Church.

We welcomed new members Laurinda Dixon, Graeme George and Amy Maxwell, who also brought a friend, Amber Browning, to the meeting. Nancy Martin announced the new concert lineup for Rafael de Acha’s upcoming concerts at “Music for All Seasons” at Historic Peterloon Estate.  Nancy Bailey spoke about our upcoming opening concert on September 22nd and asked for volunteers to help pass out programs. Judy Martin also announced sadly the passing of long-time member Linda Wellbaum. 

Janelle Gelfand was honored to be included in a new ArtsWave book, “Imagineers, Impresarios, Inventors: Cincinnati’s Arts and the Power of Her.” The book will be released in 2020 to coincide with the 100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote in the USA. For more information, please click here.