Q&A with Liza Grossman, Music Director of the Contemporary Youth Orchestra of Cleveland
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Molly Sheridan: What sparked the founding of the CYO in 1995?
Liza Grossman: I had been directing another youth orchestra, and in 1992, Bernard Rands came to Cleveland. He was going to be the featured speaker at a new music seminar that was being held here, and he needed a youth orchestra to play his work, Agenda for Young Players, at the conference. He came in and worked with my kids, and told me afterwards that I had a natural ability to hear, interpret, and teach contemporary music, and that I should think about starting a group. I decided in August of ’94 that the Contemporary Youth Orchestra was going to come to life in September of ’95. I have always been a big supporter of extracurricular ensembles for young musicians, and Cleveland had so many for the kids to choose from; all of the highest quality in instruction and exposure. There wasn’t one that focused just on contemporary orchestral literature, and I decided that that was the missing ingredient in the education of the professional musicians of the future.
Molly Sheridan: I notice your “contemporary” rep stretches back as far as Grieg to new up-and-coming composers. How was this range defined?
Liza Grossman: When we first started out, it was very necessary for the musicians to play works that they could find a recording of, at least a few per season. That seemed to help build their confidence in their interpretation and ability on the newer pieces. A lot of those pieces are also audience friendly; it helps the audience members who are not yet comfortable with contemporary literature to ease into it. So, for the first couple years, I felt ok with studying a piece of music that was written in the very beginning of the century. It seemed to also help show the musicians the changes and similarities between early-20th-century writing and early-21st-century writing. After all, Mahler is a composer thought of as one in the contemporary era, as far as music history explains it. Now I will not go that far back; my taste leans towards world premieres or as new as possible. I like being the first to perform a work. It is such an outstanding honor for CYO to do that. I try to instill the pride and responsibility that that requires in the members of CYO; and they get it. They dig the music and love the challenges.
Molly Sheridan: Who will some of the composers on your upcoming season be? Any premieres?
Liza Grossman: For our December concert we will be performing Concerto for Jazz Drummer and Symphony Orchestra by Harold Farberman with Cleveland-based musician Bill Ransom as the soloist. CYO will also be performing the Cleveland premiere of Jack Gallagher‘s cello concerto, with Heidi Albert as the soloist.
In March, CYO will be hosting a Robert Ward festival, honoring the composer with an entire concert dedicated to his music. He will lead a master class, and host a pre-concert question and answer session, as well as work with the members of CYO, and attend the concert.
Molly Sheridan: What impact have you found the study of new music has on young performers?
Liza Grossman: Where to begin with this one…I find that I sometimes, I have to make a hard sell to potential members, because of the stereotyping that goes on with contemporary music. The success rate is pretty high with members who had any trepidation about joining at first now absolutely loving what they are getting to play. Some members come in being burned out on ‘traditional’ orchestral music. They are not having fun anymore, and are looking for something with a bit more…well, I will quote them…”life to it.” Some of these musicians want to be challenged; musically, technically and mentally. They want to work, and have a good time doing it. If the potential member recognizes that that is what they need, then they will have an unbelievable time in CYO. The member who didn’t know that ahead of time, seems to discover that feeling after the first rehearsal. This orchestra is a really fun orchestra to be a part of. The guest artists that we get to work with; composers, soloists, conductors…are all just too amazing. If I were a teenager, I would want to be in this group. All in all, the members’ confidence as musicians grows, their sense of rhythm and style are considerably stronger, they can read faster than they could before, it opens their ears to a wealth of new ideas, helps them to be better prepared for their collegiate studies, and as potential audience members, keeps their minds open for the infinite possibilities of listening to and appreciating new ideas. After seven seasons, I can say with conviction that the study and performance of contemporary orchestral literature is a necessity for the education of all musicians. It only does good things for them.