Monthly Archives

July 2019

Jul 26
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Meet the conductor

By News

Verb Ballets performs with the Lakeside Symphony Orchestra conducted by Daniel Meyer at Lakeside Chautauqua in the Hoover Auditorium on Saturday, August 3, 2019, at 8:15 PM. The Lakeside Symphony Orchestra is made up of more than 90 musicians from across the country that have devoted many years of service to Lakeside community. This season Lakeside Chautauqua welcomes New Music Director & Conductor Daniel Meyer to the Lakeside Symphony Orchestra.

Witness the timeless tale of Carmen: The Story of Passion as it unfolds with a new interpretation of the classic characters choreographed by Associate Artistic Director, Richard Dickinson. Accompanied by the Lakeside Symphony Orchestra, the music drives the tale of obsession in desperate acts of desire in this love saga. Also, on the program Kay Eichman’s neo-classical ballet, Mendelssohn Italian Symphony, brings music visualization in the exuberant Allegro that will sweep you off your feet with the dancers’ technical virtuosity.

Daniel Meyer

A native of Cleveland and current resident of Pittsburgh, Meyer has reinvigorated orchestras with his innovative programs, engaging presence and keen musical intellect. As Music Director of the Erie Philharmonic, Meyer has built the ensemble into one of the finest and most vibrant orchestras of its kind. He was recently named Artistic Director of Cleveland’s BlueWater Chamber Orchestra, and also serves as Artistic Director for the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra and is Director of Orchestral Activities at Dusquesne University. Recent guest appearances include the Detroit Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, Württembergische Philharmonie, Staatsorchester Darmstadt and the Nuremberg Symphony in Germany. As part of his highly-acclaimed tenure as Music Director of the Asheville Symphony, Meyer created the Asheville Amadeus Festival featuring pianist Emanuel Ax and violinist Midori. He has led the symphony orchestras of Fort Worth, San Antonio, Syracuse, Tallahassee, Youngstown, Lexington, Portland, Santa Barbara, Lansing and Wheeling. Upon the invitation of Mariss Jansons, Meyer was named Resident Conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony and Music Director of the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony, where he served until 2009. As Music Director of the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony, Meyer led the symphony on their first ever tour to China and an international tour to Vienna, Prague, Leipzig and Budapest. He studied conducting at the Hochschule für Musik in Vienna as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar and is a graduate of Denison University and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. At Boston University, Meyer received the Orchestral Conducting Honors Award and was awarded the prestigious Aspen Conducting Prize from David Zinman. He received an honorary doctorate last year from Edinboro University.

Lakeside Symphony Orchestra Conductor Daniel Meyer approaches first season with passion.

By Laura Johnston, cleveland.com

Brought to you by Lakeside Chautauqua and rockthelake.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Daniel Meyer traveled to Lakeside Chautauqua as a boy, performing in Hoover Auditorium as a member of the Singing Angels children’s choir.

He distinctly remembers the hall, how huge the 2,600-seat space felt. He also remembers the community, a quaint and peaceful place, perched on the Lake Erie shore.

“I had very fond recollections of what lakeside was all about,” he said.
So when the Lakeside Symphony Orchestra last year searched for its first new conductor in 47 years, Meyer was intrigued.

Meyer, a 47-year-old Brunswick native and Denison University graduate, tried out last summer, along with five other guest conductors. He won the gig as music director and conductor and will lead the Lakeside Symphony Orchestra as it opens its 56th season July 31.

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For more than 140 years, Lakeside Chautauqua has welcomed families to the Lake Erie shore to take part in a summer Chautauqua experience dedicated to nurturing mind, body and spirit. Lakeside Chautauqua is an historic community in Ohio that offers an abundance of spiritual opportunities, educational lectures, cultural arts performances and recreational activities during its 10-week summer programming season. It is also a year-round destination for groups of all sizes. The performance is included with day passes to Lakeside Chatauqua. Day passes to the Lakeside Chautauqua are available for $23.50 for Adults and as always, kids age 12 & under and guests over age 90 are always free. Parking is an additional fee.

