Tuesday Musical April 21 Concert by Live Publishing

Northeast Ohio’s Premier Summer Theatre On the grounds of Blossom Music Center

GREASE

A Summer of POSSIBILITIES!

JUNE 12-27, 2026

Book, Music, and Lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey

Directed by Terri J. Kent

Choreography by Martín Céspedes

Music Direction by Jennifer Korecki

SIDE SHOW IN CONCERT

JULY 7-18, 2026

Book and Lyrics by Bill Russell

Music by Henry Krieger

Concert Adaptation by Emma Butler

Directed by Terri J. Kent

Music Direction by Jonathan Swoboda

Sponsored by Dr. John R. and Mr. Frank Crawford-Spinelli

LERNER & LOEWE’S BRIGADOON

JULY 24–AUGUST 9, 2026

Book and Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner

Music by Frederick Loewe

Original dances created by Agnes DeMille

Directed by Terri J. Kent

Choreography by Martín Céspedes

Music Direction by Jennifer Korecki

New Subscriptions and Single Tickets On Sale April 13, 2026

“Grease” is presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc., a Concord Theatricals Company. www.concordtheatricals.com; “SIDE SHOW, IN CONCERT” is presented by special arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com; “Lerner and Loewe’s Brigadoon” is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com

More exciting music to come!

Many of you here tonight are longtime patrons (thank you!), while many others are new to Tuesday Musical (welcome!).

Starting at only $90 for all six concerts, full-season subscriptions go on sale this week at tuesdaymusical.org and 330-761-3460. Single-concert tickets go on sale in August.

For now, we hope you enjoy tonight (and return next season)!

Cynthia Snider Executive Director

Tuesday Musical’s 2026-2027 Akron Concert Series

Sphinx Virtuosi with mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges

October 20, 2026, 7:30 p.m.

America 250: Sounds of Unity

Celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with new works and reimagined classics. Declaration is a bold new song cycle by Damien Geter featuring multi-Grammy-winner J’Nai Bridges. Works by Roberto Sierra and Jessie Montgomery vibrantly explore heritage and transformation, while Stravinsky’s Concerto for Strings in D — the composer’s first work as a naturalized American citizen — connects past and present in a timeless reflection on artistic freedom.

James (Zijian) Wei, piano

November 17, 2026, 7:30 p.m.

Rising star

In 2024, James (Zijian) Wei triumphed as the top winner in the prestigious Cleveland International Piano Competition. His performances — including last year’s Carnegie Hall debut when he received multiple standing ovations — are filled with genuine emotion, boundless enthusiasm, and gifts galore. This season’s Margaret Baxtresser Pianist, James is presented in collaboration with Piano Cleveland.

A Chanticleer Christmas

November 28, 2026, 3 p.m.

Holiday cheer from a fan-favorite Chanticleer — an “orchestra of voices” named for the “clear-singing” rooster in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales — weaves together centuries of music to illuminate the joy, mystery, and spirit of Christmas. With voices soaring in perfect harmony, it’s happening the Saturday afternoon of Thanksgiving weekend to start your family’s holiday season.

American Brass Quintet

February 9, 2027, 7:30 p.m.

New to our series

One of the premier chamber music ensembles of our time, American Brass Quintet has earned its stellar reputation through celebrated performances, genre-defining commissioned works, and ongoing commitment to the education of generations of musicians. Unlike conventional brass quintets, ABQ’s bass voice is provided by a bass trombone rather than a tuba.

Audra McDonald

April 17, 2027, 7:30 p.m.

Charm and charisma

Reaching across the footlights and holding audiences spellbound, Audra McDonald is unparalleled in the breadth and versatility of her artistry as both a singer and an actor. A luminous soprano with an incomparable gift for dramatic truth-telling, Audra is as much at home on Broadway and opera and concert stages as in her film and television roles. A fabulous Saturday night out!

Itzhak Perlman,

Emanuel Ax, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Juilliard String Quartet

May 4, 2027, 7:30 p.m.

Itzhak Perlman & Friends

The reigning virtuoso of the violin joins celebrated pianists Emanuel Ax and Jean-Yves Thibaudet and the Juilliard String Quartet. Their formidable program: Sonata for Two Violins in E minor, Opus 3, no. 5 by Jean-Marie Leclair; Piano Quartet in E-flat major, K. 493 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; and 19th-century masterpiece Concerto in D major, Opus 21 by Ernest Chausson. Each piece is among the most difficult of its kind — now performed together in Akron by some of the world’s best.

