by Daniel Hathaway
The 2026 edition of ChamberFest Cleveland opened with a “Global Fanfare” on Wednesday, June 10 in Kulas Hall at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Each composer on the program represented a different continent — highlighting this summer’s Festival theme of “Continental Drifts.” The program was also all about rhythm.
Ghanaian-born musician Weedie Braimah, a virtuoso on the Djembe (West African drum), immediately established a global feel by drawing a plethora of mesmerizing rhythms and an expansive color palette from the Djembe, a single drum with many voices.
American composer Steve Reich’s Piano Phase followed immediately with Evren Ozel and Juho Pohjonen at two interlocking grand pianos, their playing seamlessly growing out of the Djembe rhythms that still lingered in the hall. Starting in unison and gradually moving out of synchronization and back again, Ozel and Pohjonen showed remarkable concentration and physical stamina during the relentlessly pulsating work. Gobo lighting added a bit of theater to the performance.
Chinese composer Yang Baozhi’s Ambush on All Sides brought Evren Ozell back onstage to join violinist Blake Pouliot in a veritable bushwhacking of sound. Pouliot achieved rock-star status, throwing himself headlong into jagged rhythms and aggressive musical lines that spanned the entire range of the instrument. Ozel brilliantly interjected harsh accents and a stream of vivid colors into this captivating performance.
A brief excerpt from Uruguayan composer Miguel del Águila’s six-movement Clocks: (I. “Shelves Full of Clocks”) found Gabrielle Després and Kerson Leong (violins), Emad Zolfaghart (viola), Raman Ramakrishnan (cello), and Evren Ozel (piano) visiting an imaginary clock museum. The ticking of timepieces was represented by sharp pizzicatos and plucking of piano strings. A fun, engaging piece beautifully brought to life by the performers.
The first half of ChamberFest’s opening concert came to a breathless conclusion with Australian composer Matthew Hindson’s Rush for Piano Trio. Pianist Evren Ozell, violinist Gabrielle Després, and cellist Raman Ramakrishnan joined forces for an invigorating piece that begins with a catchy ostinato in the piano and cello. A quick, humble melody redolent of folk music follows. Again, Ozel made easy work of the work’s constantly shifting rhythms. Downright fun, Rush brought the first half of the concert to a satisfying close.
Part Two brought more traditional chamber fare to the program, and new faces to the stage, as violinist Diana Cohen, violist Pearl de la Motte, and cellist Bryan Cheng filled out the roster for Johannes Brahms’ String Sextet in G, Op. 36.
In the opening Allegro, the ensemble established a handsome blend that still allowed solos to come through. Perfect interlocking rhythms distinguished the Scherzo, as long lines did in the Poco Adagio.
Too bad then that in the finale the group began to lose their sense of blend and control of high register pitches — often the case with ensembles that don’t play together all the time. But as always, the concluding chords brought the audience to their feet.
Published on ClevelandClassical.com June 17, 2026
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