The Cleveland Orchestra Announces New Location for 2015 Star-Spangled Spectacular

The Cleveland Orchestra's annual free community concert takes place this year on Mall B in downtown Cleveland, due to construction on Public Square. Located between the Global Center for Health Innovation and Cleveland Public Auditorium on St. Clair Avenue, Mall B is a grassy area that is an ideal location to bring a blanket for the concert. This year's concert is performed on Wednesday, July 1 at 9:00 p. m.

Attendees are encouraged to take the RTA Rapid to the event. RTA will operate extra rail service before and after the concert. Mall B is a short 5-minute walk from RTA's Tower City Station. Additionally, the RTA Health Line will run from the Windermere Rapid Station to Public Square.

The concert, led by guest conductor Thomas Wilkins, will feature baritone Nathan Gunn singing "If Ever I Would Leave You" from the musical Camelot and two selections from Aaron Copland's Old American Songs. Additional highlights from the program include John Williams's "Flight to Neverland" from Hook as well as works by Gershwin, Sousa, and Tchaikovsky.

"We are delighted to be able to present the Star-Spangled Spectacular concert despite the closing of Public Square this year," says Gary Hanson, executive director of The Cleveland Orchestra. "This annual event has become a beloved summer tradition and we are grateful to Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, KeyBank, and our other producing partners who make this event possible, and to the City of Cleveland for its assistance in securing the location for this year. We are proud to bring Northeast Ohio together with music to celebrate a great city and a great nation."

Again this year, the Cuyahoga County Public Library (CCPL) will provide Star-Spangled Spectacular Family Workshops in advance of the concert (previewing the music and helping kids and families prepare for this special concert) at the following locations:

· Monday, June 15 @ 7:00 p.m. - Orange Branch, 31300 Chagrin Blvd.

· Tuesday, June 16 @ 7:00 p.m. - North Olmsted Branch, 27403 Lorain Rd.

· Monday, June 22 @ 7:00 p.m. - Parma-Snow Branch, 2121 Snow Rd.

· Thursday, June 25 @ 7:00 p.m. - Garfield Heights Branch, 5409 Turney Rd.

"The Cleveland Orchestra is a source of great pride for Cleveland, and KeyBank is pleased to support this special evening," said KeyCorp Chairman and CEO Beth Mooney. "As America celebrates its independence, Public Square is rebuilt, and KeyBank's own historic Public Square branch turns 125 years old, we find this concert to be especially meaningful. We hope Cleveland residents and families who love and appreciate excellent music will join us for this special evening and the educational sessions leading up to it."

"A free concert by our own Cleveland Orchestra is a terrific way for residents of Cuyahoga County to celebrate Independence Day, and Cuyahoga Arts & Culture is proud to support this event," said Karen Gahl-Mills, executive director of Cuyahoga Arts & Culture. "This is just one example of the tens of thousands of arts and culture experiences and programs that receive public funding through Cuyahoga Arts & Culture each year and make Cuyahoga County an exceptional place to call home."

Cuyahoga Arts & Culture has funded The Cleveland Orchestra's annual free concert in downtown Cleveland since 2007. Cuyahoga Arts & Culture's mission is to inspire and strengthen the community by investing in arts and culture. A levy to support arts and culture was approved by Cuyahoga County voters in 2006, and since then, Cuyahoga Arts & Culture has invested more than $125 million dollars in more than 300 local arts and cultural organizations in Cuyahoga County. Cuyahoga Arts & Culture's vision for its first ten years of public funding for arts and culture is to help build stronger, more resilient arts and culture organizations, create vibrant and energetic neighborhoods infused with culture, and establish Cuyahoga County as a hub of creative activity and a destination for artists. For more information about Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, visit www.cacgrants.org.

The Star-Spangled Spectacular performance will be broadcast live on WCLV 104.9 ideastream and for the first time streamed live online via www.clevelandorchestra.com and www.ideastream.org.

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