Cleveland Orchestra to Honor Martin Luther King Jr., Beg. 1/19

The Cleveland Orchestra, conducted by Chelsea Tipton, will perform its 34th annual concert in celebration of the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. The concert will feature the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Chorus (a 165-member volunteer chorus from the greater Cleveland community), prepared by William Henry Caldwell, and Sphinx Competition prizewinner Lev Mamuya as cello soloist.

At the beginning of the concert, Mayor Frank Jackson, assisted by Cleveland Councilman Kevin Conwell and Cuyahoga County Councilwoman Yvonne Conwell, will present the 2014 MLK Community Service Awards in three categories in recognition of the services and achievements of an adult, a youth, and a business or organization that have positively impacted Cleveland in the spirit of the teachings and example of Dr. King. The free concert (tickets are required) is sold out, and will be broadcast live on WCLV (104.9 FM) and WCPN (90.3 FM). The Cleveland Orchestra's annual MLK concert draws more than 2,000 members of the community to Severance Hall to celebrate Dr. King.

Severance Hall will hold its fourteenth annuAl Martin Luther King Jr. Day Community Open House on Monday, January 20, 2014 from 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m. The free day of activities and performances celebrates the legacy of Dr. King and will feature performances by local performing arts groups, including the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra and the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus as well as the Julia DeBurgos Group, Kyodi Brass, and El Sistema@Rainey and El Sistema@University Circle orchestras. Family activities throughout the afternoon include the interactive "Play Me, I'm Yours" piano, the "Picture Yourself at Severance Hall" photo activity, and popular DJ Terry Macklin's Sounds of Entertainment.

Camera crews and photographers are invited to shoot video and photographs at the MLK Celebration Concert, January 19, and during the MLK Day Community Open House, January 20. On-site interviews with representatives from the Orchestra are available upon request.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS:

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. CELEBRATION CONCERT

Sunday, January 19, 2014, at 7:00 p.m.

(Free Prelude Concert at 6 p.m. featuring chamber music performed by members of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra)

The Cleveland Orchestra
Chelsea Tipton, conductor
Lev Mamuya, cello

Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Chorus
William Henry Caldwell, director and conductor

J.S. SMITH The Star Spangled Banner
H. Smith Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing
BERLIOZ Roman Carnival Overture
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS Let All the World in Every Corner Sing

BOCCHERINI First Movement ("Allegro moderato") from Cello Concerto in B-flat major

Lev Mamuya, cello
HANDEL "Hallelujah" Chorus from Messiah
STILL Third Movement ("Humor: Animato") from Afro-American Symphony
DAWSON Soon-ah will be done
TRADITIONAL Trust Me

WARD America the Beautiful (arr. C. Dragon)
TRADITIONAL We Shall Overcome (arr. U. Brown Jr.)

Free concert, but tickets are required (limit 2 tickets per household). Tickets are available via clevelandorchestra.com.

Location: Severance Hall, 11001 Euclid Ave., Cleveland OH 44106

For more information: visit clevelandorchestra.com, call 216-231-1111, or email boxoffice@clevelandorchestra.com.

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE

Monday, January 20, 2014, from 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m.

A complete schedule of Community Open House performances and activities will be announced later this month.

Free event, no tickets are required.

Location: Severance Hall, 11001 Euclid Ave., Cleveland OH 44106

For more information: visit clevelandorchestra.com, call 216-231-1111, or email boxoffice@clevelandorchestra.com.

THE CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA TO HOLD FOOD DRIVE JANUARY 19-21, TO BENEFIT CLEVELAND FOODBANK

The Cleveland Orchestra will hold a food drive January 16-20 to benefit the Lakewood Hunger Network. Concertgoers are invited to bring unexpired, unopened, non-perishable food in a box, can or plastic container, to donate at the following performances and events surrounding the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend:

• Thursday, January 16 - The Cleveland Orchestra at 7:30 p.m.
• Friday, January 17 - The Cleveland Orchestra at 8 p.m.
• Saturday, January 18 - The Cleveland Orchestra at 8 p.m.
• Sunday, January 19 - The Cleveland Orchestra, MLK Celebration Concert at 7 p.m.
• Monday, January 20 - Severance Hall MLK Day Community Open House - noon to 5 p.m.

Marked bins will be available in the lobbies to collect donations one hour prior to each concert and throughout the Open House. Most needed food items are rice; cereal; peanut butter; beans; tuna; pasta; dry or canned soup and milk; canned fruits, vegetables, and stew. Expired products, glass containers, perishable or homemade foods, opened packages, or monetary donations cannot be accepted.

The drive is part of Orchestras Feeding America, a national food drive held by America's symphony orchestras. First started in 2009, this project has seen over 250 orchestras from across the country collect over 400,000 pounds of food. The efforts of these orchestras, organized at a national level, continue to unite musicians, staff, volunteers, and audiences to help alleviate hunger.

All programs and artists are subject to change.