Toledo Symphony to open 2012-2013 season Sept. 8

The Toledo Symphony will launch its 2012-2013 season with its traditional post-Labor Day concert at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 8 at Perry's Monument, Put-in-Bay on South Bass Island.

Resident conductor Jeffrey Pollock will lead the orchestra and add some fine music to the ongoing celebration of the War of 1812 bicentennial.

On the program will be music by Korngold, Williams, Willson (Music Man), Tchaikovsky (the 1812 Overture, written for a different war), and Sousa. The free concert is part of the annual post-Labor Day family weekend celebration which includes a parade at 2:15 p.m. Sept. 8 plus demonstrations, displays, and entertainment.

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Harpist/singer Maeve Gilchrist performs May 10 as part of the upcoming Trinity Episcopal Church Performing Artist Series. Enlarge

The Trinity Episcopal Church Performing Artist Series announces its 2012-2013 season, a far-ranging collection of music and dance concerts, dramatic readings, feasts, and celebrations, to begin Oct. 12 with the reprise of a popular event from last season: Bachtoberfest. A robust blend of German traditional foods and music by J.S. Bach, the event can be experienced as dinner theater or simply a concert. Events take place in the sanctuary of the historic church at One Trinity Plaza, St. Clair and Adams streets downtown.

In addition to the resident chamber group, SonoNovo, this year's schedule is filled with harp music, from Harp Madness, set for Feb. 15, and a month later on March 17, Tapestry: A St. Patrick's Celebration, (also a dinner and a show package), to the debut of Maeve Gilchrist, a harpist/singer who does for her instrument what jazz bassist Esperanza Spaulding has done for hers. Her concert is May 10.

A native of Edinburgh, Gilchrist works with a violinist and sings and scats to her own accompaniment. A graduate of the Berklee College of Music in Boston, she performs around the United States and the world and has recently released her second recording, "Song of Delight."

On April 20-21, SonoNovo and Ballet Theatre of Toledo will premiere productions of Peter and the Wolf, with music by Prokofiev, and Snow White, with original score by Wayne Anthony, director of the program and the chamber group.

Finally, Anthony and musical colleague Charles Brown will offer the latest installment of their ongoing Farewell Concert series.

Tickets are available as a series and for individual concerts at 419-243-1231.

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Jazz singer Ramona Collins performs at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 9 at Gesu Church, 2049 Parkside Blvd. A lawn concert presented as part of the church's Gift of Music program, the free event will be presented indoors in case of rain.

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Collins will be joined by a host of other local singers, including Lisa Young, Lori LeFevre, Kelly Broadway, Sixth Edition, and the Toledo Jazz Orchestra, at a benefit concert, Songs for Our Sister, at 8 p.m. Sept. 22 in the Valentine Theatre.

"Our sister" is the late Mary Ann Russo, a longtime favorite local vocalist. Proceeds from this concert and benefits to be presented Dec. 2 and Feb. 24 at the Toledo Club go to support jazz studies at the Toledo School for the Arts.

Tickets for the September event are $22 to $32 at the Valentine box office, 419-242-2787.

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The Metropolitan Opera's production of Wagner's The Ring Cycle has drawn crowds and raves since premiering at the Metropolitan Opera. Now, the Met is going to broadcast each of the four operas in the cycle on television. Starting Sept. 10 at 9 p.m. and running through Sept. 14, the big productions will be run in order: Dan Rheingold, Die Walkure; Siegfried, and Gotterdammerung.

An accompanying movie, Wagner's Dream, will offer more basic information on the making of this elaborate design, by Robert LePage. All broadcasts are on WGTE-TV.

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The fourth annual Jazzin' Tiffin will be presented from 1 to 9 p.m. Sept. 8 at Rotary Park, along the scenic Sandusky River in downtown Tiffin. On deck for the day of music will be the Tiffin University ProMusic Ensemble; the Heidelberg University Jazz Ensemble, and Jerome Clark, Warren Hill, saxophone, and flutist Alexander Zonjic. Admission is free. An art fair will be open for strolling in the park the same day.

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The Clarence Smith, Jr., Community Chorus is asking: Is there a performer in you? Do you like to sing?

The choir, one of the area's most venerable singing groups, is directed by Clarence Smith, Jr., and typically performs both traditional and updated spirituals plus traditional jazz, classical music, and Broadway numbers. For more information and a chance to try out the singing life, contact Smith at 419-534-2299 or check out Engagements@cscchorus.com.

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Auditions for the Children's Choir of Northwest Ohio are from 5-7 p.m. Sept. 5, 6, and 10 at Community of Christ Lutheran Church, 6510 Finzel Road, Whitehouse. The Children's Choir of Northwest Ohio is a nonprofit community choir for children in grades 3-10. Information about auditions and the upcoming season can be found at ccofnwo.org. Parents should go to the Web site or call 419-377-7710 to set up a 15-minute audition time.

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The Toledo Ballet will hold auditions for its production of The Nutcracker, set for Dec. 14-16, at its studios at Westfield Franklin Park. Students of the ballet school and dancers from other schools may try out for roles Sept. 8 and 13 at the studios. Dancers must be 7 years old by Sept. 1 to be eligible to audition.

Dancers ages 9 to 12 may try out from 2-3 p.m. Sept. 8, with 7-8-year-olds to audition from 3:15-4:15 that day. Dancers age 13 and up may audition from 5:45 to 8 p.m. on Sept. 13. Information: 419-471-0049.

Items for News of Music should be sent to svallongo@theblade.com at least two weeks ahead of the program.