One of Cleveland鈥檚 most beloved landmarks is roaring back to life through music.
Composer and pianist Chris Neiner is turning the sights, sounds and memories of Euclid Beach Park into a new chamber music work inspired by its history and the generations of Clevelanders connected to it.
For Neiner, one newspaper headline from 1969, the year the amusement park closed, helped unlock the emotional weight behind the project.
鈥淭he headline was 鈥楻equiem for a childhood memory鈥� or 鈥楻equiem for a childhood fantasy,鈥欌�� Neiner said. 鈥淚t was like, 鈥楻equiem?鈥� Wow, that鈥檚 deep. All because you couldn鈥檛 go on this roller coaster? And then it鈥檚 like, 鈥榃ell, actually, it鈥檚 more important than that.鈥欌��
The beloved amusement park operated along Cleveland鈥檚 lakefront for 74 years and was noted for its landmark entry arch, roller coasters and carousel.
As Neiner dug deeper into its history, he realized Euclid Beach was woven into generations of family stories.
鈥淭here are people who are like, 鈥業 exist because my parents went on their first date there,鈥欌�� he said. 鈥淥r their grandparents worked there making popcorn and serving ice cream, and suddenly they met. Or mothers being past due and riding the carousel to help induce labor.鈥�
Those stories became the foundation for 鈥淭ales of Euclid Beach Park,鈥� Neiner鈥檚 latest composition.
Bringing the park back to life through sound
has built a growing national profile as a composer and arranger. His work has been performed by ensembles including the Grammy-winning Cleveland Chamber Symphony, the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra and the Minnesota Sinfonia.
In 2026, he also received an Individual Excellence Award from the Ohio Arts Council.
鈥淭ales of Euclid Beach Park鈥� was commissioned by the nonprofit Musical Upcoming Stars in the Classics (M.U.S.i.C) and was written for clarinet, violin, cello and piano.
The work aims to recreate the sounds, energy and nostalgia of the historic park through four movements.
To capture the atmosphere, Neiner immersed himself in Euclid Beach history.
鈥淚t鈥檚 so important to invite people in to learn. Why does this piece exist? Why am I here? What鈥檚 this about? How do I understand this better?鈥�Chris Neiner
鈥淚 watched videos on the park, I interviewed people who had gone there, I listened to YouTube playlists of carousel music,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here was a picture of kids doing the twist in the dance pavilion. I just kind of studied what was happening.鈥�
The movement, 鈥淪wing and a Twist at the Dance Pavilion,鈥� pays tribute to that pavilion, which stood from the park鈥檚 opening in 1895 until it burned down in 1972.
The opening movement, 鈥淭he Arch and Grand Carousel,鈥� reflects the excitement of entering the park beneath its iconic arch and hearing the carousel music swell nearby.
鈥淭here is everything from two-step to swing band to foxtrot to twist,鈥� Neiner said.
A more reflective movement, 鈥淭he Pier at Sunset,鈥� was inspired by Neiner visiting the remains of the old pier himself.
鈥淚 literally went to the remains of the pier and just stood there,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o it has a little bit more of this romantic, nostalgic tinge.鈥�
The final movement shifts gears, intentionally taking listeners on a roller coaster ride.
Neiner said the project also became a way to reconnect with the joy that first drew him to composing.
When he was a teenager, before becoming a serious music student at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and the Cleveland Institute of Music, he wrote songs just for 鈥渢he love of it,鈥� he said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a piece where I feel like I really focused on being who I naturally am, instead of being a composer who needs to impress people,鈥� Neiner said.
That same philosophy shapes how he approaches performance and audience engagement.
鈥淚 have seen too many concerts where it鈥檚 just music, and we clap and then we leave,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 so important to invite people in to learn. Why does this piece exist? Why am I here? What鈥檚 this about? How do I understand this better?鈥�
Building a new classical music community in Little Italy
Neiner鈥檚 philosophy on music extends beyond his compositions.
Alongside pianist Allison Hillier, he co-founded the , an Italian-inspired chamber music concert series in Cleveland鈥檚 Little Italy neighborhood.
Hillier, who was born in Canada and later relocated to Cleveland, earned degrees from the Oberlin Conservatory and the Cleveland Institute of Music before founding Studio Espressivo in 2019.
Located in Murray Hill, the studio doubles as both a teaching space and intimate performance venue.
鈥淐hris and I had dinner one evening, and I said, 鈥楬ey, do you want to start a concert series together in Little Italy?鈥� And he said, 鈥榊eah, let鈥檚 do it. Let鈥檚 make it Italian themed,鈥欌�� Hillier said.
Programs mix familiar classical works with lesser-known repertoire while encouraging conversation between performers and audiences.
The collaboration stemmed from their shared belief that music is meant to connect with people.
鈥淧art of that is not just performing the pieces but talking about the pieces and why they鈥檙e important to us,鈥� Hillier said.
The response exceed their expectations, so they now do three shows to accommodate audiences.
Choosing Cleveland
Both musicians said they chose to stay in Cleveland after completing their studies because of the city鈥檚 collaborative arts community and neighborhoods, like Little Italy, that continue to support local artists.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 imagine not being in Cleveland. There鈥檚 such a great music scene,鈥� Hillier said.
She said their performance series has become as much about giving back to the neighborhood as it is about showcasing local talent.
鈥淭his community has taken care of me,鈥� Hillier said. 鈥淚 eat here, I live here, I鈥檓 friends with the people here. It feels as a musician that you should give back to your community, and I think this is the way that we know how.鈥�
Neiner said Cleveland is a great place to be a musician while still balancing family life.
鈥淚t would take a very life-changing experience or opportunity for me to leave Cleveland,鈥� Neiner said. 鈥淚'm very happy to stay here and be super involved in everything that goes on and support it.鈥�
Neiner will perform 鈥淭ales of Euclid Beach Park鈥� June 25 at the Cleveland History Center, home to the restored Grand Carousel that helped inspire the music.
He is also developing an expanded orchestral version of the work.