EJ Thomas Performing Arts Hall—The University of Akron Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at 7:30 p.m.

Voice of Nature: the Anthropocene Renée Fleming, soprano

Howard Watkins, piano

The following is accompanied by a film provided by National Geographic The audience is asked kindly to hold applause until the end of the film and to refrain from taking photos and videos.

Pretty Bird Hazel Dickens (1925-2011) Care selve from Atalanta George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)

Endless Space .................................................................................................... Nico Muhly (b. 1981), Robinson Meyer (b. 1991), Thomas Traherne (1636-1674)

Baïlèro from Chants d’Auvergne Joseph Canteloube (1879-1957)

All is Full of Love Björk (b. 1965) Epilogo from Floresta do Amazonas Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959)

Twilight and Shadow from The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Howard Shore (b. 1946), Philipp Jane Boyens (b. 1962) Evening Kevin Puts (b. 1972), Dorianne Laux (b. 1952) Red Mountains Sometimes Cry Curtis Green (b. 1995), Pearce Green (b. 1998) What the World Needs Now is Love Burt Bacharach (1928-2023), Hal David (1921-2012)

Intermission

Entr’acte: Before the Deluge (recording) ............................................................................................................ Jackson Browne

Arranged by Caroline Shaw with Rhiannon Giddens, Alison Krauss, Renée Fleming, and Yannick Nézet-Séguin, piano

Laudate Dominum from Vesperae Solennes de Confessore Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Bel piacere from Agrippina ..............................................................................................George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) O mio babbino caro from Gianni Schicchi Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)

Traditional American Songs, announced from the stage We Hold These Truths J. Todd Frazier (b. 1969) A Letter from Sullivan Ballou John Kander (b. 1927)

Down in the Depths (on the 90th Floor) Cole Porter (1891-1964) You’ll Never Walk Alone from Carousel ............. Richard Rodgers (1902-1979), Oscar Hammerstein II (1895-1960) I Could Have Danced All Night from My Fair Lady Alan Jay Lerner (1918–1986), Frederick Loewe (1901-1988)

Renée Fleming appears by arrangement with IMG Artists, www.imgartists.com.

On stage this evening is Tuesday Musical’s Three Graces D Piano, purchased in part through the generosity of Lucinda Weiss and carefully tuned and maintained throughout the year by the generosity of James and Maureen Kovach.

Support for tonight’s concert comes from The Gertrude F. Orr Advised Trust of Akron Community Foundation

Among Tuesday Musical’s generous season supporters: Akron Community Foundation, Lisle M. Buckingham Endowment Fund, Kenneth L. Calhoun Charitable Trust, KeyBank Trustee, Mary and Dr. George L. Demetros Charitable Trust, Charles E. and Mabel M. Ritchie Memorial Foundation, Helen S. Robertson Fund, Sisler McFawn Foundation, Lloyd L. and Louise K. Smith Foundation, Welty Family Foundation

Renée Fleming, soprano

Renée Fleming is internationally celebrated for her vocal and dramatic artistry, as well as her dedicated advocacy for the powerful impacts of music and the creative arts in health. A 2023 Kennedy Center Honoree and winner of five Grammy® awards and the US National Medal of Arts, she has sung for momentous occasions from the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony to the Super Bowl. In 2023, the World Health Organization appointed her as Goodwill Ambassador for Arts and Health.

Tonight’s concert program, Voice of Nature: the Anthropocene, with an original film created by the National Geographic Society, was inspired by her 2023 Grammywinning album.

This winter, she returned to the Opéra National de Paris with her acclaimed portrayal of Pat Nixon in Nixon in China. In 2024 at the Metropolitan Opera, she reprised her role in The Hours, an opera based on the award-winning novel and film.

Renée Fleming’s anthology Music and Mind: Harnessing the Arts for Health and Wellness was published in 2024. She has presented her live program Music and Mind in more than 75 cities around the world. The Renée Fleming NeuroArts Investigator Awards, her initiative with the Aspen Institute and the NeuroArts Blueprint at Johns Hopkins University, funds interdisciplinary research projects by early career scientists in collaboration with creative artists.

