ChamberFest Cleveland

Did you read the latest from ChamberFest Cleveland in our June Newsletter? Click to see what's new!
https://mailchi.mp/chamberfestcleveland/cfc-news-june-2026

Sign up for our mailing list today to stay in the loop:
https://chamberfestcleveland.com/contact/ See less

Tune in tonight (Fri Jun 5) at 8:30pm to see CFC on Applause (WVIZ). The program features the performance of Anton Arensky's String Quartet in A minor, Op. 35 from the 2025 festival. Then, on Friday, June 19, catch a 2022 festival highlight: George Walker’s Sonata for Cello and Piano.

Experience these memorable performances from the comfort of home and get a preview of the artistry returning to Cleveland next week!

https://www.ideastream.org/applause-series

INTRODUCING THE 2026 ARTISTS: We’re thrilled to welcome bassist Gabriel Polinsky to ChamberFest Cleveland during Week 2 of CFC 2026.

A member of The Philadelphia Orchestra since 2022, Gabriel is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied with Harold Robinson and Edgar Meyer. He has participated in renowned programs including the Tanglewood Music Center, Lucerne Festival, and New York String Orchestra Seminar.

In 2019, he won The Philadelphia Orchestra’s Albert M. Greenfield Student Competition and has also appeared with the Jupiter Chamber Players in New York.

Be sure to mark your calendars for “Continental Drifts” (June 10–27, 2026).

INTRODUCING THE 2026 ARTISTS: We’re thrilled to welcome Weedie Braimah to ChamberFest Cleveland during Week 1 of CFC 2026.

Widely regarded as a leading voice of the djembe, Weedie was born in Ghana, raised in East St. Louis, and shaped by deep musical roots in New Orleans. Performing since the age of two, he has dedicated his career to the study and performance of African folklore and the music of the African diaspora.

A Grammy-nominated artist, Weedie performs and records with artists including Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah, Baaba Maal, Trombone Shorty, and Bokanté, while also leading his ensemble Weedie Braimah & The Hands of Time. Through performance and teaching—including his work at Oberlin—he champions West African music as a vital foundation of jazz, funk, fusion, hip-hop, and global music.

Be sure to mark your calendars for “Continental Drifts” (June 10–27, 2026).

INTRODUCING THE 2026 ARTISTS: We’re thrilled to welcome violinist Yun-Ting Lee to ChamberFest Cleveland during Week 2 of CFC 2026.

A member of the second violin section of The Cleveland Orchestra since 2013, Yun-Ting is a native of Taiwan and a graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Music. He has appeared as soloist with orchestras including Spoleto Festival USA, Music Academy of the West, and the Phoenix Symphony.

A dedicated chamber musician, Yun-Ting received CIM’s Dr. Bennett Levine Memorial Award in Chamber Music and has collaborated with members of the Juilliard, Cavani, Verona, and Tokyo String Quartets. He has also performed with ensembles including the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

Be sure to mark your calendars for “Continental Drifts” (June 10–27, 2026).

INTRODUCING THE 2026 ARTISTS: We’re thrilled to welcome percussionist Jeff Stern to ChamberFest Cleveland during Week 2 of CFC 2026.

Praised for performing “with precision and an impressive attention to timbral detail” (Boston Musical Intelligencer), Jeff is a leading voice in today’s contemporary music scene. A founding percussionist and co-artistic director of icarus Quartet, he has collaborated with composers including Jennifer Higdon, John Luther Adams, and Andy Akiho.

He has appeared with The Percussion Collective at venues including the Kennedy Center and as concerto soloist with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Phoenix Symphony, and Florida Orchestra. Jeff also performs regularly at festivals including Yellow Barn, Bang on a Can, and Norfolk Chamber Music Festival.

Be sure to mark your calendars for “Continental Drifts” (June 10–27, 2026).

INTRODUCING THE 2026 ARTISTS: We’re thrilled to welcome violinist Andrew Wan to ChamberFest Cleveland during Week 2 of CFC 2026.

Concertmaster of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal since 2008, Andrew maintains an acclaimed international career as soloist, chamber musician, and recording artist. He has appeared with major orchestras across North America, Europe, and Asia under conductors including Rafael Payare, Kent Nagano, and Maxim Vengerov.

A founding member of the New Orford String Quartet, Andrew has collaborated with artists such as Daniil Trifonov, Emanuel Ax, James Ehnes, and Gil Shaham, and performs regularly at festivals including Seattle Chamber Music and La Jolla SummerFest. His award-winning recordings have earned Grammy nominations as well as Juno, Félix, and Opus Awards.

Be sure to mark your calendars for “Continental Drifts” (June 10–27, 2026).

INTRODUCING THE 2026 ARTISTS; We’re thrilled to welcome violist Njord Fossnes back to ChamberFest Cleveland during Week 1 and Week 2 of CFC 2026.

A Norwegian artist celebrated for his versatility and exceptional musical communication, Njord is a prizewinner of the Hindemith International Viola Competition and the International Instrumental Competition Markneukirchen. He has appeared as soloist in major works by Bartók, Mozart, Hindemith, and Walton.

An avid chamber musician and composer, Njord has performed at renowned festivals including Marlboro, Caramoor’s Evnin Rising Stars, and the Oslo Chamber Music Festival. His compositions have been presented in Norway and Denmark, including an orchestral premiere by the Oslo Philharmonic.

Be sure to mark your calendars for “Continental Drifts” (June 10–27, 2026).

INTRODUCING THE 2026 ARTISTS: We’re thrilled to welcome bassoonist John Clouser back to ChamberFest Cleveland during Week 2 of CFC 2026.

Principal Bassoon of The Cleveland Orchestra since 1997, John has appeared as soloist with the Orchestra in works by Mozart, Haydn, and Richard Strauss, and has collaborated in chamber performances with artists including Emanuel Ax, Mitsuko Uchida, and Leif Ove Andsnes.

A dedicated educator, he serves as Head of the Bassoon Department at the Cleveland Institute of Music and is a faculty member of the Kent/Blossom Music Festival. His acclaimed recent recording of bassoon and piano works by Bernard Garfield highlights his artistry both onstage and in the studio.

Be sure to mark your calendars for “Continental Drifts” (June 10–27, 2026).