ANNOUNCER: ON THIS EPISODE OF SHOWCASE WITH BARBARA KELLAR, WE'RE JOINED BY SUMMERMUSIK EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR EVAN GIDLEY AND MUSIC DIRECTOR ECKART PREU.

THEY SHARE HOW THE CINCINNATI CHAMBER ORCHESTRA CONTINUES TO GROW, CONNECT WITH NEW AUDIENCES, AND BRING INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING TO THE REGION.

WE'LL ALSO LOOK AT THE VISION BEHIND SUMMERMUSIK AND WHAT'S AHEAD FOR THE ORGANIZATION.

STAY WITH US.

SHOWCASE STARTS RIGHT NOW.

KELLAR: HI, I'M BARBARA KELLAR AND WELCOME TO SHOWCASE.

WE HAVE TWO REALLY GREAT GUYS HERE TODAY, EVAN GIDLEY AND ECKHARD PROY.

THEY'RE GOING TO TELL US ALL ABOUT THE SUMMERMUSIK FESTIVAL.

TELL US EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.

GIDLEY: YEAH.

SO SUMMERMUSIK AT CINCINNATI CHAMBER ORCHESTRA HAS BEEN AROUND FOR 53 YEARS.

AND BACK IN 2015, THE ORGANIZATION MOVED FROM A YEAR ROUND PROGRAMMING MODEL TO A CONDENSED FESTIVAL FORMAT IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST CALLED OUR SUMMERMUSIK FESTIVAL.

AND SO FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS THAT FESTIVAL HAS REALLY GROWN AND BECOME A MAINSTAY ON THE PERFORMING ARTS CALENDAR HERE IN CINCINNATI.

THERE ARE NO OTHER PERFORMING ARTS ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE REALLY ACTIVE IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST, SO IT HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL ASSET FOR US TO KIND OF ROUND OUT THE MUSICAL CALENDAR, IF YOU WILL, HERE IN CINCINNATI.

AND WE PERFORM QUITE FREQUENTLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR IN SMALL ENSEMBLES, BUT THAT FESTIVAL IN AUGUST IS OUR MAIN EVENT.

KELLAR: YEAH.

CALLED SUMMERMUSIK, SPELLED WITH A K ON THE END.

GIDLEY: THAT'S CORRECT.

KELLAR: YES.

WAS THAT PART, WAS THAT YOUR DECISION?

DID YOU -- GIDLEY: THAT'S SLIGHTLY BEFORE MY TIME.

KIND OF AN HOMAGE TO OUR GERMAN HERITAGE HERE IN CINCINNATI.

KELLAR: YEAH.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED?

GIDLEY: I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED ABOUT 4 YEARS AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

KELLAR: YEAH.

AND HOW DID YOU BECOME EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR?

GIDLEY: WELL, I FIRST CAME TO CINCINNATI IN 2016 TO DO MY MASTER'S AT CCM IN SAXOPHONE PERFORMANCE.

I HAVE A PERFORMANCE BACKGROUND, AND FROM THERE I GOT INTO TAKING SOME ARTS ADMINISTRATION COURSES AND REALLY ENJOYED THEM.

AND SO KIND OF WORKED MY WAY.

I WAS IN INDIANAPOLIS FOR A WHILE, AND THEN MOST RECENTLY WITH THE COLUMBUS SYMPHONY AS PERSONNEL MANAGER BEFORE MOVING BACK TO CINCINNATI.

REALLY LUCKY TO HAVE THE WONDERFUL MUSIC SCENE WE DO HERE IN CINCINNATI.

SO IT WAS A REAL ENTICEMENT TO COME BACK TO TOWN.

KELLAR: A REAL FIT.

DO YOU EVER PLAY WITH THE ORCHESTRA?

GIDLEY: I HAVE PLAYED A FEW TIMES.

IT'S PRETTY RARE THAT WE SEE SAXOPHONE IN ORCHESTRA, OF COURSE.

BUT I FREQUENTLY SUB IN OTHER ORCHESTRAS AND PLAY SOME JAZZ ON THE SIDE AS WELL.

KELLAR: YEAH.

I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, WELL, THEY MUST DO JAZZ ONCE IN A WHILE.

GIDLEY: EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.

KELLAR: ALL RIGHT.

AND ECKHART, YOU ARE -- YOU'VE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME ALSO.

WELL, TEN YEARS, RIGHT?

PREU: A LITTLE LONGER THAN THAT, YEAH.

KELLAR: AND I HAD THE PLEASURE OF TALKING TO YOU WHEN YOU FIRST CAME, AND YOU'RE STILL HERE.

AND THAT SAYS A LOT ABOUT US AND ABOUT YOU.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR ROLE AS A CONDUCTOR.