Her voice is featured on the soundtracks of Best Picture Oscar winners The Shape of Water and The Lord of the Rings. Known for bringing new audiences to classical music and opera, Renée has sung not only with Luciano Pavarotti and Andrea Bocelli, but also with Elton John, Paul Simon, Sting, Josh Groban, Dead and Company, and Joan Baez.

Co-Artistic Director of the Aspen Opera Center and VocalArts at the Aspen Music Festival, Renée Fleming is also Artist Development Advisor at Wolf Trap Opera. Her other awards include the 2023 Crystal Award from the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Fulbright Lifetime Achievement Medal, and honorary doctorates from 10 major universities. www.reneefleming.com

Howard Watkins, piano

American pianist Howard Watkins is a frequent associate of some of the world’s leading musicians on the concert stage and as an assistant conductor at the Metropolitan Opera.

His appearances throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia, Russia, and Israel have included collaborations with Renée Fleming, Joyce DiDonato, Diana Damrau, Thomas Hampson, Kathleen Battle, Grace Bumbry, Mariusz Kwiecien, Anna Netrebko, and Matthew Polenzani at such venues as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Spivey Hall, Kennedy Center, U.S. Supreme Court, Alice Tully

Hall, the three stages of Carnegie Hall, the Elbphilharmonie, and the Bolshoi Theater.

His faculty affiliations include The Juilliard School, Bard College Conservatory of Music, Yale School of Music as a Visiting Presidential Fellow, Merola program of San Francisco Opera, Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Program, Tanglewood Music Center, Aspen Music Festival, Mannes School of Music, North Carolina School of the Arts, International Vocal Arts Institute (Israel, Japan, and China), IIVA in Italy, Brancaleoni Music Festival in Italy, Tokyo International Vocal Arts Academy (TIVAA), and VOICExperience in Orlando, Tampa, and Savannah.

A guest master coach for the Cafritz Young Artists of Washington Opera and the Opera Theater of St. Louis, Howard

Watkins has worked on the music staffs of Palm Beach Opera, the Washington National Opera, and LA Opera.

A native of Dayton, Ohio, Howard Watkins earned his doctorate in accompanying and chamber music at the University of Michigan.

Honored as the 2004 recipient of the Paul C. Boylan award from the University of Michigan for his outstanding contributions to the field of music, he is also the 2019 recipient of the Lift Every Voice Legacy Award from the National Opera Association. Watkins was recognized as one of the 2022 top professionals of the year by Musical America in part for his work to celebrate the music of Black composers and singers. One of today’s leading interpreters of Classical and Romantic iano music, Goode presents works that have caught his ear with their beauty and unpredictability Wednesday, April 29 | 7:30

Program Note from Renée Fleming

When I was 14, the film Soylent Green was released, a sci-fi thriller about a dystopian future of worldwide pollution, dying oceans, depleted resources, and rampant starvation. The story was set in the year 2022.

The movie has faded from memory, but one scene left a profound impression. An aged researcher, unable to go on, has chosen assisted suicide at a government clinic. To ease his last moments of life, he is shown videos of a world that no longer exists: flowers and savannahs, flocks and herds, unpolluted skies and waters, all set to a soundtrack of classical music by Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, and Grieg.

This scene captured my imagination in a terrifying way. The impact increased when I later learned that the actor playing the researcher, Edward G. Robinson, was terminally ill at the time it was filmed.

Fast forward to the pandemic. After more than two decades of constant touring, usually to urban cultural centers, performances abruptly ceased, and I suddenly found myself at home. I sought comfort in long walks outside near my house. I needed this time outdoors to maintain my emotional equilibrium, and I was reminded that nature would always be my touchstone. At the same time, the news about climate change grew more alarming: the extinction of animals we took for granted when we were children, the knowledge that white rhinos had disappeared from the wild, and daily reports of heat, fires, and flooding. I realized that the crisis we had been warned of for so long had arrived.

