We’d already received the unhappy news that professional vocal ensemble Quire Cleveland had decided to call it quits after 15 years, following its series of concerts, Churches of the Same God: Mass Settings of Byrd and Tallis, scheduled for this weekend.
Now it has announced that those concerts are cancelled so scratch them from your calendar if you were hoping to have a chance to say farewell.
“We regret to announce that Quire Cleveland has canceled its final concert series, scheduled for September 29, 30, and October 1, 2023, in the aftermath of the release of ‘Parish & School Policy on Issues of Sexuality and Gender Identity’ by the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland,” they write. “While Quire Cleveland does not agree with or support this policy, the decision to cancel the concert series was made solely to protect the safety and well-being of Quire’s singers, concert attendees, and hosting churches in the context of ongoing social media activity encouraging disruption of the concerts as a means of protesting the policy. Since this was to be Quire’s final concert series, these concerts will not be rescheduled.”
On September 16, the group had announced its discontinuation, saying, “Quire Cleveland’s Artistic Director, Jay White, and Quire’s President/Executive Director, Beth Cooper, will retire from their roles later this year.Unfortunately, the board has been unable to secure the organizational leadership needed to spearhead the difficult but necessary transition from our current all-volunteer model to a more sustainable— professionally operated—organization, more closely aligning it with similar performing arts ensembles. Consequently, there are no plans for future Quire Cleveland performances.”
One Response to “Vocal Ensemble Quire Cleveland Calls It Quits and Cancels Final Concert Series”
Hank Wait
Sad. While I wasn’t planning on attending the reason for canceling is just sad. Phuck the ‘Parish & School Policy on Issues of Sexuality and Gender Identity’ by the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland. They aren’t human. Phuck them!!!!!!!!!!