Christina Vassallo

ANNOUNCER: TONIGHT ON SHOWCASE WITH BARBARA KELLAR, DIRECTOR OF THE CONTEMPORARY ART CENTER, CHRISTINA VASSALLO.

STAY TUNED.

SHOWCASE STARTS RIGHT NOW.

KELLAR: HI, I'M BARBARA KELLAR AND WE'RE SO EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY AT THE CONTEMPORARY ART CENTER BECAUSE WE HAVE A NEW PERSON FOR YOU TO MEET.

SHE'S VERY IMPORTANT TO CINCINNATI AND THE NEW DIRECTOR HERE IS CHRISTINA VASSALLO.

HERE SHE IS, GORGEOUS AND YOUNG AND INTERESTING.

AND WELCOME TO CINCINNATI.

VASSALLO: THANK YOU.

KELLAR: YEAH, WE WANT TO KNOW ALL ABOUT YOU AND LOTS OF THINGS, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE ABOUT THE CONTEMPORARY ART CENTER.

I HAVEN'T BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME.

AND I'M TELLING YOU, THIS IS AN AMAZING MAZE OF WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL THINGS.

SO FIRST OF ALL, WHERE WERE YOU BEFORE YOU WERE HERE?

VASSALLO: YEAH, WELL, MY JOURNEY IN RUNNING CONTEMPORARY ART SPACES BEGINS IN NEW YORK CITY, WHERE I WAS BORN.

EARLY ON IN MY CHILDHOOD, MY PARENTS LIVED -- MOVED TO NORTHERN NEW JERSEY, HACKENSACK.

STILL, I LIKE TO DESCRIBE IT AS, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE SHADOWS OF NEW YORK CITY.

SO I WAS CONSTANTLY BEING EXPOSED TO THE ARTS THROUGH FIELD TRIPS, YOU KNOW, BY MY PARENTS BRINGING ME TO DIFFERENT MUSEUMS AND THE OPERA.

AND THEN I WENT TO NYU FOR MY UNDERGRAD.

KELLAR: GOOD FOR YOU.

MY DAUGHTER WENT TO NYU.

VASSALLO: IN WHICH SCHOOL IS SHE AT?

TISCH?

KELLAR: TISCH.

VASSALLO: OKAY.

KELLAR: ABSOLUTELY.

YES.

VASSALLO: WELL, I WAS AT THE COLLEGE OF ART AND SCIENCES.

I STUDIED ART HISTORY.

AND THEN I DECIDED TO GO BACK TO NYU FOR MY MASTER'S IN ARTS ADMINISTRATION.

SO I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO MAKE GOOD ON MY EDUCATION AND ACTUALLY WIND UP RUNNING THIS INCREDIBLY DYNAMIC MUSEUM THAT IS DEVOTED TO CONTEMPORARY ARTS.

AND, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN ALL OF THAT, I HAD A FEW OTHER LEADERSHIP ROLES.

I RAN A REALLY SMALL ALTERNATIVE ARTS SPACE IN QUEENS CALLED FLUX FACTORY.

I WAS THERE FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS.

KELLAR: YEAH.

VASSALLO: AND THEN I WENT TO CLEVELAND TO RUN ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE ART SPACE CALLED SPACES.

I WAS THERE FOR ABOUT SIX YEARS.

I GOT TO DO SOME EXTRAORDINARY PROJECTS ON A CITYWIDE SCALE AND RELOCATE THE ORGANIZATION AS WELL.

THAT WAS VERY EXCITING.

AND THEN MY NEXT GIG AFTER THAT WAS RUNNING THE FABRIC WORKSHOP AND MUSEUM IN PHILADELPHIA, WHICH I DID MY ENTIRE TENURE COINCIDED WITH COVID.

KELLAR: OH, YEAH.

VASSALLO: WHICH WAS KIND OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, BAPTISM BY FIRE.

KELLAR: EXACTLY.

VASSALLO: IT WAS A MUCH LARGER ORGANIZATION THAN WHAT I WAS USED TO RUNNING.