PREU: SO I'M THE MUSIC DIRECTOR OF SUMMERMUSIK AND THAT INVOLVES, OF COURSE, CONDUCTING, REHEARSING THE ORCHESTRA, CHOOSING THE PROGRAM, SELECTING THE SOLOISTS.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, ALSO HELPING EVAN WITH FUNDRAISING AND WITH YEAR ROUND PLANNING MOSTLY, YEAH.

KELLAR: WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE -- WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE YOUR FAVORITE?

ARE YOU A STRICTLY CLASSIC OR DO YOU GET INTO THE MORE MODERN?

WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST TO CONDUCT?

PREU: WELL, I LIKE, I HATE TO SAY IT, EVERYTHING.

NOW, OF COURSE, I MEAN, I LOVE THE GOOD OLD CLASSICS.

IF IT'S BRAHMS, IF IT'S SCHUBERT, IF IT'S IF IT'S MOZART, BEETHOVEN, YOU KNOW, I AM GERMAN, SO ESPECIALLY THE GERMAN HERITAGE IS IN MY BLOOD.

BUT ESPECIALLY WITH SOME MUSIC, WE'VE BEEN REALLY, REALLY ADVENTUROUS ALSO, ALTHOUGH THIS YEAR WHERE WE PLAY FRANK ZAPPA AND MUSIC FROM PUERTO RICO AND A LOT OF AMERICAN MUSIC AND A LOT OF CONTEMPORARY MUSIC AS WELL.

SO I THINK IT'S ALL ABOUT FINDING THE RIGHT MIXTURE.

YOU CANNOT RELY ON THE MUSIC OF THE PAST.

YOU HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN CREATING MUSIC FOR THE FUTURE.

KELLAR: RIGHT.

DO YOU COMPOSE?

PREU: I DO NOT.

THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT SKILL SET.

KELLAR: YEAH, EXACTLY.

PREU: YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE A DIRECTOR.

RIGHT?

THEY DON'T WRITE NECESSARILY THE PLAYS THEY DIRECT.

THEY HAVE THE PLAY.

SO FOR ME, IT'S THE SCORE AND THE MUSIC.

AND THEN WE MAKE IT HAPPEN.

SO WE, WE INTERPRET WHAT WE SEE.

KELLAR: ARE YOU GUYS COLLABORATE?

HOW DOES THAT WORK?

ARE YOU THE BOSS AND -- PREU: WE CONSIDER OURSELVES EQUALS.

SO MY ROLE AS MUSIC DIRECTOR IS TO COME UP WITH PROGRAMMING CONCEPTS AND PROGRAMS AND SELECTING GUEST ARTISTS.

SO I COME UP WITH DIFFERENT IDEAS AND THEN I SHARE THOSE WITH EVAN AND THE STAFF, AND THEN WE DISCUSS WHICH ONES ARE THE MOST APPROPRIATE IN TERMS OF ALSO TICKET SALES, WHAT GUEST ARTISTS WE CAN INVITE, WHAT OUR COLLABORATIONS COULD BE LIKE.

AND THEN EVAN HAS TO FIND THE MONEY.

KELLAR: OKAY.

THAT IS THE TRUTH, AND WE LIE OF THE TRUTH.

YEAH, I'M USUALLY THE ONE WHO SAYS, FIND THE MONEY.

YEAH, BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE DREAMS AND HOPES, BUT CAN WE AFFORD IT?

THAT'S THE DRIVING FORCE.

GIDLEY: IT'S MORE THAN JUST MONEY, TOO.

IT'S ABOUT FINDING THOSE RIGHT PARTNERSHIPS, FINDING THE RIGHT VENUES, YOU KNOW?

YES, WE'RE FUNDRAISING FOR THE EVENTS, BUT WE ALSO OBVIOUSLY WANT PEOPLE TO COME TO THE EVENT.

SO THINKING ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO BRING PEOPLE IN THE DOORS IS KIND OF SOMETHING THAT WE BRAINSTORM ON.

KELLAR: YEAH, AND I'M SURE YOU'RE LIKE ALL THE OTHER ARTS THAT THE TICKET PRICE DOESN'T PAY FOR THE PERFORMANCE, NOT BY A LONG SHOT.

SO THAT'S A LOT OF FUNDRAISING.

GIDLEY: YEAH.

KELLAR: WELL, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE VENUES BECAUSE YOU ONLY PERFORM IN THE SUMMER.

AND WHERE?

DO YOU PERFORM AT DIFFERENT PLACES OR ALWAYS AT THE SAME VENUE?

PREU: YEAH.

SO WE HAVE THREE DIFFERENT CONCERT TYPES.

WE HAVE THE MAINSTAGE SERIES, WHICH IS AT SCPA ON SATURDAY EVENINGS.