poets and composers reveled in imagery of nature, finding reflections of human experience in the environment. I decided to record some of this music, and to juxtapose these classics with the voices of living composers, addressing our current, troubled relationship with the natural world. The result, in collaboration with my friend Yannick Nézet-Séguin, was the album Voice of Nature: the Anthropocene. When it received the 2023 Grammy Award for Best Classical Solo Vocal Album, I was thrilled, and I had the idea to tour music addressing this theme of nature as both our inspiration and our victim. I was incredibly fortunate to connect with the imaginative, dedicated leadership at the National Geographic Society, the global non-profit committed to exploring, illuminating, and protecting the wonder of our world. It has been so exciting to work with this universally respected, landmark institution. I am deeply grateful for the help of President and Chief Operating Officer Michael Ulica, Chief Executive Officer Jill Tiefenthaler, and Producer/Editor Sam Deleon, whose expertise and vision have been instrumental in creating the video you will see in the second half of tonight’s program.

Thankfully, the stunning natural world depicted in this film still exists, unlike that movie scene so upsetting to my younger self. In blending these beautiful images with music, my hope is, in some small way, to rekindle your appreciation of nature, and encourage any efforts you can make to protect the planet we share.

I thought of the great legacy of song literature that I love, when Romantic-era

Sincerely,

Renée Fleming

Tonight: Nature in the lobbies

You are invited to connect with area nature organizations — the Akron Zoo (with animal ambassadors!), Crown Point Ecology Center, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Portage Trail Group/Sierra Club, Summit Metro Parks, Curious Critters, and more — in EJ’s lobbies before tonight’s concert and during intermission.

Whether you are looking for a new hiking trail, a volunteer opportunity, or ways to support local conservation, these experts can help you find your next steps.

Last night: Renée Fleming’s Music and Mind

Also known as a leading advocate for the study of the powerful connections between the arts and health, Renée Fleming led a powerful Music and Mind panel event at the Hudson Library last night.

Ms. Fleming opened by highlighting the intersection of music, neuroscience, and healthcare alongside personal stories and insights from her career. Brief presentations and conversations followed with panelists:

■ Dr. Herbert Newton, a pioneer in neurooncology with a passion for music (he plays bass in classic rock bands) and the Medical Director of the Brain Tumor Center at University Hospitals’ Seidman Cancer Center. Dr. Newton studies music and brain function.

■ Violinist Arial Clayton Karas, one of Cleveland Clinic’s longest-serving Musicians-In-Residence in their groundbreaking Performing Arts Program. She also is the founder of OPUS 216, a multi-genre ensemble presenting hundreds of performances every year, including partnering with Tuesday Musical’s Decompression Chamber that aims to ease stress by bringing free concerts to homeless shelters, healthcare facilities, schools and other high-pressure sites throughout the region.

■ Dr. Seneca Block, PhD, LPMT, MTBC, a board-certified music therapist and the Lauren Rich Fine Endowed Director for Expressive Therapies with University Hospitals’ Connor Whole Health. Having worked as both a music therapist and program developer at several large-scale healthcare systems, his clinical goals include pain and stress management through music therapy.

■ Dr. Tammy Shella, Director of the Arts and Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Shella is a board-certified art therapist and holds a PhD in psychology with a specialization in health psychology.

The free program was presented by Tuesday Musical, hosted by the Hudson Library and Historical Society, and cosponsored by Peg’s Foundation and Peg’s Gallery in Hudson.

Ms. Fleming’s books Music and Mind and The Inner Voice are available at The Learned Owl Book Shop in Hudson.

Concordia at Sumner

Lifting up students embarking on music careers

Tuesday Musical’s 2026 Scholarship Competition awarded scholarships last month to 26 music majors from throughout Ohio to help them achieve their career aspirations as music educators and performers.

Now in its 70th year, the adjudicated competition is widely regarded as the best of its kind in Ohio.

Nearly 130 applicants from 15 schools applied to compete this year for 30

scholarships ranging from $750 to $2,000 each and totaling a record-breaking $43,050.

Mark Greer and George Pope cochair Tuesday Musical’s scholarship committee, assisted by staff member Austin Ferguson. Our thanks go to the donors, volunteers, judges, teachers, and staff members for making the annual competition possible.

Final Round/Winners Concert on May 3

You are invited to be in the audience when this year’s top winners compete again in the competition’s Final Round/Winners Concert on Sunday, May 3, 2:30 p.m. at The University of Akron’s Guzzetta Recital Hall, 157 University Ave. (across from EJ Thomas Hall).