AND SO INSTEAD OF BEING THE PROMISING NEW LEADER, I WAS REALLY THE CRISIS MANAGER FOR A GOOD THREE YEARS.

KELLAR: RIGHT.

VASSALLO: AND I THINK THAT PREPARED ME VERY WELL.

IT WAS A SIMILAR SCALE AS THE CONTEMPORARY ART CENTER.

SO AND I CAME HERE ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO TOWARDS THE END OF MARCH.

SO HERE WE ARE SITTING TOGETHER.

I'M IN THE HOT SEAT NOW.

KELLAR: YES, YOU ARE.

NOT -- NO, NOT AT ALL.

BUT YOU COULDN'T HAVE COME TO A MORE EXCITING, VIBRANT, I MEAN, THIS JUST BEING IN THE BUILDING IS EXCITING, ISN'T IT?

WELL, TELL US WHAT IT'S LIKE.

OKAY.

YOU ARRIVE AND WHAT DO YOU DO FIRST?

VASSALLO: WELL, I GET TO KNOW EVERYBODY.

KELLAR: THANK YOU.

I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, I HOPE THAT'S YOUR FIRST IS GETTING TO KNOW EVERYBODY.

VASSALLO: ABSOLUTELY.

THAT'S MY PRIORITY.

GETTING TO KNOW THE CITY, GETTING TO KNOW WHAT MAKES THE REGION TICK, INSERTING MYSELF POLITELY INTO THE ART SCENE HERE.

BUT REALLY, I HAVE BEEN SPEAKING TO ANYONE OR I SHOULD SAY, LISTENING TO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO SPEAK WITH ME.

KELLAR: YEAH.

VASSALLO: SO I'VE GONE ON A LISTENING TOUR AND, YOU KNOW, NEARLY EVERY SINGLE MINUTE OF MY LAST TWO WEEKS HAS BEEN LISTENING TO THE STAFF TELL ME WHAT THEY THINK NEEDS TO STAY THE SAME AND WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE.

BOARD MEMBERS, DONORS, SUPPORTERS OF THE ORGANIZATION.

KELLAR: THIS BUILDING IS -- WE'RE ONLY ON THE -- IS THIS THE CHILDREN'S FLOOR?

VASSALLO: THIS IS THE CREATIVITY CENTER.

THE SIXTH FLOOR.

KELLAR: YEAH, RIGHT.

AND THERE'S THINGS EVERYWHERE THAT KIDS WOULD BE, AND ADULTS, I'M SURE TOO.

HOW DO YOU ABSORB EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THESE, THESE ASPECTS OF YOUR JOB?

I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT EVERYTHING.

VASSALLO: WHICH I DON'T KNOW YET.

KELLAR: RIGHT.

VASSALLO: AGAIN, I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE TWO WEEKS, BUT I DO CONSIDER MYSELF TO BE A GENERALIST.

I STARTED MY CAREER IN CURATING AND THEN QUICKLY I LEARNED HOW TO RAISE MONEY TO MAKE THESE-- KELLAR: THANK YOU.

YES.

YES.

VASSALLO: TO MAKE THESE EXCITING -- KELLAR: THE DONOR SIDE, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

VASSALLO: THAT'S RIGHT.

WELL, IT'S THE PRACTICALITY, RIGHT, OF BEING INVOLVED IN THIS FIELD.

YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO KNOW HOW THE SAUSAGE GETS MADE.

KELLAR: YES, YOU DO.

VASSALLO: TO DO THESE INCREDIBLE PROJECTS AND BRING THEM OUT INTO THE PUBLIC SPHERE.

UM, AND THEN, AS I SAID, AS I GOT INTO MY LEADERSHIP ROLES, RUNNING SPACES AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, I LEARNED ALL OF THE OTHER ASPECTS THAT I DIDN'T STUDY WHILE I WAS IN SCHOOL, THE EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT.

BUT REALLY, YOU KNOW, I CONSIDER MYSELF, MY ROLE TO SORT OF BE THE, YOU KNOW, THE RIBBON THAT TIES EVERYTHING TOGETHER.

RIGHT?

YOU WANT TO SPEAK FROM A HOLISTIC PERSPECTIVE.

