Get inside the minds of composers and to the heart of the music with Classical Conversations, which start one hour before every Friday, Saturday and Sunday CSO concert. These informative, casual discussions are led by CSO conductors and musicians, guest artists and members of musical community.

No reservations are required, and the conversations are free to all ticketholders. Classical Conversations are held in the Music Hall Auditorium, except for the Oct. 17-18 multimedia presentation, “The World of Gustav Mahler,” which will take place in Corbett Tower, 3rd floor of Music Hall.

2008-2009 Classical Conversations schedule
Speakers and schedule subject to change.

MEGA-WATT OPENING
SEPT 12-13
Season Overview with CSO Assistant Conductors Ken Lam and Vince Lee

DVORÁK DELIGHT
SEPT 19-20
Vince Lee, CSO Assistant Conductor and Theodore Nelson, CSO cellist

RUSSIAN RHAPSODY
OCT 3-4
Vince Lee, CSO Assistant Conductor

THE MAHLER EXPERIENCE
OCT 17-18
“The World of Gustav Mahler” special multimedia presentation in Corbett Tower  "Note special start time of 6:30 PM!

TOWERING TCHAIKOVSKY
OCT 31-NOV 1
Ken Lam, CSO Assistant Conductor

CHORAL GLORY
NOV 7-8
Vince Lee, CSO Assistant Conductor and Robert Porco, May Festival Chorus Director

MUSICAL METAMORPHOSIS
NOV 15-16
Vince Lee, CSO Assistant Conductor

STARGAZING
NOV 21-22
Ken Lam, CSO Assistant Conductor
Dean Regas, Outreach Astronomer with Cincinnati Observatory, will give a multimedia presentation

TALES OF TCHAIKOVSKY
DEC 5-6
Ken Lam, CSO Assistant Conductor

WINTER ENCHANTMENTS
DEC 20
Vince Lee, CSO Assistant Conductor and Xian Zhang, conductor

A VERY GOOD YEAR
JAN 9-10
Ken Lam, CSO Assistant Conductor and Stewart Goodyear, piano

SHOULDERS OF GIANTS
JAN 16-17
Vince Lee, CSO Assistant Conductor

RADU LUPU PLAYS BEETHOVEN
JAN 23-24
Ken Lam, CSO Assistant Conductor and Robert Howes, CSO violist

AMADEUS
JAN 30-31
Vince Lee, CSO Assistant Conductor and guest from Cincinnati Shakespeare Company

HOPELESS ROMANTICS
FEB 13-14
Ken Lam, CSO Assistant Conductor

BEYOND THE SEA
FEB 21 Saturday
Vince Lee, CSO Assistant Conductor and Stacey Wooley, CSO violinist

BRONFMAN PLAYS BRAHMS
MAR 6-7
Ken Lam, CSO Assistant Conductor

EUROPEAN GEMS
MAR 13-14
Vince Lee, CSO Assistant Conductor

OH LA LA
MAR 20-21
Vince Lee, CSO Assistant Conductor, guest artist Emmanuel Pahud and Randolph Bowman, CSO principal flutist

BEETHOVEN’S 5TH
MAR 27-28
Ken Lam, CSO Assistant Conductor, guest artist Colin Currie and composer Jeffrey Mumford

LIGHTNING & THUNDER
APR 4
Vince Lee, CSO Assistant Conductor and CSO violinists Paul Patterson and Sylvia Mitchell

MUSICAL DRAMA
APR 17-18
Ken Lam, CSO Assistant Conductor and Richard Hawley, CSO principal clarinetist

MIDORI PLAYS MENDELSSOHN
APR 24-25
Vince Lee, CSO Assistant Conductor and Michael Chertock, CSO pianist

GRAND FINALE
MAY 1-2
CSO Assistant Conductors Ken Lam and Vince Lee