KELLAR: AND THAT'S ON THE PARKWAY.

PREU: YES.

AND THAT IS WITH THE FULL CHAMBER ORCHESTRA.

KELLAR: RIGHT, OKAY.

PREU: AND THEN WE HAVE A SMALLER SERIES, IT'S CALLED A LITTLE AFTERNOON MUSIC, YOU KNOW, WITH A LITTLE HINT TO MOZART, A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, A LITTLE AFTERNOON MUSIC, AND THAT IS ON SUNDAY AFTERNOONS.

THAT'S A SMALLER GROUP.

AND THEN WE HAVE ALSO THE CHAMBER CRAWLS, AND THAT IS SMALL CHAMBER ENSEMBLES WHO TRAVEL THROUGHOUT TOWN.

KELLAR: YEAH, BUT THE MAIN ONE IS AT SCPA.

PREU: RIGHT, RIGHT, AND WHAT IS REALLY, REALLY GREAT ABOUT OUR SMALLER SERIES IS THAT WE ALWAYS PERFORM IN DIFFERENT VENUES.

AND SO OUR AUDIENCE IS KIND OF EXPLORE CINCINNATI AS THEY TRAVEL WITH US THROUGH THESE DIFFERENT VENUES.

KELLAR: WHAT WOULD BE SOME OF THE VENUES, LIKE CHURCHES OR?

PREU: WE ARE IN CHURCHES, WE ARE IN BARS, WE ARE -- KELLAR: OH, BARS, OKAY PREU: AND OTHER IN OTHER PERFORMANCE VENUES.

SO REALLY, WHATEVER KIND OF SEAT 100-150 PEOPLE, THAT'S WE HAVE OUR EYE ON THAT.

KELLAR: ARE THERE BARS THAT SEAT THAT MANY?

PREU: THERE WAS A FRETBOARD BREWERY, FOR INSTANCE.

THAT WAS A WONDERFUL THING.

YEAH.

KELLAR: UH HUH.

WOW.

IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU REALLY GET AROUND.

DO YOU SOMETIMES CHOOSE THE VENUE BASED ON THE MUSIC OR THE MUSIC BASED ON THE VENUE?

GIDLEY: YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

THAT'S A BIG PART OF IT, DEFINITELY.

KELLAR: IS IT?

OKAY.

GIDLEY: FOR THE CHAMBER CRAWL SERIES DURING THE WEEK, OUR MUSICIANS CURATE THOSE PERFORMANCES, SO THEY'LL OFTEN COME TO US WITH AN IDEA AND THEN AS A STAFF JOB TO FIND A VENUE THAT MATCHES THAT.

SO IF THE THEME IS ABOUT FISH, THEN WE'RE GOING TO PERFORM AT THE AQUARIUM.

AND YOU KNOW, THE THEME IS ABOUT A BATTLE OF THE BANDS, WE'RE GOING TO FIND A ROCK MUSIC VENUE, RIGHT?

SO WE'RE DEFINITELY CURATING THOSE VENUES TO MATCH THE THEMES OF THE PROGRAMS.

KELLAR: YEAH.

COULD YOU EVER, FOR INSTANCE, GO TO THE BALLET STUDIOS?

BECAUSE THOSE ARE HUGE ROOMS.

GIDLEY: WE COULD, YEAH, IF WE HAD A PROGRAM THAT WAS ABOUT DANCE, THAT WOULD BE A PERFECT SETTING.

KELLAR: YEAH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

THAT SOUNDS LIKE WOULD MAKE THINGS REALLY INTERESTING.

AND ARE YOU IN CHARGE OF FINANCE?

GIDLEY: I AM, IT'S PART OF MY ROLE.

YEAH.

YEAH.

KELLAR: IS THAT AN EASY JOB OR HARD?

BECAUSE YOU HAVE A PRETTY SPECIAL NICHE OF, QUOTE, PATRONS.

GIDLEY: YEAH.

I THINK FOR ME, IT'S AN EASY JOB.

I GET TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH PEOPLE ABOUT SOMETHING THAT I LOVE AND MUSIC.

AND SO FUNDRAISING REALLY OFTENTIMES JUST ENDS UP BEING A CONVERSATION ABOUT TWO PARTIES THAT ARE BOTH INTERESTED IN THE SAME THING AND MAKE AND BRINGING THAT MUSIC TO LIFE.

KELLAR: YEAH.

I UNDERSTAND FROM SOME OF THE NOTES THAT YOU'RE -- THAT FUNDRAISING IS PRETTY EASY FOR THE CHAMBER.

IS THAT BECAUSE IT'S BEEN AROUND SO LONG?

IT'S PROBABLY BECAUSE IT'S SO GOOD.