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Jul 17
Love0

The Adagio Reimagined Project

By News, Neil Zaza

Verb Ballets has commissioned The Adagio Reimagined Project in partnership with Jane Startzman featuring collaborating artists Neil Zaza and Sabatino Verlezza. The Adagio Reimagined Project will honor the legacy of Heinz Poll while presenting a bold new reinterpretation of the work featuring musical accompaniment by renowned instrumental rock guitarist, Zaza. The company will remount Poll’s Adagio for Two Dancers with permission of Jane Startzman. The original work was created in 1973 to the music Albinoni’s Adagio in G Minor for Strings and Organ. The ballet was danced in gold unitards and features striking sculptural poses with meticulous partnering giving the dancers a deity like quality.

The Adagio Reimagined Project was conceived as a unique way to commemorate the work of Heinz Poll and allow the work to be brought into the present with a modern interpretation. The idea came about when Festival Director, Jane Startzman heard Akron rock guitarist, Zaza performing a musical interpretation of Albinoni’s Adagio in G Minor at the Akron Civic Theatre. She found the reconstructed score breathtaking and was reminded of her time dancing Poll’s Adagio for Two Dancers. Startzman is the regisseur for the work and brought together Zaza and the Producing Artistic Director of Verb Ballets, Dr. Margaret Carlson, to the bring with work and music back to the stage.

Choreographer Sabatino Verlezza will create the new work to Neil Zaza’s rock score of Albinoni’s Adagio in G Minor. Verlezza was a soloist with the May O’Donnell Dance Company and has danced with among many other prominent artists. With fiery technical brilliance and breathtaking musical interpretation, Zaza has defined himself as the instrumental guitarist with an unparalleled ability to combine solid, catchy songwriting with a keen melodic sense and technical fury. Together these artists will reimagine the classic to demonstrate classical prowess with rock virtuosity. The Adagio Reimagined Project will be featured on the program at the Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival on July 26 and 27, 2019.

Neil Zaza

Not only has guitarist Neil Zaza helped to define the genre of melodic instrumental guitar, he has become a worldwide ambassador for the instrument itself. His melodic compositions have changed the way musicians play, and what audiences worldwide demand out of their guitar heroes. With fiery technical brilliance and breathtaking musical interpretation, Neil Zaza has defined himself as the instrumental guitarist with an unparalleled ability to combine solid, catchy songwriting with a keen melodic sense and technical fury. From his virtuoso rock solos, to laying a funk groove, to demonstrating his classical prowess by performing Bach and Mozart compositions, Zaza’s extreme versatility has been showcased worldwide in concerts, clinics, festivals, as well as on his own solo instrumental albums. Zaza has shared the bill with Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Dweezil Zappa, Steve & Mike Porcaro (Toto), Yngwie Malmsteen, Vinnie Moore, and Andy Summers among countless others. He has performed on albums by Dweezil Zappa, Eric Carmen, Michael Stanley and also supplied guitar tracks for a Stewart Copeland-produced movie soundtrack.

It all began… in Akron, Ohio, where Neil Zaza was born, and still resides. Zaza started playing guitar at the age of 10 and went on to study classical guitar at The University of Akron under renowned educator and performer Stephen Aron. Zaza began to teach guitar, and in 1987 he formed the rock band Zaza, which quickly became one of the hottest U.S. touring bands at that time. After a successful run and even a hit song “Maybe Tomorrow”, the band disbanded, and a brilliant solo career began.

Sabatino Verlezza

Sabatino Verlezza danced with the May O’Donnell Dance Company (soloist) and Joyce Trisler Danscompany, Sophie Maslow, Norman Walker, Glenn-Lund Dance, and Dances/Janet Soares, among other artists. He has choreographed for numerous companies/individuals including the Joyce Trisler Danscompany, Joffrey II, Christopher Walken, Ben Vereen, and Billy Idol. He served as co-artistic director/choreographer of Cleveland-based Dancing Wheels, a company of professional dancers with and without disabilities. Since 1988, he has been Founder/Artistic Director of Verlezza Dance presenting his works nationally and internationally. Recently, Sabatino created a dance opera, ICARUS RISING with composer Elliot Sokolov, and co-choreographed Carmina Burana at Montclair State University. He currently performs with Verlezza Dance, Claire Porter/Portables, Meredith Fages and Heidi Lasky Dance. He is a certified Pilates Instructor and with Nancy Lushington and Barbara Allegra Verlezza is a Certifier of the May O’Donnell Dance Technique and Repertory. Sabatino is co-founder of ILLUMINATIONS Dance Company, an ensemble of multi-generational and nontraditional dancers based in St. Louis; and with certified dog trainer Suzanne Kalafian, 6 Hairy Legs, a dance-fitness platform for dogs and their human pets based in NC and OH. Sabatino is honored to work with Verb Ballets.

