FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 2025

Arleigh Savage
programs@heightsarts.org

Heights Arts Announces its 2025-2026 Music Season

Heights Arts’ 2025-2026 music season presents a diverse array of offerings for every musical taste in a variety of local settings, from the intimate Close Encounters chamber music series to the lively, community-focused ARTbar and Gallery Concerts.

Cleveland Heights, OH: Heights Arts, the multidisciplinary arts nonprofit in the heart of Cleveland Heights, announces its 2025-2026 music season, featuring ten concerts over three distinct series – Close Encounters chamber music, Gallery Concerts, and ARTbar. Each performance showcases the diverse artistic talent that exists in Cleveland Heights and the Greater Cleveland area.

Says executive director Rachel Bernstein of the season, “This season offers a unique blend of artistic expression by presenting performances from exceptional local musicians in intimate venues. Many of our long-time supporters have enjoyed our regular performance venues like the Dunham Tavern and Shaker Heights Villa, however some are surprised to learn that our gallery and store on Lee Road transforms into an intimate performance space. Our location provides a unique setting for live music: the acoustics are warm, the audience is close, and the surrounding artwork creates a rich, multi-sensory experience. In a city already known for its diverse cultural offerings, our cross-disciplinary approach stands out. I invite you to take in the sights and sounds Heights Arts has to offer by attending one (or many!) of our performances this year.”

Close Encounters chamber music series

Close Encounters is Heights Arts’ signature event. These Sunday afternoon chamber music concerts are performed by members of The Cleveland Orchestra and other elite performers, arguably the world’s most renowned musicians. The performances are held in unique venues and local residences, where the audience hears the music as it was meant to be heard—up close and personal.

Heights Arts, partnered with each featured ensemble, has curated a season of vibrant and varied performances featuring classics and modern works for string quartet ranging from the Ravel String Quartet, Beethoven String Quartet No. 12, and Debussy’s String Quartet in D minor to Lei Liang’s dramatic piece, Gobi Gloria, inspired by Mongolian music and Caroline Shaw’s Plan and Elevation. The beloved Omni Quartet will return to perform, along with the debut of the Taplin Quartet. Audience members will experience the concerts in long-time favorite locations like the Shaker Heights Villa, and community spaces like Dunham Tavern and the Heights Theater that cultivate the atmosphere of intimate chamber music. Concerts include “In Celebration of Ravel” on October 12th, “Omni Quartet Plays Schumann and Beethoven” on November 16th, “From East to West” on February 8th, and “Bach and Beyond “on May 17th.

Close Encounters Open Rehearsals

Heights Arts will continue to provide the rare opportunity for students and adults to glimpse the process of preparing a Close Encounters performance prior to two of the concerts. This one-of-a-kind experience is not only educational but provides a deeper understanding of how a performance is put together by some of the world’s best musicians.  Rehearsal dates are Tuesday February 3rd 6:00pm and Monday May 11th 6:00pm at Heights Arts.

Gallery Concerts and ARTbar – programming by the community, for the community

Heights Arts Gallery and ARTbar series performers are selected by its Music Community Team—comprised of local music professionals and enthusiasts. One team member, the Cleveland Museum of Art’s Director of Performing Arts, Gabe Pollack says of these series, “Audiences will have an opportunity to hear French music in the style of Django Reinhardt, contemporary vocal compositions inspired by Medieval and Renaissance works, the West African Kora and other traditional non-Western instruments, Klezmer, jazz, classical, spoken word, and more. Music influenced from all parts of the world can be heard in the comfort of your neighborhood. These performances…amplify diverse voices and experiences within our community.”

Gallery Concert Series

Heights Arts’ Gallery Concerts provide paid opportunities for local musicians of diverse backgrounds and musical genres to perform in a unique gallery setting. These concerts are free and open to the public so anyone who would like to attend can enjoy these performances. This year’s Gallery Concert Series features everything from world music to klezmer – an eclectic blend of tunes from talented local musicians. Concerts include: Amani Strings on October 9th, Mud Window Mud Mirror on March 7th, and Klezmer Guy Trio on May 2nd; this season is a sample of Northeast Ohio’s best.

ARTbar Series

ARTbar creates an atmosphere like no other by mixing curated cocktails, music, and art in Heights Arts’ gallery on Lee Road. Heights Arts transforms its gallery into a cocktail lounge, where audience members gather to experience intimate performances in tandem with its current exhibitions. This year’s series will feature new talent, Burning River Swing, on February 12th and favorites, Tongue and Groove on April 9th, and Tony Cuda’s Jazz Cats on June 25th.

TICKETS: For more information, to purchase tickets, or reserve seats visit heightsarts.org

# # #

Founded in 2000, Heights Arts (www.heightsarts.org) is a nonprofit, multi-disciplinary arts organization whose mission is to celebrate the region’s literary, musical, and visual artists and share their contributions with the community. We cultivate a strong, diverse, and collaborative arts community by inspiring people of all ages to engage in the arts; supporting the arts through education; providing exhibition and performance opportunities; and fostering public appreciation for the arts.