RIGHT?

GIDLEY: WELL, I DO THINK PEOPLE RELATE TO THE MISSION OF THE ORGANIZATION AND EVERYTHING THAT ECKERT HAS JUST DESCRIBED.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WANT TO SUPPORT.

I DON'T THINK FUNDRAISING IS NECESSARILY EASY.

I THINK THERE'S A -- KELLAR: I THINK IT'S THE HARDEST JOB.

GIDLEY: THERE ARE TOOLS TO MAKE IT EASIER, OF COURSE.

BUT WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF GROWTH IN THE LAST FEW YEARS JUST FROM WHAT WE'RE DOING IN AUGUST, BUT THEN ALSO CONTINUING TO GROW OUTSIDE OF THAT MONTH AND DO MORE CHAMBER MUSIC PERFORMANCES OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, MORE EDUCATIONAL BASED EVENTS.

AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE REALLY LIKE TOO, IS THAT WE'RE BRINGING MUSIC TO PEOPLE WHO NORMALLY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO IT AND EDUCATING THE YOUTH.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WANT TO SEE IN ORDER TO SEE THIS ART FORM LIVE ON FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS INTO THE FUTURE.

KELLAR: YEAH.

DO YOU GO WAY OUT LIKE WESTCHESTER AND ALL THOSE PLACES THAT SEEM SO FAR OUT FOR US?

GIDLEY: YEAH.

I WOULD SAY A LARGE MAJORITY OF OUR PERFORMANCES ARE IN HAMILTON COUNTY, BUT WE DO THINGS IN WARREN BUTLER, CLERMONT COUNTY, AS WELL AS IN THE THREE MAJOR COUNTIES IN NORTHERN KENTUCKY.

KELLAR: OH, KENTUCKY ALSO VENUES?

YEAH.

DO YOU GET A LOT OF CORPORATE SUPPORT?

GIDLEY: WE HAD SOME CORPORATE SUPPORT, BUT WE PRIMARILY GET SUPPORT FROM INDIVIDUALS AND FOUNDATIONS.

AND WE HAVE VERY LOYAL FUNDERS THAT HAVE BEEN WITH US FOR A LONG TIME.

KELLAR: EXACTLY, YEAH.

I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WITH THE ORCHESTRA A LONG, A VERY LONG TIME AND REALLY HOLD IT VERY CLOSE AND DEARLY.

DO YOU, BECAUSE YOU PERFORM IN AUGUST, AND YOU LIVE IN WASHINGTON, NOT WASHINGTON, WASHINGTON STATE, DO YOU HAVE OTHER JOBS THAT YOU DO?

PREU: I DO, I DO.

I'M THE MUSIC DIRECTOR IN LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA, AS WELL AS IN PORTLAND, MAINE.

SO BUT MY SUMMERS ARE DEDICATED TO HERE.

AND KIND OF PIGGYBACKING ON YOUR PREVIOUS QUESTION, WHAT I LOVE ABOUT CINCINNATI AND WHAT I THINK IS VERY SPECIAL ABOUT CINCINNATI IS THIS IS A TOWN WHERE PEOPLE ARE INCREDIBLY INTERESTED AND SUPPORTIVE OF THE ARTS, AND ALL THE ARTS WITH A BALLET, THE SYMPHONY AND THEATERS AND THE CHAMBER ORCHESTRA AND OTHER CHAMBER ORGANIZATIONS.

AND SO I FEEL THAT PEOPLE REALLY WANT TO SUPPORT THE ARTS AND THEY WANT TO ENABLE ALL THOSE ORGANIZATIONS TO FLOURISH.

AND THAT IS VERY SPECIAL ABOUT CINCINNATI, I FIND.

KELLAR: DO YOU EVER HAVE, INCLUDE IN YOUR PROGRAMS, FOR INSTANCE, BALLET OR OPERA OR IS IT JUST STRICTLY THE MUSIC?

PREU: NO, WE ALWAYS TRY TO COLLABORATE WITH OTHER ARTS ORGANIZATIONS IN TOWN.

SO FOR INSTANCE, THIS YEAR WE HAVE A PROGRAM THAT IS CALLED TO THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS.

IT'S A PIECE BY KURT WEILL, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL PIECE.

IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, HALF OPERA AND HALF CABARET.

AND SO WE HAVE A WONDERFUL SINGER, VICTORIA OKAFOR, AND ALSO A DANCER FROM THE BALLET, SIMONE MUHAMMAD.

SO, WE ALWAYS, ALWAYS TRY TO INCLUDE OTHER ART FORMS IN KELLAR: YEAH, I THINK THAT'S REALLY GREAT WHEN YOU REACH OUT AND INCLUDE OTHERS, IT JUST MAKES IT MORE, WAY MORE INTERESTING.

