Close Encounters |OUVRAGE DE DAME: Music for Winds by Women

Featuring pianist Christina Dahl and wind soloists of The Cleveland Orchestra, our 18th season of this music program opens with a delightful program of all French music by women from around the turn of the 20th Century. This music is charming, engaging, and unexpected.

Close Encounters is Heights Arts’ signature Sunday afternoon chamber music series, and the first concert in this season's series features performers pianist Christina Dahl and of The Cleveland Orchestra: Joshua Smith, flute, Frank Rosenwein, oboe, Robert Woolfrey, clarinet, Gareth Thomas, bassoon, and Nathaniel Silberschlag, french horn.

These intimate Sunday afternoon concerts, curated by Cleveland Orchestra cellist Dane Johansen, are performed by some of the world's most renowned musicians. Held in unique venues and local residences, they offer a rare opportunity for audiences to experience chamber music as it was meant to be heard—up close and personal.

Mélanie Hélène "Mel" Bonis (1858-1937): Les Scènes de la forêt, op. 123 (1904)

Fernande Decruck (1896-1954): Pavane (1933) and Capriccio (1933)

Elsa Jacqueline Barraine (1910-1999): Ouvrage De Dame (1937)

Marguerite Canal (1890-1978): Sonata for violin and piano (1922) arr. Kristen Stoner

Louise Farrenc (1804-1875): Sextet in C Minor, op. 40 (1852)

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A performer without an audience is like a tree that falls in the forest with no one to hear. In both cases, the essence of the experience—the sound of the falling tree or the energy of the performance—depends on the presence of witnesses.

Your Impact: When you purchase a ticket or RSVP and show up to our event, you’re not just filling a seat—your presence gives our performers the energy and excitement that fuels their performance. But without a full and engaged audience, their efforts won’t shine as brightly.

Please RSVP only if you’re certain you can attend. Of course, we know that sometimes unexpected issues might prevent you from coming. If you realize you or your guest(s) can’t make it, please let us know as soon as possible. This will allow us to give the open spot to someone else. There’s nothing more disappointing for us than turning people away because of a sold-out event only to find that we could have placed them. You get it, right? We know you do.

The Reward: Your commitment to attending means a lot to Heights Arts, even more to those who are taking the stage, and most importantly to YOU. We have no doubt you will be inspired by our featured talent. When you attend, you will even get a little extra something as a thank you from us in celebration of our 25th anniversary.

Thanks for your understanding. We’ll see you soon!

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Refunds: Tickets are non-refundable, unless we cancel the event.

Same Event Transfers: Tickets may be transferred to another person(s) by notifying us in writing with the name(s) and contact information of the new ticketholder(s) at least 24 hours prior to the concert.

Future Event Transfers: Tickets may be transferred or exchanged for a future event if 1) the future event is in the same season and has tickets available, and 2) we have a waitlist for the current event and are able to place another person from the waitlist.

Conversion: Ticketholders who cannot attend or transfer their tickets to another party or event, can convert them upon request to a tax-deductible donation (less taxes and fees if 1) we have notice of 72 hours or more, and 2) we can place a person from the waitlist into the event.

Health and Safety: Health and safety requirements will be determined based by the homeowners (if applicable), artists (musicians, poets, visual artists), and Heights Arts staff, and may be communicated to ticketholders up to the day of the event. Ticket purchasers and guests agree to abide by these restrictions.

Email us at [email protected] with questions about our policy or the event.

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Christina Dahl has been on the piano faculty at Stony Brook University for almost thirty years. She has been the Graduate Program Director there, and is currently beginning her second term as Chair of the Department of Music. As Chair she oversees an elite program of more than fifty faculty noted for their distinguished careers in the field and their devotion to teaching, as well as multiple degree programs, including a very large performance DMA. The holistic graduate piano program that she has created with noted American pianist Gilbert Kalish is an enlightened model of collaboration, innovation, and collegiality.She has been a visiting faculty member variously at the Cleveland Institute, Peabody Conservatory and Ithaca College. She has twice been a cultural ambassador for the US State Department and she is active at summer festivals, including Yellow Barn and Icicle Creek Center for the Arts. She has given masterclasses around the world, and is in demand as a chamber musician, collaborating with distinguished artists such as the Emerson Quartet, The Happy Dog Ensemble, Factory Seconds Brass Trio, and the Calidore Quartet, She splits her time between Cleveland and New York; her husband is Cleveland Orchestra trombonist Rick Stout.

Firmly established as one of America’s outstanding flutists, Joshua Smith is equally at home as a soloist, chamber musician, and educator. He was appointed as The Cleveland Orchestra’s principal flute at age twenty, joining the ensemble in 1990. Mr. Smith received a Grammy nomination for his Telarc recording, Air, and has recorded two discs with harpsichordist Jory Vinikour dedicated to the Sonatas of J.S. Bach. He appeared on a Live from the Marlboro Music Festival recording and can be heard on more than 100 Cleveland Orchestra recordings. Smith appears as a chamber musician throughout the United States, including recent and ongoing appearances with the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society series, at the Marlboro and Santa Fe Music Festivals, and with the Israeli Chamber Project. He has performed in collaborative concerts at the Cleveland Museum of Art, Pensacola Museum of Art, Museum of Contemporary Art in Miami, and the 92nd Street Y in New York City. In the summer of 2025, he looks forward to appearances at Chamber Music Northwest and the Taipei Music Academy and Festival. Joshua Smith performs most often on a new granadilla Powell or on an old Rudall-Carte and is a Powell Artist. A native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, he worked closely with renowned pedagogue Frank Bowen before attending Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied with Julius Baker and Jeffrey Khaner. A passionate educator, Joshua will release an audition prep book for flutists in the fall of 2024.

