January Arts Off 75: Events to Kick Off the New Year

As we fast approach 2025 on the calendar, now is an excellent time to pause and reflect on 2024. What a year it has been for the arts in Southwest Ohio! Exhibitions, performances and installations filled every corner of the region, creating a veritable smorgasbord of talent on display. You could be forgiven for facing the delightful challenge of deciding which events to attend with only so many hours in the day.

One event that stands out to me as a promising sign for the arts in 2025 is the upcoming performance by Hilary Hahn, virtuoso violinist, with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in January. She will perform a selection of works by Johann Sebastian Bach, one of my favorite classical music composers, at Music Hall in Cincinnati on Tuesday, January 14, at 7:30pm.

Having spent a substantial portion of my performing career dancing to Bach’s soundscapes, I can’t help but feel a special connection to his music. His compositions are lush and melodically rich without being rhythmically overly complex. George Balanchine, one of the most venerated choreographers of the 20th century, recognized this when he choreographed Concerto Barocco to Bach’s Double Violin Concerto. If this ballet is ever performed nearby, I highly recommend securing tickets to witness its brilliance. Bach’s genius lies in his ability to create music that is simultaneously intricate, accessible and deeply intellectual yet profoundly human. This rare combination ensures his legacy remains as powerful today as it was centuries ago.

Whenever I need a spiritual recharge, you can bet there’s at least one Bach composition in heavy rotation on my playlist. After such a topsy-turvy year, how wonderful it is to reset with a concert featuring Bach’s timeless works, performed by one of the most dynamic and virtuosic violinists of our time. This concert lays a strong foundation for what promises to be another incredible year of art viewing and creating. If you’re curating your must-see list for 2025, this performance should undoubtedly earn a top spot. Let’s step into the new year with Bach’s transcendent music leading the way!

Be sure to check out some of these other events coming to the area to kick off 2025:

Rodney Veal
CET and ThinkTV Producer and Community Arts Liaison