YOU WANT EVERYONE IN YOUR ORGANIZATION THAT MAYBE HAS A MORE NARROW FOCUS TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO ALL ASPECTS OF THE INSTITUTION.

KELLAR: TELL OUR VIEWERS, MANY OF WHOM MAY NOT BE TOTALLY FAMILIAR WITH THE CONTEMPORARY ARTS CENTER, WHAT YOU HAVE.

YOU HAVE SPECIAL EXHIBITS AND SPECIAL EVENINGS.

AND YOU HAVE -- DON'T YOU HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE'S PARTIES?

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

VASSALLO: WE DO.

WELL, WE ARE A NON-COLLECTING INSTITUTION.

AND YES, THAT'S WHAT -- KELLAR: THANK YOU.

I WAS GOING TO MENTION THAT.

THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

VASSALLO: IT IS.

KELLAR: YOU DON'T COLLECT ANYTHING, EXCEPT PEOPLE AND HOPEFULLY -- VASSALLO: IDEAS.

KELLAR: AND IDEAS, BUT NO ART.

YOU DON'T COLLECT ART.

VASSALLO: THAT'S RIGHT.

THOUGH WE DO SUPPORT THE CREATION OF NEW ART THROUGH A COMMISSIONS PROGRAM.

SO OFTEN TIMES WHEN YOU SEE AN EXHIBITION ON OUR LOWER FLOORS, IT WILL BE WORK THAT WAS MADE LESS THAN A YEAR AGO IN PREPARATION TO BE DEBUTED HERE, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING.

WE ARE BRINGING PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO CINCINNATI FOR PEOPLE OF THE CITY AND THIS REGION TO ABSORB THESE IDEAS.

KELLAR: AND THERE'S, I MEAN, THERE'S IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A LOT GOING ON.

AND IS THERE A RESTAURANT DOWN ON THE FIRST FLOOR?

VASSALLO: THERE WAS.

IT'S A FLEX SPACE AND WE ARE ACTUALLY SEEKING CANDIDATES TO LOOK AT THE SPACE AND PERHAPS START A CAFE CONCEPT THERE.

KELLAR: DO YOU -- AND YOU HAVE MEMBERSHIPS AND DO THEY HAVE -- YOU HAVE SPECIAL EVENTS?

VASSALLO: WE DO.

SO EVERYTHING REALLY REVOLVES AROUND OUR EXHIBITIONS PROGRAMING.

THERE IS, YOU KNOW, EDUCATIONAL EVENTS THAT ARE INTENDED TO HELP OUR VISITORS REALLY CRACK INTO SOME OF THE CONCEPTS THAT HOLD UP OUR EXHIBITIONS PROGRAM.

AND THEN WE HAVE THIS CREATIVITY CENTER, AS YOU MENTIONED, WHERE ALL AGES CAN COME TO ABSORB THEMSELVES IN THE CREATIVE PROCESS, WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT.

I LIKE TO THINK THAT PEOPLE GET SO INSPIRED WHEN THEY SEE OUR EXHIBITIONS ON THE LOWER FLOORS THAT THEY ARE COMPELLED TO COME UP HERE AND MAKE SOMETHING.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE A ZERO WASTE ART LAB WHERE YOU CAN GET ALL SORTS OF REALLY INCREDIBLE MATERIALS TO MAKE THINGS WITH.

I LOVE TO SNEAK UP HERE ON LIKE A SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND SEE PARENTS WITH THEIR KIDS MAKING HEADBANDS AND, YOU KNOW, SCARVES AND MASKS.

IT'S REALLY FUN TO SEE.

BUT YES, AS YOU SAID, WE ALSO HOST WEDDINGS AND EVENTS AND BIRTHDAY PARTIES.

SO THIS REALLY IS A SPACE FOR EVERYONE.

KELLAR: I DON'T THINK PEOPLE REALIZE THAT.

IT WOULD BE A GREAT SPACE FOR A WEDDING.

YOUR GUESTS WOULD HAVE SOME.

ARE THEY ALLOWED TO GO THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING WHEN THEY JUST RENT THE -- VASSALLO: IT DEPENDS ON OUR EXHIBITION SCHEDULE.