Frank Rosenwein joined The Cleveland Orchestra as principal oboe at the beginning of the 2005–06 season. He made his solo debut with the Orchestra in February 2007, in Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 2. Since then he has performed many times as soloist, including playing the Richard Strauss Oboe Concerto in 2012 and the first Cleveland Orchestra performances of the Vaughan Williams Oboe Concerto in 2017. Since 2006, Mr. Rosenwein has served as head of the oboe department at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where in 2015 he was given the Alumni Achievement award. He also teaches at the Kent Blossom Music Festival, and is in demand as a guest artist and masterclass clinician in schools all over the world. An avid chamber musician, he has spent many summers at the Marlboro Festival and has performed with the Mainly Mozart Festival in San Diego, Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and the Seattle Chamber Music Society. Born in Evanston, Illinois, Mr. Rosenwein holds a bachelor of music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he studied with John Mack (Cleveland Orchestra principal oboe, 1965–2001), and a master of music degree from the Juilliard School. He served as principal oboe (2002– 05) of the San Diego Symphony and San Diego Opera. Mr. Rosenwein is married to Cleveland Orchestra associate concertmaster Jung-Min Amy Lee. They live in Beachwood with their three sons, Joshua, Julian and Benjamin, and their dog, Rosie.

Robert Woolfrey joined the clarinet section of The Cleveland Orchestra in November 2008. Prior to his appointment, he was the Principal Clarinet of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra (2007-2008) as well as a member of the IRIS Chamber Orchestra. As a chamber musician, Mr. Woolfrey has collaborated with Michael Tilson Thomas, Dawn Upshaw and musicians of The Cleveland Orchestra. In previous summers, he has participated in a variety of music festivals, including Tanglewood Music Center and the Aspen Music Festival. Performances by Mr. Woolfrey have been heard on National Public Radio’s Performance Today, classical music station WQXR and Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s Radio Two. As an educator, he serves as a coach of The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra, and he is on the faculty of the Kent Blossom Summer Music Festival. Woolfrey has presented lessons and masterclasses at many schools including Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, University of Michigan, University of Toronto, University of Miami, San Francisco Conservatory and the Cleveland Institute of Music. Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Mr. Woolfrey studied with Joaquin Valdepeñas at the University of Toronto and at Yale University with David Shifrin, where he received a master’s degree in music. He is also an alumnus of the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, Florida, where he performed as the soloist for Nielsen’s “Clarinet Concerto.” He returns frequently to Miami as a coach. Robert is married to Cleveland Orchestra cellist Tanya Ell, and they have two young children.

Gareth Thomas joined the Cleveland Orchestra as second bassoon during the 2014-15 season, after having served as principal bassoon of the Toledo Symphony Orchestra from 2010-2014. He was a featured soloist with the Toledo Symphony in a performance of Mozart’s Bassoon concerto, and made his solo debut with the National Arts Centre Orchestra as the winner of the 2006 NAC Orchestra Bursary competition, in his hometown of Ottawa, Ontario. Mr. Thomas has made appearances as a guest artist at festivals and master classes in Canada and the Midwest, and regularly collaborates as a chamber musician with Cleveland Orchestra colleagues. He has performed with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and participated in numerous summer music festivals, including Pacific Music Festival and the National Repertory Orchestra. Gareth Thomas received a bachelor of music degree with honors from the Cleveland Institute of Music in 2009, as a student of TCO principal John Clouser, where he was awarded the George F. Goslee prize for outstanding artistry. He holds a master of music degree from Northwestern University, where he studied with Christopher Millard, former principal bassoonist of the National Arts Centre Orchestra.

Nathaniel Silberschlag was appointed principal horn of The Cleveland Orchestra in 2019. He previously served as assistant principal horn of the Washington National Opera/Kennedy Center Opera House orchestra, where at 19 he was the youngest member ever to win a position with the ensemble. He completed his bachelor of music degree from New York’s Juilliard School in May 2019, where he was a student of Julie Landsman and recipient of the Kovner Fellowship.Born in Leonardtown, Maryland, Mr. Silberschlag comes from of a family of professional musicians across several generations. These include former principal players of the New York Philharmonic, Italian National Orchestra RAI, and Jerusalem Symphony. He is the third generation of his family to attend the Juilliard School. He made his debut in Italy at age 9, with news of the performance appearing on the front page of Italy’s newspaper La Stampa. As soloist, Nathaniel has performed with the Juilliard Orchestra, Bulgarian Philharmonic, Romania State Symphony, New York’s Little Orchestra Society, and the Chesapeake Orchestra. He has also played concerts with a variety of ensembles, including the New York Philharmonic and Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. At the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Mr. Silberschlag became a graduate of the National Symphony Orchestra Youth Fellowship program under the tutelage of Sylvia Alimena as part of her “Brass of Peace” scholarship program. In 2015, he was the first recipient of the Edwin C. Thayer / Laurel Bennert Ohlson award for artistry and excellence in horn performance.

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