YEAH.

YOUR EDUCATION WAS IN MUSIC?

GIDLEY: YES.

KELLAR: SO YOU'RE NOT VARYING VERY FAR, VEERING VERY FAR AWAY FROM WHERE YOU BEGAN.

DO YOU GET TO GIVE INPUT INTO WHAT ECKHART PRODUCES?

GIDLEY: SURE.

SO I WOULD SAY ECKHART IS THE LEAD DECISION MAKER, CERTAINLY, AND ECKHART IS VERY THEMATIC IN HIS PROGRAMMING.

SO OFTENTIMES WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THE NEXT SEASON, HE'LL THROW OUT SOME IDEAS OF LARGER THEMES FOR US TO THINK ABOUT.

AND THEN COLLECTIVELY, WE AS A TEAM, THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF WILL KIND OF GIVE INPUT TO THAT.

THAT KIND OF LEADS THEN INTO GUEST ARTISTS THAT ARE BOOKED.

AND THEN WE START TO GET INTO THOSE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT COLLABORATIONS AND SOMETIMES COLLABORATIONS AREN'T JUST COLLABORATORS ON STAGE.

SOMETIMES THERE ARE PRE-CONCERT EXHIBITORS, SOMETIMES THERE ARE PARTICIPATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR AUDIENCE MEMBERS.

WE'VE DONE COMMUNITY CHOIRS.

WE'VE DONE POETRY WORKSHOP WITH PEOPLE READING THEIR POETRY.

SO I THINK ALL THOSE OTHER ELEMENTS, AS ECKHART WAS SAYING, IS IMPORTANT IN PROVIDING A CONCERT EXPERIENCE AND NOT JUST THE CONCERT ITSELF.

KELLAR: YEAH, I THINK PEOPLE LIKE FEELING THAT THEY'VE HAD AN EXPERIENCE.

AND IF YOU GO TO THESE DIFFERENT VENUES, DO YOU EVER GO TO SOMEONE'S HOME?

PREU: WE DO HAVE PRIVATE EVENTS AS WELL, BUT THEY'RE USUALLY NOT PART OF OUR MAIN-- OF OUR SUMMERMUSIK FESTIVAL.

THEY'RE REALLY SPECIAL, SPECIAL EXPERIENCES.

KELLAR: YEAH.

AND THEY CAN INVITE.

HOW DO YOU GET YOUR AUDIENCE?

WHAT IS YOUR -- DO YOU -- I DON'T -- DO YOU SEND MAILERS OR HOW DO YOU, HOW DOES THAT WORK?

GIDLEY: IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING.

SO, YOU KNOW, AS WE'VE BEEN TALKING, WE HAVE A VERY LOYAL SUBSCRIBER BASE THAT HAS BEEN COMING BACK YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE MOVED TO THE AUGUST FORMAT.

BUT WE HAVE, YEAH, LOTS OF DIFFERENT TACTICS TO BRING NEW FOLKS IN THE DOOR THROUGH SOME PHYSICAL MAILINGS TO RADIO ADS, TO ADVERTISING RIGHT HERE ON CET, TO OTHER DIGITAL FORMS, SOCIAL MEDIA IS CONTINUING TO GROW MORE AND MORE POPULAR AND REACHING PEOPLE.

AS WELL AS WHAT I REFER TO AS GRASSROOTS MARKETING, WHICH IS IDENTIFYING SPECIFIC ORGANIZATIONS RELATED TO THOSE CONCERT THEMES THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN BRINGING OUT A GROUP OF PEOPLE, EVEN IF THEY DON'T LIKE CLASSICAL MUSIC, THEY MIGHT RELATE TO THE THEME OF THE CONCERT.

KELLAR: YEAH.

HOW DO YOU HANDLE THE TICKETING?

DO YOU, LIKE, YOU CAN HAVE A SEASON OR JUST INDIVIDUAL PROGRAMS?

GIDLEY: YEAH.

SO FOR THE FESTIVAL, PEOPLE CAN SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENTIRE 11 EVENT FESTIVAL, OR THEY CAN GET A FLEXIBLE SUBSCRIPTION AND KIND OF PICK AND CHOOSE THEIR EVENTS, OR THEY CAN BUY SINGLE TICKETS.

NOW, WHEN WE'RE DOING OTHER PERFORMANCES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, MANY OF THOSE ARE FREE.

SO WE MIGHT BE AT FOUNTAIN SQUARE HAVING A STRING QUARTET PERFORM, OR WE MIGHT BE DOING A PRIVATE EVENT FOR RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE FOR PATIENTS AT THE HOSPITAL.

SO THOSE SORTS OF THINGS AREN'T TICKETED.