Two additional adjudicated scholarships — one for $1,000 and one for $2,000 — will be awarded. The audience will also pick the winner of the John M. Ream Jr. DDS People’s Choice Award of $500.

The May 3 concert and post-concert reception are free; no tickets or reservations needed. More at 330-761-3460 and tuesdaymusical.org/scholarship.

Winners of Tuesday Musical’s 2026 Scholarship Competition

Brass — adjudicated by Stephanie Blaha, principal horn, ProMusica Columbus.

■ 1st Place, Arden J. Yockey Scholarship, $2,000: Elijah Leonard, trumpet, Cleveland Institute of Music.

■ 2nd Place, Tuesday Musical Scholarship, $1,500: Joseph Barnhouse, tuba, Baldwin Wallace University.

■ 3rd Place, Tuesday Musical Scholarship, $1,000: Benjamin Bunting, tuba, The University of Akron.

Piano — adjudicated by Alexandre Marr, pianist, owner/founder of Akron Music Institute; Laura Silverman, pianist, collaborative artist, and pedagogue.

■ 1st Place, Marilyn Fischer & Joan Marie Scherer Scholarship, $2,000: Georgios Kyriazidis, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

■ 2nd Place, Marguerite Thomas & Gertrude Lancaster Scholarship, $1,500: HaEun Kim, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

■ 3rd Place, Jerry Davison and Clarenz J. Lightfritz Scholarship, $1,000: Guoanni Qin, Cleveland Institute of Music.

■ 4th Place, William Bingham Foundation Scholarship, $750: Inhwa Lee, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Strings — adjudicated by Emily Cornelius, concertmaster of Heights Chamber Orchestra and assistant concertmaster of the Canton Symphony Orchestra.

■ 1st Place, Drs. Frederick A. and Elizabeth M. Specht Scholarship, $2,000: Fiona Tsang, cello, Cleveland Institute of Music.

■ 2nd Place, Tuesday Musical Scholarship, $1,500: Christoforos Petridis, violin, Oberlin Conservatory of Music.

■ 3rd Place, Barbara Ainsworth Porter Scholarship, $1,000: Ari Peraza-Webb, cello, The Juilliard School (from Ohio).

■ 4th Place, Tuesday Musical Scholarship, $750: Kiarra Saito-Beckman, viola, Yale University (from Ohio).

■ Howard E. Leisinger Viola Prize, $2,000: Kiarra Saito-Beckman, viola, Yale University (from Ohio)

Voice — adjudicated by Marla Berg, associate professor at Kent State University’s Glauser School of Music; Cynthia O’Connell, associate professor emeritus at Baldwin Wallace University’s Conservatory of Music.

■ 1st Place, Arden J. Yockey Scholarship, $2,000: Sarah Rosales, soprano, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

■ 2nd Place, Tuesday Musical Scholarship, $1,500: Saige Hoffman, soprano, Oberlin Conservatory of Music.

■ 3rd Place, Barbara Kingsbury Eaton Scholarship, $1,000: Yi Ching Ariel Wong, soprano, Cleveland Institute of Music.

■ 4th Place, Tuesday Musical Scholarship, $750: Edward Ferran, tenor, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Woodwinds — adjudicated by Jane Berkner, artistic director of Urban Troubadour.

■ 1st Place, Arden J. Yockey Scholarship, $2,000: Kevin Hebovia, saxophone, Baldwin Wallace University.

■ 2nd Place, Ann, Emily & Jeffrey Gleason/Travis & Caitlin Rea Scholarship, $1,500: Dylan Masariego, flute, Cleveland Institute of Music.

■ 3rd Place, George Pope Scholarship, $1,000: Jake McQuaid, flute, Cleveland Institute of Music.

Classical Guitar — adjudicated by Bryan Reichert, faculty member at Baldwin Wallace University’s Conservatory of Music.

■ Margaret Watts Hunter Scholarship, $2,000: Solis Dornan, Oberlin Conservatory of Music.

Percussion — adjudicated by Dr. Alexandros Fragiskatos, faculty member at Denison University.

■ Dr. Larry D. Snider Scholarship, $2,000: Dylan Catlin, The University of Akron.

■ Tuesday Musical Scholarship, $1,500: Jonathan Cooley, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Organ — adjudicated by Dr. Kelsey Berg, assistant organist-choirmaster at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Akron, and guest lecturer in organ for the Joint Music Program of the Cleveland Institute of Music and Case Western Reserve University.