KELLAR: HOW WOULD YOU OR WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO SOMEONE OR WHERE WOULD YOU START, I GUESS, A PERSON WHO IS NOT REALLY ATTUNED TO CONTEMPORARY ART.

VASSALLO: I THINK AN EXPERIENCE AT THE CAC, ESPECIALLY, IS LIKE WALKING THROUGH A WORK OF ART.

SO I WOULD SAY IF YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE RETICENT TO ENGAGE WITH CONTEMPORARY ART, WITH THE ART ON THE WALLS, THEN JUST WALK THROUGH THE SPACE AND FEEL WHAT THIS BUILDING FEELS LIKE.

I LOVE TO WANDER AROUND THIS BUILDING AIMLESSLY.

I REALLY THINK IT WAS BUILT FOR THAT.

IT WAS BUILT TO INSPIRE EXPLORATION.

SO I WOULD SAY, PUT YOUR BEST EXPLORER HAT ON AND COME INSIDE THROUGH THE DOORS AND JUST LOOK AT SOMETHING AND MAYBE MEDITATE ON IT.

DON'T MOVE THROUGH IT TOO QUICKLY AND START TO MAKE -- TRY TO MAKE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN YOUR LIFE AND WHAT YOU'RE SEEING, WHAT YOU'RE EXPERIENCING IN THE EXHIBITION.

KELLAR: AND TRY TO THINK WHAT THE ARTIST WAS THINKING WHEN THEY DID IT.

VASSALLO: AND WELL, IT'S ABOUT HUMAN CONNECTION.

I THINK LOOKING AT ART IS LIKE HAVING A CONVERSATION, RIGHT?

I'M NOT, I MEAN, OF COURSE I DID MY RESEARCH ON YOU, BUT I DON'T -- THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE MET AND WE'RE MAKING A CONNECTION.

AND I THINK LOOKING AT ART IS EXACTLY LIKE HAVING THIS KIND OF CONVERSATION.

KELLAR: I JUST HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE LOVE THAT IT'S HERE.

WE LOVE THE ART AND WE LOVE -- WE LOVED RAPHAELA, YOUR PREDECESSOR.

SHE WAS TERRIFIC.

AND WE LOVE YOU.

AND I'M JUST WONDERING, IS THERE -- I THINK IT'S HELPFUL IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS KIND OF ART, IT'S NOT A FACE, A NOSE, A BODY, A TREE.

IT'S SOMETHING WAY MORE THAN THAT.

AND IS THERE -- ARE THERE PEOPLE AROUND OR DO YOU HAVE EXPLANATION, LIKE, IN THE ART MUSEUM, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE AN EXPLANATION SOMETIMES.

VASSALLO: YES.

KELLAR: OF THE ART AND THE ARTIST.

IS THAT -- DO YOU HAVE THAT HERE?

VASSALLO: ABSOLUTELY.

WE HAVE OBJECT LABELS THAT GET PRETTY DEEP INTO WHAT THE ARTIST IS SAYING.

BUT AGAIN, THAT'S THE ARTIST'S PERSPECTIVE.

YOU ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE WITH THE ART.

IT'S LIKE LISTENING TO MUSIC.

I'M GOING TO DANCE DIFFERENTLY THAN SOMEONE ELSE WILL DANCE TO A SONG.

AND SO -- KELLAR: THAT'S A GREAT, YEAH.

VASSALLO: YOU MIGHT ABSORB AN ARTWORK DIFFERENTLY THAN THAN HOW I WOULD.

THERE'S NO RIGHT OR WRONG WAY.

KELLAR: SO YOU HAVE AN ANNIVERSARY COMING UP.

TELL US ABOUT THAT.

VASSALLO: WE DO.

WE WILL SOON CELEBRATE BEING IN THIS BUILDING FOR 20 YEARS, WHICH IS A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT.

SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED IN THIS SPACE.

WE'VE BROUGHT IN WORLD CLASS ARTISTS, ARTISTS, UNDER-RECOGNIZED ARTISTS, LOCAL ARTISTS HAVE HAD SOME MAGNIFICENT EXHIBITIONS, PERFORMANCES.

