In 2019 the Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts – known colloquially as TAPA, built a bridge between the Toledo Symphony and the Toledo Ballet. In joining forces, the two have ushered in a collaborative effort not seen in most places around the country.
The Toledo Symphony School of Music and Youth Orchestra are also a part of the TAPA family, and as of 2024 the Toledo Jazz Orchestra joined with them as well. Zak Vassar, President and CEO, describes TAPA as “a first-class place for anyone who wants to take lessons or be a part of the performing arts”.
New Space For Everyone
The Masonic Temple on Heatherdowns is no longer sitting empty, as it has for much of the last 20 years. TAPA shines new light on a much-forgotten structure in Toledo. In late 2023, they acquired the building, and are breathing life into the once-iconic space.
Of the building itself, Vassar says that “it’s been vastly underutilized since 2007. The freemasons began moving out in the 90’s. It was briefly a charter school, but otherwise dormant for decades”. For TAPA, Vassar explains that it “fits our needs perfectly”.
Renovation work began soon after TAPA took ownership, and is in the final stages as of this spring. What has been redubbed The Toledo Center for Live Arts, the new space will alleviate several of the issues that arose in the past. “We have about 700 students who are no longer geographically separated”, says Vassar.
He further explains that, with TAPA, there’s “a different synergy that’s very diverse – classical music, dance, and jazz all coming together from all skill levels”.
An Approachable Environment
This Memorial Day Weekend, Saturday, May 24, everyone in Toledo is invited to a barbeque hosted by TAPA in their new home. Beethoven’s 16 string quartets will be performed, starting at 9am with the last performance beginning at 8pm. Tickets can be purchased for individual performances or as a whole day pass. While this event is not a “grand opening” celebration, it is part of a new approach to community engagement.
Merwin Siu is the Artistic Administrator for TAPA and principal second violin with the Toledo Symphony. “The performing arts are a vital part of the community”, says Siu. “We want our events to be as inviting as possible”.
Siu explains that “the string quartet has an almost sacred place in Beethoven’s repertoire. He used this form almost like a diary, and wrote in this mode his entire life”. However, despite Beethoven’s dramatic background, “it’s music that’s meant to be enjoyed”, says Siu. “So we want to open things up and have a chance to bond with friends and performers over some beers and a barbecue”.
A Bright Future Ahead
“I see this as the tip of the iceberg”, says Vassar. “We will be able to imagine new things now that we have this space and are working together. We’re excited for the future of new creative ideas – the Beethoven festival might be the first chance we have, but it’s the first of many”.
Saturday, May 24
To purchase tickets:
https://www.artstoledo.com/events/