■ 1st Place, Tuesday Musical Scholarship, $2,000: Chase Olson, Oberlin Conservatory of Music.

■ 2nd Place, Tuesday Musical Scholarship, $1,500: Alisdair Welty, Cleveland Institute of Music.

Music Education — adjudicated by Dr. Patricia Grutzmacher, professor emerita, The Hugh A. Glauser School of Music, Kent State University.

■ Gertrude Seiberling Scholarship, sponsored by the Ohio Federation of Music Clubs, $1,400: Patrick Burse, percussion, Baldwin Wallace University.

■ Winifred Collins Scholarship, sponsored by the Ohio Federation of Music Clubs, $1,400: Matthew Rutherford, tuba, Baldwin Wallace University.

■ William Bingham Foundation Scholarship, $1,000: James Allio, saxophone, Kent State University.

Tuesday Musical’s

Donations enable Tuesday Musical to share the world’s best music and musicians throughout our community.

Are you — and perhaps a few of your friends — interested in funding a specific budget item? Perhaps in honor of a friend or family member? (Unrestricted gifts for our general operating fund are always welcome, too!)

Wish List:

● Fuel for performers (concert meals and snacks): starting at $55 per concert, depending on numbers and needs of musicians.

● Street banners in downtown Akron: $125 each.

● Paper stock for concert tickets: $225 for a case.

● Facebook advertising: $450 per concert.

● Underwrite the cost of one bus for a school group to attend a concert: $300.

● Concert promo postcard, printing and mailing: $800 per concert.

● Sponsor a post-concert reception with the guest artist(s): $1,500.

● Sponsor a concert: starting at $10,000.

● Endow and name a scholarship: starting at $20,000.

Generous Wish Granters (thank you!):

● Linda Bunyan: Fuel for guest artists (concert meals and snacks).

● Judith Dimengo: Underwriting the cost of buses for school groups to attend concerts.

● Michael and Barbara Kaplan: Underwriting the cost of buses for school groups to attend concerts.

● Barbara and Mark MacGregor: Sponsorship of piano concert at EJ Thomas Hall.

● Marianne Miller: Bus funding for school groups

● Charles Pilny: Underwriting for education programs

● Fred and Elizabeth Specht: Underwriting performance fees and supporting scholarships for young musicians.

● Cecilia and Nathan Speelman: Fuel for performers (concert meals and snacks).

For more information, please contact Cynthia Snider at 330-761-3460 or csnider@tuesdaymusical.org or write to Tuesday Musical at 1041 W. Market St., Ste. 200, Akron, OH 44313

Tuesday Musical is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Donations are fully deductible as provided by law.

Enticing and engaging generations of music lovers

On stage and throughout the community, Tuesday Musical is enticing and engaging generations of music lovers by making great music accessible and relevant.

● Continuing a longtime tradition, students of any age can attend all Tuesday Musical concerts and educations programs through our Free Student Ticket Program. Tuesday Musical also covers the cost of school bus transportation. Tuesday Musical is the only organization providing these opportunities in Summit County and NE Ohio.

● Brahms Allegro, Tuesday Musical’s junior music club, encourages young musicians to develop their skills, perform for their peers, and compete in regional competitions. For more information, contact info@tuesdaymusical.org or 330761-3460

● Tuesday Musical’s Annual Scholarship Competition for college and university students majoring in music performance and/or music education is widely recognized as the best in Ohio. The 2027 Competition will be held on March 20 in Akron.

Support Individuals

We gratefully acknowledge all donors this season. Thank you for helping Tuesday Musical continue to inspire current and future generations of music lovers. This list includes this season’s donors who have given at least $200 as of April 7, 2026.