YOU KNOW, WE RENOVATED THIS SPACE AND REALLY EXPANDED UPON THE CONCEPT OF THE UNMUSEUM, CREATED A SPACE FOR LEARNING AND MAKING HERE.

AND SO WHY NOT CELEBRATE, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST REALIZED BUILDING OF ZAHA HADID IN THE UNITED STATES AND THE FIRST MUSEUM BUILDING IN THE US THAT WAS DESIGNED AND BUILT BY A FEMALE ARCHITECT?

AND ALSO HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THAT WAS ONLY 20 YEARS AGO.

ISN'T IT?

KELLAR: YES, I STILL, YES, I DO REMEMBER THAT NIGHT.

AND THERE WERE LOTS.

THERE WERE PERFORMANCE ARTISTS DOING ALL KINDS OF THINGS.

YEAH.

SO WHAT ACTIVITIES, WHAT THINGS ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO CELEBRATE?

VASSALLO: WELL, IT ALL KICKS OFF WITH OUR OUR 20TH ANNIVERSARY GALA, AND IT'S GOING TO BE THE KIND OF PARTY THAT PEOPLE HAVE COME TO EXPECT FROM US ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

THERE WILL BE PERFORMANCES.

THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE INSIGHTS AND THE CONTEXT OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO GET THIS TO MATERIALIZE, THIS BUILDING.

AND I LIKE TO THINK OF THAT AS A PROLOG TO WHAT WILL THEN BE AN EXHIBITION THAT OPENS IN SEPTEMBER, CURATED BY AN INCREDIBLE GUEST CURATOR WHO IS AT THE GUGGENHEIM, BILBAO.

HER NAME IS MITO BORZABAD AND SHE IS VERY WELL VERSED.

SHE ACTUALLY TRAINED AS AN ARCHITECT, AND SO SHE'S GOING TO CELEBRATE THE LIFE AND THE LEGACY OF ZAHA HADID, AND NOT JUST FOCUS ON ZAHA AS AN ARCHITECT, BUT AS A VISUAL ARTIST IN HER OWN RIGHT.

YOU KNOW, ZAHA, WHEN SHE WOULD DRAW UP PLANS FOR HER BUILDINGS, THEY WERE ACTUALLY PAINTINGS.

AND SO SOME OF THOSE WILL BE ON DISPLAY.

BUT WHAT REALLY MAKES ME EXCITED ABOUT THIS UPCOMING EXHIBITION IS THAT IT WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRACE ZAHA'S INFLUENCE ON ARTISTS WHO ARE LIVING AND WORKING TODAY.

SO WE ARE GOING TO COMMISSION NEW WORKS, NEW PERFORMANCES WHERE ARTISTS WILL BE ABLE TO CRITICALLY ENGAGE WITH THIS BUILDING.

KELLAR: WOW, THAT SOUNDS EXCITING.

WHEN YOU HAVE A CLOSED COLLECTION, YOU DON'T ACQUIRE PIECES.

I THINK THAT GIVES YOU A LOT MORE TIME TO CONCENTRATE ON ANY INDIVIDUAL THING AND TO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE WHAT'S HERE.

IT'S SIX FLOORS AND THIS TOP FLOOR IS A CREATIVE FLOOR.

TELL US ABOUT THE OTHERS.

WHAT'S ON EACH OF THE OTHER FLOORS?

VASSALLO: YEAH.

SO, IN OUR LOBBY, OF COURSE, WE LIKE TO CALL IT A THIRD SPACE WHERE ANYONE CAN JUST COME IN DURING OPEN HOURS, SIT, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FREE WI-FI.

YOU KNOW, AGAIN, SOON WE WILL HAVE SOME KIND OF RESTAURANT OR CAFE SPACE DOWN THERE.

WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT MUSEUM SHOP WITH BEAUTIFULLY CURATED GOODS DOWN THERE.

