2025-2026 Season Events
Check back often for updates! Past events can be seen in the History section
Screening of documentary film: Strangers on the Earth
Did you know a classical music film star lives amongst us here in northern Ohio? Dane Johansen is his name, and he’s a cellist of The Cleveland Orchestra. In 2014, Dane made a pilgrimage along Spain’s ancient Camino de Santiago - with his cello!
The documentary film, Strangers on the Earth, presents Dane’s adventures playing J. S. Bach’s six Unaccompanied Suites for Cello numerous times during this 36-day, 600- mile hike.
Dane will be present to talk about his experience, and perform select movements of Bach before the film is shown. This screening takes place in the contemporary LatinUS “blackbox” Theater, located in the Pivot Center for Art, Dance and Expression. Free parking.
What a fantastic way to kick off our 2026-2027 season!
Santiago Cañón-Valencia Solo Cello Recital
The Cleveland Cello Society and Cleveland Museum of Art present Santiago Cañón-Valencia Solo Cello Recital
Cellist, composer, and visual artist, Santiago Cañón-Valencia, hailing from Bogotá, Colombia, has been described as "technically flawless . . . totally under the skin of the composers' idioms" (The Strad). He was named a BBC New Generation Artist in 2022, and winner of the 2019 International Tchaikovsky Competition Silver Medal and Audience Favorite Awards.
The program will include Solo Suites No. 1 in G Major and No. 5 in C Minor by J. S. Bach, Sonata for Solo Cello by George Crumb, as well as two of Cañón-Valencia’s own compositions. Additionally, during the performance, paintings by Mr. Cañón-Valencia that were inspired by specific pieces on the program will be projected on a large screen.
Making his Carnegie Hall debut just a couple weeks later in early November, we are thrilled to present this super-star cellist in Cleveland!
Cello Explorations Lecture-Recital: Rebecca Landell and the Bach D Major Suite
This is a rare chance to hear the sixth cello suite played on the 5-string piccolo cello, for which it was originally written! In addition to her performance, she will deliver a talk on interpreting Bach suites through an 18th-century performance practice lens. This event may be especially interesting to cellists whose experience is mostly with newer repertoire, providing them with Baroque-era performance concepts to consider.
Rebecca is the Assistant Professor of Viola da Gamba and Baroque Cello at Oberlin, and a cellist with both Apollo's Fire and Les Délices.
Cello Explorations with Mark Kosower
The story of a great cellist of today, and his great cellist mentor of the past.
i Cellisti! 2025
The CCS’s long-running annual cello extravaganza and scholarship fundraiser!
Lecture/Recital by Dr. Nora Willauer
Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson and Lamentations: Black/Folk Song Suite
A Son’s Recollections of Antonio Janigro
Dr. Damir Janigro, son of virtuoso, 20th-century cellist, Antonio Janigro will share historic recordings, film clips, and his own personal anecdotes in this one-of-a-kind program.
Rolland Pedagogy Presentation
Ida Mercer on Paul Rolland's seminal work, "The Teaching of Action in String Playing" - from a Cellist's Perspective
House Concert celebrating Janos Starker’s 100th birthday
This was a very special private house concert featuring Mark Kosower, Principal Cellist of The Cleveland Orchestra, performing Bach's Suite No. 5 in C Minor for solo cello, and narrating a presentation about his mentor, the late great cellist Janos Starker.
We received a preview of Mark Kosower’s performances at the Janos Starker 100th Anniversary Cello Festival, which took place in Tokyo and Seoul in July 2024.
Annual CCS Scholarship Competition
Click on View Event to see the list of winners for 2024!
The Scholarship Winners’ Recital
Always an inspiring afternoon, come hear some of Ohio’s best young cellists! This program features the winners of the Cleveland Cello Society Scholarship Competition, held in April 2023.
Baroque Dance demonstration with Julie Andrijeski
The Cleveland Cello Society proudly presents
Baroque Dance demonstration with Julie Andrijeski
Free and open to the public
Masterclass by Paul Katz
The Cleveland Cello Society proudly presents
Cello Masterclass by Paul Katz, distinguished cellist and pedagogue
Free and open to the public