Chamber Music at the Museum

The Cleveland Museum of Art’s two chamber music series make the galleries and the Ames Family Atrium come alive through concerts highlighting the extraordinary wealth of talent around University Circle and beyond. From string quartets to keyboardists to unexpected small ensembles, rising stars and faculty, from organizations including the Cleveland Institute of Music and the Case Western Reserve University Historical Performance Program, play a wide range of repertoire related to the art on display.

Earlier this year, the Music Settlement held a program on French Impressionism in which Claude Monet’s Water Lilies served as a lovely backdrop. Another highlight featured the group Linking Legacies celebrating Black History Month in the contemporary galleries through works written by Black composers. This spring, we feature four free Chamber Music in the Gallery concerts at 6:00 p.m. on March 6, April 3, May 1, and May 17. The “Modern, Accessible, American” performance was so popular last year that we are repeating it this season on May 17, but with new works in the contemporary galleries. 

The lunchtime Chamber Music in the Atrium series is also free and features collaborations with local institutions. This year, Piano Cleveland celebrates its 50th anniversary by presenting concerts on the third Tuesday of the month from March to May at noon. These performances showcase some of the talented past winners of the Cleveland International Piano Competition (CIPC). Each pianist will present a captivating solo performance that weaves storytelling into the concert, including background on the works and how winning the CIPC has impacted their career. Piano Cleveland’s president Yaron Kohlberg (2007, Second Prize) performs in March. April features Antonio Pompa-Baldi (1999, First Prize), head of the Piano Department at the Cleveland Institute of Music. May’s recital showcases Chu-Fang Huang (2005, First Prize), artistic director of the Ameri-China International Music Association. This series is generously sponsored by the Leonard Krieger Fund of the Cleveland Foundation. Grab lunch from Provenance Café and join us at the tables in the atrium!