THEY'RE FREE, BUT THEY'RE SERVING PEOPLE THAT MAY NOT HAVE ACCESS TO MUSIC OR THEY'RE SERVING CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE AREA.

KELLAR: DO YOU HAVE ANY DREAM, ISSUES, LIKE SOMETHING YOU'D LIKE TO DO IN THE FUTURE?

PREU: WELL, THERE'S CERTAINLY SOME GUEST ARTISTS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE, IF THE FINANCES WORK OUT.

BUT IN GENERAL, I REALLY JUST TRY TO PUSH THE BOUNDARY A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT A CHAMBER ORCHESTRA DOES AND ALWAYS BE PROGRAMMING MUSIC THAT IS UNEXPECTED AND PROVIDING EXPERIENCES THAT PEOPLE USUALLY DON'T HAVE.

SO FOR INSTANCE, THIS YEAR WE HAVE A PROGRAM WITH PUERTO RICAN MUSIC.

KELLAR: OH, OKAY.

PREU: AND THAT'S ACTUALLY, THAT'S QUITE A INTERESTING TRADITION THAT GOES WAY, WAY BACK IN HISTORY.

BUT THERE'S PHENOMENAL CONTEMPORARY COMPOSERS AND ALSO OUR GUEST ARTIST IS FABIOLA, WHO PLAYED AT NPR EL TINY GUEST A WHILE AGO WITH BAD BUNNY.

AND SHE'S GOING TO COME AND PLAY THE CUATRO, WHICH IS KIND OF THE PUERTO RICAN NATIONAL INSTRUMENT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE UNEXPECTED, UNKNOWN, SO THAT PEOPLE REALLY LEARN SOMETHING AS WELL AS BEING ENTERTAINED.

KELLAR: WELL, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE A WIDE VARIETY OF DIFFERENT THINGS AND THINGS YOU'D LOVE TO DO.

DO YOU HAVE A BOARD?

GIDLEY: WE DO.

ABSOLUTELY, WE'RE A NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION.

KELLAR: YOU HAVE TO ANSWER TO THOSE CRABBY PEOPLE, WANT TO TELL YOU WHAT YOU CAN DO AND WHAT YOU CAN'T DO.

GIDLEY: WE HAVE A VERY LOVELY BOARD.

THEY'RE GREAT PEOPLE TO WORK WITH, A 25 MEMBER BOARD, WHICH IS A PRETTY GOOD SIZE FOR AN ORGANIZATION.

KELLAR: THAT'S A LARGE BOARD.

YEAH, THEY'RE VERY DEVOTED.

GIDLEY: THEY ARE.

KELLAR: I HOPE.

YES.

THE CHAMBER ORCHESTRA HAS BEEN AROUND FOR HOW LONG?

PREU: 53 YEARS.

KELLAR: 53 YEARS.

DO YOU SOMETIMES WISH YOU'D BEEN A MUSICIAN INSTEAD OF AN ENTREPRENEUR?

GIDLEY: WELL, I STILL DO PLAY SAXOPHONE, SO THAT ALLOWS ME TO KIND OF KEEP THAT SIDE OF MY BRAIN ACTIVE.

KELLAR: DO YOU PLAY IT LIKE AT BARS OR WHERE DO YOU?

GIDLEY: YEAH, SOME OF THE JAZZ CLUBS HERE LOCALLY.

KELLAR: YEAH, YEAH.

HOW CAN PEOPLE SIGN UP OR FIND OUT, ABOUT YOU HAVE BROCHURES AND STUFF YOU CAN SEND?

GIDLEY: YEAH.

THE EASIEST THING TO DO IS TO GO TO OUR WEBSITE.

THAT'S SUMMERMUSIK.ORG.

AND IT'S MUSIK WITH A K. THERE WE KEEP UP TO DATE ALL OF OUR EVENT INFORMATION IN AUGUST, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE SMALLER EVENTS THAT WE'RE DOING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

OR YOU CAN FIND US ON ALL THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS AS WELL AT SUMMERMUSIK CINCY.

KELLAR: I FORGET THAT EVERYBODY ELSE IS ON THE INTERNET AND THAT THEY GET THEIR INFORMATION THAT WAY BECAUSE I STILL GET, I'LL LOOK AT PAPER THINGS.

AND SO I FORGET WHEN I ASKED THAT, HOW DID EVERYBODY FIND OUT?

WELL, IT'S ON THE INTERNET.

WHAT A GREAT WAY.

AND THAT MAKES IT LESS EXPENSIVE TOO, DOESN'T IT?

ISN'T THAT AN INEXPENSIVE WAY TOO.

PREU: YEAH.

AND, AND IT POTENTIALLY ACTUALLY DRAWS PEOPLE FROM ELSEWHERE.