Director $5,000+

Drs. Mark and Sandy Auburn

Dr. Michael Frank

Louise Harvey

Cynthia Knight

Paul and Linda Liesem

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Mucha

Charles Pilny

George Pope

Dr. Kenneth Shafer

Tim and Jenny Smucker

Drs. Fred and Elizabeth Specht

Darwin Steele

James and Linda Venner

Benefactor $1,500 to $4,999

John and Kathleen Arther

Lee and Floy Barthel

Robert Carlyon

Sally Childs

Mary Lynn Crowley

Judith Dimengo

Barbara Eaton

Bob and Beverley Fischer

Robert and Sharon Gandee

Elaine Guregian

Bruce Hagelin

DuWayne and Dorothy Hansen

David and Margaret Hunter

Beatrice K. McDowell

Family Fund

Marianne Miller

Arlene Nettling

Mark and Claire Purdy

Roger F. Ream D.D.S

Richard and Alita Rogers

Family Foundation

Patricia Sargent

Larry and Cynthia Snider

Nathan and Cecilia Speelman

Elizabeth and Michael Taipale

Kenneth and Martha Taylor

Sustainer $700 to $1,499

Richard and Eleanor Aron

James Bates

Frank C. Comunale

Karen Dorn

Paul and Jennifer Filon

Terry and Mary Kay Finn

Lloyd and Grace Goettler

Barbara and Michael J. Kaplan

Jim and Maureen Kovach

Dorothy Lepp

Alan Mirkin

Dianne Newman

Roger and Sally Read

Peter and Nanette Ryerson

Jean Schooley

Richard Shirey and James Helmuth

Sandra R. Smith

Jeffrey and Jennifer Stenroos

John Vander Kooi

Carol Vandenburg

Gail Wild

Patron $400 to $699

Tana Alexander

David and Carmen Beasley

Ellen Botnick

Linda Bunyan

Amie and Phil Cajka

Richard and Renee Dee

Barbara and Denis Feld

Ian Haberman

Mark and Karla Jenkins

Diane Klein and Tom Robinson

Mark and Barbara MacGregor

Paul and Alicia Mucha

Charles and Elizabeth Nelson

Judith Nicely

Paula Rabinowitz

Fred and Karen Schreckengost

Joseph Schreiber

Betty and Joel Siegfried

Hedy Simmons

Margo Snider and Rick Butler

Mickey Stefanik

Dr. and Mrs. Marc Weagraff

Jorene Whitney

Bruce Wilson

Douglas Zook

Donor $200 to $399 Anonymous

Suzanne Baxtresser and Stephen Wangh

Jerry and Judi Brenner

Frances Buchholzer

Susan and Bob Conrad

Roberta DePompei

Benjamin and Linda Flaker

Douglas and Cathy Godshall

Ted and Teresa Good

Sue and Terry Greenhalgh

Mark Greer

Michael T. Hayes

John and Suzanne Hetrick

Charles Johnson, MD

William Jordan and Laurel Winters

Greer Kabb-Langkamp

Cheryl and Tom Lyon

Bill and Sally Manby

John Mancinelli

Anita Meeker

Thomas and Barbara Nelson

Pauline Persons

Pamela and Charles Reitz

Bill Reymann and Nancy Noble

Rees Roberts

John Schambach

Anna Marie Schellin

Richard and Susan Schrop

Phil Schuchter

Joe Skubiak

Thomas and Diane Vukovich

Jamie Wilding and Caroline Oltmanns

Susan and Terry Yingling

Memorials & Tributes

These generous donors have chosen to honor special people in meaningful ways. List as of April 7, 2026.

