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Contemporary Youth Orchestra & Donnie Iris @ Lakewood Civic Auditorium Severance Hall 5/24 Okay. Even though I’m a rock concert neophyte, I know they’re always LOUD. But why?

In the type of concerts I usually attend (classical and opera, etc.) the object is for the audience to be able to hear the performers, and to distinguish loud from soft, words (if there are any) and individual solo efforts. But so far, in the five (actually six) rock type concerts I’ve attended in the last five years (due almost entirely to the Contemporary Youth Orchestra, I might add) what I’ve seen is that the performers tend to think they need to hear each other more than the audience needs to hear them.

Very strange, if you ask me, which I realize you haven’t. I think I was not the only person in attendance Sunday evening at Lakewood Civic Auditorium whose ears were ringing (maybe even throbbing) afterward. So okay, that’s my quibble out of the way. I promise not to mention it again.

This is the eighth season that Liza Grossman has created a concert that combines a symphony orchestra backing up rock music, with the artists who made that music popular, as guest artists. It’s an impressive accomplishment, and one that is greatly enjoyed by the young musicians as well as the stars. Two weeks ago, 21 of these young musicians were on stage with the other youth area in the area (Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra) which plays more traditional music.

In honor of their 30th anniversary, this year CYO hosted Donnie Iris & the Cruisers, who brought along many of their biggest hits. Actually, they sent them previously, so that full orchestral arrangements could be made of them, allowing the CYO to accompany the group. These arrangements were made by Paul Leary and Paul Ferguson, or Peter Mowrey, who also wrote a short introductory piece for orchestra alone to their first and possibly biggest hit, Ah! Leah!

The Cruisers are made up of Mark Avsec, keyboards (also songwriter and producer), Marty Lee Hoenes, guitar, Paul Goll, bass and Kevin Valentine, drummer. Plus of course, Donnie Iris, the lead singer. Naturally, they’ve all performed with other bands as well, but only Paul is not one of the original band.

They mixed it up some, using both newer and older tunes. The first half consisted of Agnes (1980); Do You Compute (1983); That's the Way Love Ought to Be (1981); I Can’t Hear You (1980); King Cool (1981); Soul Man (2006); Little Black Dress (2006); The Rapper (1970) and Love is Like a Rock (1981). CYO alto saxman Brian Plautz came down front for an extended solo in King Cool and acquitted himself marvelously well! Mr. Avsec donned a guitar for the final tune, which also incorporated an audience sing along, and a cool bit when each member of the orchestra donned glasses alà Donnie, and joined with everyone else in standing and singing.

A new musical genre might have been created when Just Go Tango (2006) became a form of Tango Rock, which produced interesting effects. ‘King Cool’s girlfriend’ Sweet Merilee (1981) followed, and was in turn followed by Rock Fantastique (2006); Minnie the Moocher (1993) in a slightly different style than that of the originator Cab Calloway and This Time it Must Be Love (1982).

The CYO commissioned Wooster College professor Peter Mowrey to produce an orchestral intro to Ah! Leah! (1980), the band’s hit from early in their career. CYO members Allison Newberg, harp; Joshua Lauretig, oboe; Lena Console, trumpet, and Alexandra Hennig, horn, performed their rather extended and very exposed solos in beautiful, lyrical fashion before being joined by the rest of their mates plus the guest artists for their famous tune. It made for a great and inspired pairing!

Closing things up were the band’s cover of Hey Jude (1968), and Play That Funky Music (1976), which turned into a real free-for-all, and brought back one of the stars of the CYO’s previous concert – Alexis Floyd as soloist. This young lady is a real ‘stage animal’ and I mean that in a highly complimentary way! She is a natural, and will go far, should she choose to do so.

Hey Jude featured a new take on an old rock concert custom. Time was that lit lighters were waved back and forth over their heads by audience members imitating hordes of lightning bugs. Now, it’s turned on cell-phones fluttering back and forth, dispensing little flashes of light here and there. Interesting concept.

The final portion of Funky featured various members of CYO taking a turn in the solo spotlight, right down front. I couldn’t begin to name them all, but many of these instruments are unaccustomed to rock improvisation, and I heartily commend all the youngsters for their very successful efforts. Among them were violin, flute (singly or together), fiddle (not just violin), viola (more than one player), bass trombone, tuba, alto sax, trumpet and lots of dancing!

My ears are still ringing! But that’s okay. I truly love the enthusiasm of these young musicians, and want to encourage everyone else to experience them! Watch the website for information regarding the next season: auditions and concert schedules are listed at http://www.CYOrchestra.org. For more info about the "guest artist," go to http://www.DonnieIris.com.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz artswriterATroadrunner.com
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