SO FOR INSTANCE, I KNOW THAT IF WE DO A CONCERT ABOUT FRANK ZAPPA THIS YEAR, THAT SOMEONE IS ACTUALLY GOING TO COME FROM MAINE TO SEE THIS CONCERT.

KELLAR: YEAH.

OKAY.

PREU: SO THE DIGITAL WORLD REALLY, IT OPENS UP OPPORTUNITIES FOR OTHER PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT US.

AND THEN ALSO THEN TO DECIDE TO TRAVEL TO CINCINNATI AND MAKE IT A DESTINATION.

KELLAR: YEAH.

IS THERE ANYTHING IN THE HOTEL ROOMS THAT TELL PEOPLE DURING AUGUST?

BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I LOOK FOR, IS IF WE'RE IN A PLACE THAT'S NOT FAMILIAR, THERE USUALLY IS INFORMATION WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY, AND YOU CAN LOOK AT THAT AND SAY, OH, WAIT, HERE'S SOMETHING I CAN DO.

DO YOU TRY TO DO THAT?

GIDLEY: YEAH, WE TRY TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF THAT WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES AS WELL AS THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WEBSITES AND GROUPS OUT THERE THAT ARE PUBLISHING HERE'S WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND IN TOWN.

HERE'S WHAT TO DO THIS MONTH.

AND WE TRY TO GET OUT THERE ON THOSE AS WELL.

KELLAR: YEAH.

HOW DID YOU BECOME A CONDUCTOR?

PREU: OH, I DECIDED THIS WHEN I WAS LIKE 11 YEARS OLD OR TEN YEARS OLD, I WAS IN A BOYS CHOIR.

I SANG ALL DAY.

KELLAR: OH, YOU'RE A SINGER, TOO.

PREU: I WAS IN BOARDING SCHOOL AND SO WE DID MUSIC ALL DAY.

MUSIC AND SOCCER.

AND SOCCER WAS NOT MY THING, BUT I LIKED SINGING AND I LIKED MAKING MUSIC FOR PEOPLE.

AND SO THEN I BECAME ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR WITH A CHORUS.

AND THEN I JUST BECAME A CONDUCTOR.

YOU KNOW, IT'S SO I STARTED REALLY EARLY.

KELLAR: WERE YOU A REALLY GOOD SINGER?

PREU: I WAS, I WAS A SOLOIST, YEAH.

KELLAR: HAVE YOU EVER SUNG WITH SUMMERMUSIK?

PREU: NO, NO.

THAT'S A LONG TIME AGO.

THAT'S A LONG TIME.

I WAS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL.

KELLAR: WELL, YOU LOOK YOUNG ENOUGH TO STILL BE A GOOD SINGER.

PREU: WELL, THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THAT.

KELLAR: YEAH.

WHEN YOU HAVE A SINGER, DO YOU -- ARE THEY PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN IN THE OPERA?

PREU: I THINK WE SELECT SINGERS FOR PARTICULAR PROJECTS.

WE PREFER GOING LOCAL IF POSSIBLE BECAUSE WE HAVE INCREDIBLE TALENT HERE.

AND SOMETIMES WE BRING IN PEOPLE FROM THE OUTSIDE.

YEAH.

BUT YEAH.

KELLAR: WELL, DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT THINGS YOU'D LIKE TO DO IF THINGS WERE TO YOUR LIKING?

GIDLEY: WELL, YOU KNOW, BEING A SAXOPHONIST, OF COURSE, I LOVE JAZZ AND I REALLY LOVE WHEN WE DO COLLABORATIONS OR EXPLORE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MUSIC THAT AREN'T JUST WESTERN CLASSICAL MUSIC.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TALKING SOME ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE'VE HIGHLIGHTED MUSIC OF OTHER NON-WESTERN CULTURES A LOT RECENTLY, FROM PUERTO RICO TO INDIA TO IRELAND TO WESTERN AFRICA.

SO I REALLY ENJOY THOSE.

IT REALLY EXPANDS MY HORIZONS AS SOMEONE WHO TAKES IN ALL THESE PERFORMANCES.

AND I LEARN A LOT MORE ABOUT OTHER CULTURES THAT IF I WASN'T IN THIS ROLE, I PROBABLY WOULDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT.

KELLAR: HOW DO YOU CREATE SOMETHING FOR AN AUDIENCE THAT ISN'T INDIAN AND DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THAT MUSIC?

GIDLEY: WELL, WE DO HAVE A WONDERFULLY TALENTED LOCAL COMPOSER NAMED KANNIKS KANNIKESWARAN THAT WE'VE WORKED WITH A FEW TIMES.