ANYWAY, AND OF COURSE WE HAVE FLOORS WITH EXHIBITION SPACE, AN ADMINISTRATIVE FLOOR AND THEN THE CREATIVITY CENTER HERE ON THE SIXTH FLOOR.

KELLAR: DO YOU WALK AMONG THE FLOOR FOR INSPIRATION.

VASSALLO: EVERY DAY.

KELLAR: EVERY DAY.

VASSALLO: YEAH.

I LOVE TO COME UP HERE AND SEE, YOU KNOW, LITTLE KIDS ENGAGING WITH THEIR CAREGIVERS AND, YOU KNOW, THEIR PARENTS OR WHOEVER HAS BROUGHT THEM HERE AND, YOU KNOW, MAKING THINGS, DEVELOPING THEIR MOTOR SKILLS.

IT'S REALLY FUN TO WATCH.

KELLAR: SO TELL US YOUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE.

VASSALLO: WELL, I LOVE IT WHEN PEOPLE ASK THAT QUESTION OF NEW LEADERS.

MY IMMEDIATE RESPONSE IS A VISION TAKES TIME.

I WOULD NEVER PRESUME TO WALK INTO A NEW CITY OR ORGANIZATION AND HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS IMMEDIATELY.

I REALLY THINK A VISION NEEDS TO BE CO-DEVELOPED WITH THE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE WORKING FOR AND WORKING WITH, AND IT NEEDS TO BE VERY WELL INFORMED BY THE PEOPLE WHO USE THE SPACE AND ENGAGE WITH IT, NOT ONLY ON A DAILY BASIS, BUT OCCASIONALLY.

AND SO I WANT TO HEAR ALL OF THOSE STORIES AND I WANT TO KNOW WHAT MAKES THIS REGION TICK AND THEN INCORPORATE THAT INTO THE VISION.

BUT IT'S ALSO REALLY GREAT TO HAVE A GUIDED PROCESS AS ONE DEVELOPS THEIR VISION.

AND SO WE WILL SOON ENTER INTO A STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS, WHICH I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT AS AN ART ADMINISTRATION NERD.

I LOVE DIVING DEEP INTO, YOU KNOW, STRATEGY AND HOW TO IMPROVE UPON OPERATIONS, CREATE MORE TRANSPARENCY AND REALLY THINK ABOUT WHAT IS OUR FUTURE AND WHAT WILL GET US THERE, WHAT ARE THE STEPS REQUIRED?

KELLAR: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YOU'RE JUST ABSOLUTELY -- I HATE TO SAY DELIGHTFUL BECAUSE THAT'S SO TIME WORN, BUT IT'S JUST YOU'RE JUST FABULOUS.

VASSALLO: I'LL TAKE IT.

THAT'S A GOOD REVIEW.

KELLAR: YES.

YOU'RE ONLY AS GOOD AS YOUR LAST REVIEW.

SO, YES, YOU GOT AN ABSOLUTELY A-PLUS-PLUS REVIEW.

YOU'RE A GREAT ASSET TO CINCINNATI.

WE HOPE YOU'LL GROW OLD HERE AND WE'LL SEE LOTS AND LOTS MORE OF YOU.

AND WE'LL SEE YOU AROUND ALL THE ARTS BECAUSE YOU SEEM LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO BE GREAT.

AND BEST WISHES WITH ALL YOUR ENDEAVORS, YOUR ANNIVERSARY OR WHAT.

VASSALLO: THANK YOU SO MUCH, BARBARA.

KELLAR: THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN TO THIS VERY SPECIAL EPISODE OF SHOWCASE.

UP NEXT, WE HAVE TWO INCREDIBLE PERFORMANCES BY TWO TOP NOTCH MUSICIANS.

UP FIRST IS INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED CLASSICAL PIANIST BARRY DOUGLAS, FOLLOWED BY PRINCIPAL CELLIST OF THE CINCINNATI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, ILYA FINKELSTEIN.

ENJOY.

ANNOUNCER: JOIN US NEXT WEEK FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF SHOWCASE WITH BARBARA KELLAR RIGHT HERE ON CET.

CAPTIONS: MAVERICK CAPTIONING CIN OH MAVERICKCAPTIONING.COM