CCO’s Summermusik goes virtual with eFestival for 2020

Thanks to COVID-19, the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra made an early decision, back in April, to call off live performances for its 2020 festival, Summermusik.

CCO members playing along the new Art Climb rising up to the Cincinnati Art Museum

In the months since, thanks in part to some timely PPP funding and the generosity of CCO donors, the organization created a series of al fresco and other socially distanced chamber events called CCO2GO to keep players engaged and the CCO name in front of the public.

And during the same period, music director Eckart Preu and his creative team have been taking advantage of technology to develop a virtual Summermusik for 2020. Several of these dozen August offerings are “rewinds” of CCO2GO events, and some feature guest artists (live) and performances from previous seasons.

Eckart Preu
Music Director Eckart Preu

“Due to the generosity of the hundreds of individuals and organizations who support the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, we are pleased to be able to offer a 13-event virtual festival this August,” said executive director LeAnne Anklan. “All of us at the CCO value community engagement, and we are thrilled to have been able to send small ensembles of musicians to play all over our community during these difficult times. We are excited to share some look-back content for those CCO2GO events, as well as share some new videos with our CCO family.”

View free concerts, Aug. 8-29.

This week’s virtual Summermusik concerts…


Gibbons spectating from the trees

CCO2GO Rewind | Zoo Review

Saturday, Aug. 8 | 7:30 p.m. | Virtual Watch Party

A look back at the CCO’s summer partnership with Cincinnati Zoo, featuring a CCO string quartet serenading the animals.


Sivan Silver and Gil Garburg

eConcerts with Eckart | Silver-Garburg Piano Duo

Sunday, Aug. 9 | 4 p.m. | Virtual Live Event

CCO music director Eckart Preu will be joined by Sivan Silver and Gil Garburg, in conversation and performance.


Artist Cedric Michael Cox with the CCO’s Wes Woolard and Christopher Philpotts

eCrawl | Creative Compositions

Tuesday, Aug. 11 | 7:30 p.m. | Virtual Watch Party

A creative collaboration between Summermusik 2018 MusikArt visual artist Cedric Michael Cox, CCO second trumpet Wesley Woolard and CCO principal oboe Christopher Philpotts. Plus, guests learn how they can bid on the final work of art to support both Cedric and the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra.

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