AND SO, YES, INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC, AND THEY DO CALL IT CLASSICAL MUSIC, IS KIND OF ITS OWN GENRE.

IT'S VERY DIFFERENT IN HOW THEY PERCEIVE IT, DIFFERENT TONAL SYSTEMS, BUT THERE ARE BETWEEN KANNIKS AND A NUMBER OF OTHER WONDERFUL COMPOSERS THAT HAVE HAD TRAINING IN BOTH THAT TRADITION, AS WELL AS THE WESTERN CLASSICAL TRADITION, ARE KIND OF BLENDING THOSE TWO TOGETHER.

IT MAKES IT REALLY ACCESSIBLE FOR AUDIENCES.

KELLAR: I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN FAMOUS INDIAN CONDUCTORS, ZUBIN MEHTA I THINK IS INDIAN, AND PROBABLY LOTS MORE.

BUT THEY HAVE TO LEARN MUSIC OTHER THAN THEIR OWN.

PREU: YEAH, I MEAN, BUT THE GREAT THING ABOUT MUSIC IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S FAMOUSLY THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE.

AND EVEN IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE SCALE OR THE APPROACH TO MUSIC ITSELF IS DIFFERENT, BUT WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU LISTEN TO IT AND IT KIND OF IT SINKS IN AND YOU KIND OF UNDERSTAND IT EVEN THOUGH IT'S FOREIGN TO YOU.

AND WE HAD ACTUALLY AN INDIAN CHOIR AS WELL, A COMMUNITY CHOIR, WE HAD DANCERS AND TABLAS AND SO I THINK, UM, MUSIC REALLY SPEAKS TO US ON VERY, VERY DEEP, DEEP LEVEL, KNOWING OR NOT KNOWING.

AND SO IT WAS A VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL CONCERT.

AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE DO IS KIND OF, YOU KNOW, PART OF OUR MISSION IS TO BRING TOGETHER KIND OF THE MUSICALLY CURIOUS.

AND I THINK WHEN YOU COME TO THE CHAMBER ORCHESTRA AND SUMMERMUSIK YOU WILL HAVE EXPERIENCES THAT YOU CANNOT GET ELSEWHERE.

KELLAR: YEAH.

AND I THINK MOST MUSIC LOVERS WANT TO HEAR SOMETHING NEW.

THEY ALSO WANT TO HEAR SOMETHING OLD.

AND I THINK THAT'S A PROBLEM SOMETIMES.

THE PROGRAMMING, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE LOOK AT A PROGRAM AND SAY, OH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOTHING I REALLY WANT TO SEE.

SO, YOU KNOW, YEAH, PLEASING EVERYBODY IN MUSIC IS NOT AN EASY JOB, BUT YOU HAVE SO MANY TENTACLES OUT IN SO MANY DIFFERENT VENUES THAT YOU CAN EXPERIMENT WITH LOTS OF DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT THINGS.

PREU: AND I THINK WHAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING IS TO DEVELOP A CONCEPT WHERE YOU CAN PRESENT A DIFFERENT CENTURIES OF COMPOSERS IN ONE PROGRAM AND IT MAKES SENSE.

SO FOR INSTANCE, WHEN WE HAVE A PROGRAM WITH FRANK ZAPPA THAT WE PUT MOZART TO IT, BECAUSE I THINK MOZART WOULD HAVE LOVED ZAPPA, AND THEY'RE KIND OF THE BAD BOYS OF MUSIC, RIGHT?

BUT THEY KIND OF COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER AND THEY BOTH MAKE SENSE IN THAT CONTEXT.

OR WHEN WE DO KURT WEILL AND THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS THAT WE BRING IN OTHER COMPOSERS WHO COMPOSED ABOUT THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS.

SO, FOR INSTANCE, RICHARD STRAUSS, SALOME DANCE OR BEETHOVEN WHEN IT COMES TO WRATH.

SO, THERE'S A WAY OF BRINGING MODERN AND OLD COMPOSERS TOGETHER IN A NEW CONTEXT THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN MAKES SENSE AND WHERE THEY COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER.

KELLAR: YEAH, IT SOUNDS GREAT.

YOU GUYS ARE LIKE THE FOUNTAINS OF MUSIC KNOWLEDGE AND WHAT YOU BRING TO CINCINNATI IS REALLY SPECIAL.

AND WE ALL APPRECIATE IT AND LEARN FROM IT AND ENJOY IT.

AND WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING.

AND I GUESS, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ONLY HERE IN THE SUMMER, BUT I CAN SEE EVAN ANY TIME THROUGH THE YEAR, RIGHT?

GIDLEY: ABSOLUTELY.

KELLAR: YEAH, WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING.

PREU: THANK YOU.

GIDLEY: THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

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