Notes of friendship run through the VIVO Music Festival.
The annual central Ohio chamber music festival was co-founded by longtime friends and colleagues violinist Siwoo Kim and violist John Stulz, both of whom spent their youths in central Ohio before embarking on professional playing careers around the country and world.
The festival, which launched in 2015, represents not only a chance for Kim and Stulz to return to their old stomping grounds but also an opportunity to bring along the numerous artists the two have met in their musical travels.
This year’s festival, which will take place Sept. 6-9 at venues throughout Columbus, will feature violinist Robin Scott, cellist Alice Yoo, harpist Bridget Kibbey, percussionist Victor Caccese, and the ensemble Sandbox Percussion (of which Caccese is also a member). Kim and Stulz, also the artistic directors, will also perform.
Here’s all you need to know about attending this year’s VIVO Music Festival.
When and where does VIVO begin?
The festival will kick off at 7 p.m. Sept. 6 at the Columbus Museum of Art, 480 E. Broad St., with the opening night program, “Echoes.” The artists will perform “Moz-Art” by Alfred Schnittke, “Lachrymae” by Benjamin Britten, “Divertimento” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and a new work for string trio, harp and electronics by Clara Iannotta.
The piece by Iannotta is called “Echo from Afar” and was co-commissioned by the festival and Ensemble Intercontemporain, a group in Paris of which Stulz is a member.
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“Clara Iannotta is a wonderfully talented Italian composer whose music explores the extreme edges of instrumental playing: bowing on the other side of the bridge, using a specially designed bow to bow the strings of the harp, broken sounds, scratch sounds, all processed electronically to create a sense of distance and resonance,” Stulz said via email.
“It’s the first time we’ve had a piece with live electronics at VIVO, so we are very excited to see how it comes to life at the museum.”
Tickets for “Echoes” cost $25, or $10 for students.
What about ‘Beer & Beethoven’?
Devoted VIVO-goers know that the “Beer & Beethoven” concert is among the most unique classical music experiences in central Ohio. Each year, festival musicians freely mingle with attendees in a casual environment such as a restaurant or bar. Music is heard; drinks are had.
This year, the event will take place at Natalie’s Grandview, 945 King Ave., at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 7.
“Ever since Hot Chicken Takeover solidified what ‘Beer & Beethoven’ is as an event, we’ve decided to try different waters,” Kim said. “We tried Strongwater (Food and Spirits) and we tried Seventh Son (Brewing Co.), and this year, we’re very excited to try Natalie’s.”
The musicians will have fun making music together, and ticket buyers are encouraged to share in the spirit of revelry.
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“Breaking down any barrier, removing that distance between audience and stage, is very important to us,” Kim said. “Every year, it seems to get rowdier and rowdier and more spontaneous.”True to form, the program will not be announced in advance.
“I deliberately haven’t asked any of the musicians what they’d like to play,” Kim said. “It’s on their own whim — if the spirits move them!”
Tickets for “Beer & Beethoven” cost $30 to $25.
Sandbox Percussion new to festival
The acclaimed percussion ensemble will make their debut at the festival, but member Victor Caccese — who performs in the group along with Ian Rosenbaum, Jonny Allen and Terry Sweeny — is no stranger to Kim.
“I know all of (the members), but Victor Caccese is a good friend of mine,” Kim said. “During the pandemic, he was a podmate — we were in the same building — and we would play virtual golf. … We kept ourselves entertained while still trying to be very productive.”
At 7 p.m. Sept. 8 at Weigel Hall, located at 1866 College Road North on the campus of The Ohio State University, Sandbox Percussion will perform “Seven Pillars” by Andy Akiho.
“(Akiho’s) music is always fun to play and listen to, blending elements of rock, funk, hip-hop, Caribbean steel pan and traditional percussion music into a unique language all his own,” Stulz said.
“‘Seven Pillars’ highlights Andy’s music with an immersive light and staging element that is tied to the musical events. All of this is brought to life by the amazing musicians at Sandbox.”
Tickets for Sandbox Percussion cost $25, and $10 for students.
VIVO closes at the Southern
The program “VIVO: Virtuosity,” co-presented by the Chamber Music Columbus series, will unite the musicians — and friends — for a finale at 7 p.m. Sept. 9 at the Southern Theatre.
In addition to Alicia Hui, Bridget Kibbey and Alice Yoo — each longtime VIVO veterans — Kim and Stulz will be joined by two VIVO newbies: the aforementioned Caccese as well as violinist Robin Scott.
Kim has known Scott since both were teenagers.
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“I went to a violin competition in San Francisco,” said Kim, who spent his teenage years in Westerville. “I was still, like, a Westerville South Wildcat and going to a big city like San Francisco was pretty daunting. I remember (Scott) was already a college student at the New England Conservatory, but he was super-warm and friendly.”
The friendship between the self-confessed “violin nerds” has continued.
“Sometimes, when he comes to New York (where Kim lives), he asks to stay at my apartment and we’re watching videos of (Itzhak) Perlman … and nerding out until like 3 in the morning,” Kim said.The two will team up on Henryk Wieniawski’s “Etude-Caprice for Two Violins,” a piece, Kim said, during which the two can “show off a little bit.”
The program will also feature works by Akiho, J.S. Bach and Felix Mendelssohn.
Tickets for “VIVO: Virtuosity” cost $14.29 to $46.67.
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At a glance
The VIVO Music Festival will take place Sept. 6-9 at venues throughout Columbus. For more information, visit vivofestival.org.
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