Plot Synopsis

CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY RETURNS is a two-part documentary that chronicles the artists and staff of the Chamber Music Society (CMS) of Lincoln Center, as they return to their home venue after a 1.5-year absence. Are the trials of mounting a concert during a pandemic outweighed by the rewards of live music? In March 2020, when the world shut down, CMS closed its doors. The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic left an indelible mark, not only on the world at large but on the entire live arts industry. Performers worldwide suddenly found themselves on lockdown, and audiences were separated from the inspiring joys of live music. This series tells the story of CMS's return to live concerts at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall and on a six-city national tour, after being away in-person for almost two years. The film captures the passion for making music that pushed the CMS community forward at every turn. CMS brings viewers inside the planning and execution of the celebratory first concert back, through all the obstacles involved with mounting a tour in these fraught times, and finally takes us to the culmination of the fall season in the beloved annual tradition of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos. The return of live chamber music to Lincoln Center is a story of many trials as well as ultimate resilience and hope.