Jul 12
Love1

New Company Manager

By News

Verb Ballets is pleased to welcome Nakiasha Moore-Dunson to the newly created position of Company Manager for the 2019-20 season. In this new role she will assist Dr. Margaret Carlson, Producing Artistic Director, in coordinating business administration and development while managing the artists. “With the move into our new Center for Dance the increase in business necessitates the need to develop administrative capacity. Moore-Dunson’s experience and enthusiastic attitude will help drive Verb Ballets forward. I am pleased to welcome Nakiasha to Verb Ballets in her new capacity,” says Carlson.

Nakiasha Moore-Dunson

Company Manager

Nakiasha currently serves as the new company manager for Verb Ballets. Growing up in Akron, Ohio she danced with several studios and schools in the area. In 2010, she earned a B.A in Psychology and French from Washington and Jefferson College. “Kiasha” spent nearly a decade as a choreographer for musical theatre and choral productions for Hoover High School in North Canton, Ohio. She is currently working towards earning her master’s degree in Arts Administration from the University of Akron which she hopes to obtain by the end of the year. Nakiasha believes remaining curious as a life-long learner will always lead to positive results. She has non ironic love for movie musicals and can often be found spending time with her family.

Interview with Nakiasha Moore-Dunson

What road led you to your current position?
I would have to say my journey to company manager has been a life split between the creative and the administrative. A resident of Akron, Ohio, I grew up dancing at various studios and schools in the area. I loved the creative process but I was not interested in a professional performance career. In 2010 I earned my bachelor’s degree in Psychology and French from Washington & Jefferson College while occasionally taking dance classes back home. Afterwards, I spent 9 years as a choreographer for North Canton’s Hoover High School while working as a verbatim hearing reporter. “My kids” helped me realize how much I wanted to spend the rest of my life working in and helping connect people to the Arts. I found the UA Arts Admin graduate program where I also served as a summer intern with DanceCleveland for their Summer Dance Festival and as well as a grant writer and audience engagement fellow with the National Center for Choreography at the University of Akron.

In addition to working at Verb you are finishing up your masters in arts administration at the University of Akron. What are you doing your thesis on?
My thesis is titled “Arts Engagement and the African American community in Summit County. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion has become an important topic within the Arts and Culture field and the topic came from wanting to understand how organizations interact with this community and how the African American community engages with the arts as a whole on a local level. Every locality has its own unique history, culture and challenges and is deserving of study in my opinion.

What drew you to the opportunity to work with Verb Ballets?
I spoke to Dr. Carlson for an informational interview I did as a part of my colloquium in the arts course for college. My task was to speak with an executive/artistic director of an arts organization to understand their career path and how they manage their organizations. When I heard the position was available, I sent my resume and I was lucky enough to get the job. Dr. Carlson is a great administrator and I wanted to work closely with someone for whom I could learn as an administrator just entering the field.

What are you looking forward to most in your job?
I am most excited to help support Verb Ballets expanding efforts in reaching out to the surrounding community in its new location! I am also looking to learning as much as I can from everyone so that I may be an asset to the organization.

What project or choreographer are you looking forward to working with this season?
I have been fascinated with two projects actually: The Cleveland Havana Ballet Project and Moving Connections.

In addition to working at Verb you are finishing up your masters in arts administration at the University of Akron. What are you doing your thesis on? You have a background in musicals and choral. Are you also a singer?
I’m actually not a singer. You wouldn’t want to hear me sing 🙂 Choreographing came about as one of those happy accidents. Extra help was needed for large production of Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat and I fell in love with it. It allowed me to be creative and learn new skills through teaching and being a part of a production team. However, the most rewarding part was seeing kids gain self-confidence through dance.