In Honor of Drs. Mark and Sandy Auburn

Frank C. Comunale

In Memory of Margaret Baxtresser

Floy and Lee Barthel

Earl and Judy Baxtresser

Suzanne Baxtresser and Stephen Wangh

In Honor of Brahms Allegro Junior Music Club

Dr. and Mrs. Gregory Roadruck

In Memory of Rita Czarnecki

Barbara and Denis Feld

In Honor of Bobbie Eaton

Judi and Jerry Brenner

Frank C. Comunale

Fred and Elizabeth Specht

In Memory of William Eaton

Doris St. Clair

In Honor of Barbara Feld

Rees Roberts

In Honor of Bob and Beverley Fischer

Frank C. Comunale

In Memory of Casey Genemans

Bobbie Eaton

In Memory of Dr. J.D. Goddard

Maryanne Buchanan

In Honor of Ian Haberman

Frank C. Comunale

In Memory of Joy Hagelin

The Hagelin and Wolf families

In Memory of Dorothy Hansen

Frank C. Comunale

JoAnn and Tom Eduardo

The Feld Family

Bob and Beverley Fischer

Dorothy Lepp

Linda and Paul Liesem

LaVonne Voelz

Karen Zilora

In Memory of Hal Horton

Mark and Barbara MacGregor

In Memory of Ruth Hunt

Dorothy Lepp

In Memory of Martha Kelly

Frank C. Comunale

In Honor of Cynthia Knight

Frank C. Comunale

In Memory of JoAnn Marcinkoski

Jennifer Altieri

Sally Ann Anderson

Bobbie Eaton

Terry M. Harsney

DuWayne and Dorothy Hansen

Sylvia and Howard Johnson

Cynthia Knight

Dorothy Lepp

Bruce and Linda Meyer

Claudia, Brian, and Barbara Simon

Jena and Kyle Wright

In Honor of Brian Masturzo

Elizabeth Cohen

In Honor of Anita Meeker

Frank C. Comunale

In Memory of David Meeker

Frank C. Comunale

In Memory of Martha Meloni

Marcia, Tony and Allison (Perry) Holcomb

In Memory of Lori Mirkin

Alan Mirkin

In Honor of Charles and Elizabeth Nelson

Frank C. Comunale

In Memory of Ann Pialet

The Feld Family

In Honor of George Pope

Fred and Elizabeth Specht

In Memory of Rosemary Reymann

Frank C. Comunale

Cynthia Knight

In Memory of Dr. Bruce and Lola Rothmann

Pamela Rothmann and Soloman Cokes

Elizabeth Rusnak

Mickey Stefanik

In Memory of Don Schmid

Bobbie Eaton

Bill Reymann and Nancy Noble

In Honor of Cynthia Snider

Drs. Mark and Sandy Auburn

Barbara Eaton

Frank C. Comunale

Louise Harvey

Karla and Mark Jenkins

Cynthia Knight

Susan McKiernan

In Honor of Dr. Larry Snider

Drs. Mark and Sandy Auburn

In Memory of their parents

Nathan and Cecilia Speelman

In Memory of Cindy Stefanik

Mickey Stefanik

In Memory of Dr. Kenneth Swanson

Mickey Stefanik

In Honor of Tayba Tahir

Anita Meeker

In Honor of Tuesday Musical’s staff

Frank C. Comunale

Barbara Eaton

Anita Meeker

Gail Wild

Foundations, Businesses, Government

Through their vital support, these organizations help to sustain Tuesday Musical and the arts throughout our region. List as of April 7, 2026

$25,000+ ArtsForward/ArtsNow

William Bingham Foundation

GAR Foundation

Hillier Family Foundation

John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

Ohio Arts Council

$10,000 to $24,999

Akron Community Foundation

Howard Atwood Family Fund of Akron Community Foundation

Kenneth L. Calhoun Charitable Trust, KeyBank, Trustee

Mary S. and David C. Corbin Foundation

Mary and Dr. George L. Demetros Charitable Trust

Kulas Foundation

Gertrude F. Orr Trust Advised Fund of Akron Community Foundation

Peg’s Foundation

Charles E. and Mabel M. Ritchie Memorial Foundation

Lloyd L. and Louise K. Smith Foundation

$5,000 to $9,999

The Lisle M. Buckingham Endowment Fund of Akron Community Foundation

John A. McAlonan Fund of Akron Community Foundation

Polsky Fund of Akron Community Foundation

Helen S. Robertson Fund of Akron Community Foundation

Bunnie & Jerome Sachs Family Foundation

Sisler McFawn Foundation

Welty Family Foundation

$1,000 to $4,999

Bath Community Fund

C. Colmery Gibson Fund of Akron Community Foundation

Lehner Family Foundation

Beatrice K. McDowell Family Fund

W. Paul Mills and Thora J. Mills Memorial Foundation

Laura R. and Lucian Q. Moffitt Foundation

R. C. Musson and Katharine M. Musson Charitable Foundation

Ohio Federation of Music Clubs

Synthomer Foundation

Business Partners

Tuesday Musical thanks these businesses for their financial support. As our partners, they are investing in the community where their customers, employees, and families live, learn and work.

Is your business interested in connecting with well-educated and sophisticated arts supporters and community leaders throughout Greater Akron and Northeast Ohio? To discuss options and opportunities, please contact Cynthia Snider, executive director of Tuesday Musical, at 330-7613460 or csnider@tuesdaymusical.org.