orchestra news
THE CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA
.W.E.L.C.O.M.E.
New principal clarinet joins Orchestra for 2017-18
New assistant conductor begins with 2017-18 season
Afendi Yusuf joins The Cleveland Orchestra as principal clarinet with the start of the 2017-18 season. He holds the Robert Marcellus Principal Clarinet Endowed Chair. Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, he has appeared as guest principal with a number of North American ensembles, including the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Canadian Opera Company, and the Toronto and Cincinnati symphony orchestras. As a guest ensemble musician, he has also performed with several orchestras across North America. Yusuf is winner of a variety of concerto competitions and has made solo appearances with a number of ensembles in the United States and Europe. He is an alumnus of the Aspen Music Festival and School, Brott Music Festival, National Youth Orchestra of Canada, and the National Arts Centre’s Young Artists Program. He has participated in the Marlboro Music Festival since 2016. Afendi Yusuf holds a bachelor of arts degree from Ontario’s Wilfrid Laurier University, where he was a student of Ross Edwards, and an artist diploma from the Glenn Gould School in Toronto, where he studied with Joaquin Valdepeñas. He also holds a master of music degree and professional studies certificate from the Colburn School’s Conservatory of Music in Los Angeles, where he was a student of Yehuda Gilad.
Vinay Parameswaran joins The Cleveland Orchestra as assistant conductor with the 2017-18 season. He holds the Elizabeth Ring and William Gwinn Mather Conductor Endowed Chair. In this role, he leads the Orchestra in a variety of concerts each season and many weeks serves as cover or backup conductor. He also serves as music director of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra. Parameswaran comes to Cleveland following three seasons as associate conductor of the Nashville Symphony. This past summer, he was a Conducting Fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center. Mr. Parameswaran’s recent guest conducting engagements have included the Rochester Philharmonic, Milwaukee Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra, and the Vermont Symphony Orchestra. He has participated in conducting masterclasses with David Zinman at the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa, as well as with Marin Alsop and Gustav Meier at the Cabrillo Festival. A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Vinay Parameswaran played as a student for six years in the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra. He holds a bachelor of arts degree in music and political science from Brown University. He received a diploma from the Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied with OttoWerner Mueller.
Acting chorus directors appointed for 2017-18
Silence is golden
Lisa Wong has been appointed acting director of choruses for The Cleveland Orchestra with the 2017-18 season. She steps up with the conclusion in August of Robert Porco’s nineteen-year tenure. She has served as assistant conductor of choruses since 2010 and director of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus since 2012. Assistant director Daniel Singer will lead the Youth Chorus as acting director this season.
Severance Hall 2017-18
As a courtesy to the performers onstage and the audience around you, please turn off cell phones and disengage electronic alarms prior to the concert.
Comings and goings As a courtesy to the performers onstage and the entire audience, late-arriving patrons cannot be seated until the first break in the musical program.
Cleveland Orchestra News
53