Clarinet duo to open Chamber Music Series at Miami Hamilton Downtown

November 15, 2007

Chamber Music Series 2007-08 opens with a clarinet duo featuring master students Simone Weber and Will Cicola at 7 p.m. Thurs., Nov. 29, at Miami Hamilton Downtown, 221 High St.

Their recital is called “Clarinet Journey” and will include music pieces from around the world. The program is sponsored by Miami Hamilton in collaboration with the Department of Music in Oxford. Weber and Cicola are both graduate students and members of the Miami University Symphony Orchestra.

Weber is a clarinetist from Luxembourg and an avid chamber musician who regularly performs throughout Germany and Luxembourg. She won the 2006 Miami University Concerto Competition and performed as soloist with the Symphony Orchestra in May 2007.

Weber received a bachelor’s degree in clarinet performance from Robert-Schumann University of Music in Dusseldorf, Germany. She is pursuing a master’s degree in clarinet performance at Miami.

Cicola completed his bachelor’s degree in clarinet performance and education at Ithaca College in New York. While at Ithaca he also studied klezmer music and was actively sought out as a klezmer clarinetist throughout central New York. Klezmer music is easily identifiable by its characteristic expressive melodies, reminiscent of the human voice, complete with laughing and weeping.

Cicola has played with some of the top musicians of the klezmer revival and can be heard as the lead clarinetist on the album, “Music for Hawaiian Gardens,” available at www.activelisterning.org.

The event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. A reception will follow the recital.