Launched in 2012 by Cleveland Orchestra principal clarinet Franklin Cohen and daughter Diana Cohen, concertmaster of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, ChamberFest Cleveland burst onto the scene with a Big Bang! Steeped in a lifetime of participation in music festivals, the Cohen’s dreamt of bringing a world-class chamber music festival to the Cleveland community.

ChamberFest Cleveland is now the region’s only such festival, creating thematic programming for unique chamber music experiences in a variety of venues around town.

Prelude & Postlude events are structured around each concert to deepen your experience while fostering audience engagement opportunities.

During 2014, ChamberFest Cleveland presented Tan Dun’s “Ghost Opera” for String Quartet and Chinese Pipa in collaboration with GroundWorks DanceTheater and its artistic director, David Shimotakahara, The two companies performed the world premiere of the first choreographed version of Dun’s transcendent exploration of human spirituality.  The ChamberFest performance took place June 28, 2014 at CIM’s Kulas Hall and was reprised at the 2014 Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival in Akron, Ohio later that summer.