Evolution: Chamber - Quartets, Piano Trios + Composers

Overview

Evolution: Chamber - Quartets, Piano Trios + Composers offers early-career quartets, piano trios, and composers the opportunity to explore the lineage of the string quartet and piano trio, both as historical genres and as new and invigorated practices in the early 21st century - from Haydn, to new music created by the program’s faculty and participant composers. This highly specialized program provides you with the opportunity to enrich your approaches to interpretation, performance practice, and composition. Working with internationally celebrated faculty in a unique educational environment, ensembles are able to hone their craft, identify gaps, and reconsider priorities as you work towards cultivating artistic attributes that define your ensemble. 

Led by internationally celebrated faculty string quartets, the Eybler Quartet, the Parker Quartet, and the JACK Quartet; along with one of the world’s leading piano trios, the Gryphon Trio and extraordinary guest faculty - participating ensembles and composers have access to an unprecedented breadth of knowledge and performance experience throughout this residency.

What does the program offer: Quartets and Piano Trios?

This residency offers coaching and private lessons with the lead faculty and a mentor group of extraordinary scholars, composers, and instrumentalists, including composer Suzanne Farrin, musicologist Suzannah Clark, violinist Matt Albert, and violist Lesley Robertson. Daily presentations and faculty-led discussions will focus on intonation, dynamics, affect and rhetoric, advanced rhythm, performing editions, structural analysis, introduction to neo-Riemannian theory, in-depth exploration of faculty composers' work and process, collaboration, Right Relations, and diversity/equity/inclusion.

You will have 24hr access to studios, large studios will be available for group work and small individual spaces for private practice.

All participant ensembles will be partnered with a participant composer and be involved in the development, preparation, and premier of either a 10” quartet, string octet, or piano trio. This residency includes public performance opportunities; repertoire from the traditional canon will be studied and performed alongside contemporary works. 

What does the program offer: Composers?

Participating composers will work with faculty composer Suzanne Farrin and guest faculty in a process that supports the creation, performance preparation, and premiere of a new work for either string quartet, string octet, or piano trio that will have a total duration of approximately 10”. At the time of application, composers must submit a two-minute, fully-notated excerpt of a new work-in-progress for either string quartet, string octet, or piano trio. 
 
Prior to the program start date, composer group and individual meetings will take place online in May 2023 with Suzanne Farrin. These sessions will allow composers to meet one another, introduce their work and ideas, and discuss the full scope of their projects. Having established their individual creative departure points, composers will engage in an intensive and impactful process that allows them to learn from, and deeply invest in one another’s creative development.

You will have 24hr access to individual private studios. 
 
Composer rehearsals with ensembles, composer/ensemble coaching with faculty, individual lessons, participant composer presentations, and readings of other new material, will take place on-campus in June 2023, and premieres will be featured in the final performances.

Who Should Apply?

This program is open to early-career and professional string quartets, piano trios and composers worldwide. Applications are welcome from those who have completed or are in the process of post-secondary studies in a related field with performance experience. 

We welcome musicians of all ages (18+), backgrounds, gender identities and expressions to apply.

Program Dates: June 08 - June 25, 2023