Bennington Chamber Music Conference Brochure

The Chamber Music Conference
and Composers' Forum of the East
at Bennington College

July 30 - August 27, 2000

THE CONFERENCE

The Chamber Music Conference and Composers' Forum of the East is dedicated to the development of the amateur instrumentalist as a chamber music player and listener. It offers an exciting program of coaching, concerts, workshops, and other activities which provide performance and listening opportunities for amateurs and semi-professionals at various levels of experience. During free time, Conference members are encouraged to form their own ensembles with new and old musical friends. 2000 offers a choice of any of four weeks, with various combinations of instruments (see below for details).

Chamber Music Coaching

The Conference's distinguished faculty conducts a unique program of chamber ensemble coaching designed to instruct participants in the principles of chamber music and its performance. Participants, matched according to ability and experience, are assigned to four chamber ensembles a week. Each ensemble is coached for three days by a designated member of the faculty. During the daily coaching sessions, participants study repertoire, with emphasis on style, ensemble, and general technique. Well before the Conference, each participant receives notice of works assigned for caoching. To insure that the coached sessions are most productive, players then prepare their parts and become familiar with the scores. Enrollment is limited in each category of instrument to ensure ensemble balance.

Auditors

The category of "auditor" has gradually evolved and many "auditors" are now really "non-coached participants." Auditors are encouraged to form chamber music reading groups with each other and with Guest Faculy members, with the leadership/playing of an auditor coordinator, especially during the morning and afternoon hours when coaching of regular participants is occuring. Auditors enjoy the same opportunities to play and participate in all Conference activities outside of regular coaching, and of course may choose to audit coaching sessions rather than to play. The Conference seeks an instrumental balance among the auditors each week.

Chamber Orchestra and Workshops

The Chamber Orchestra, conducted by members of the faculty, provides an opportunity to read large-scale works for chamber orchestra. Sessions are held on Thursdays of each week, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Applicants should indicate on the application form whether they wish to participate.

On Tuesdays and Fridays of Weeks 2, 3, and 4 and on Tuesday of Week 1, workshops and/or lectures are conducted by members of the faculty, with emphasis on chamber music performance and technique. Informal lunch-hour talks by the composer-in-residence are held in a separate dining room on Friday at noon.

The Composers' Forum

The Composers' Forum is designed to expand the involvement of Conference participants in contemporary music, by preparing and performing chamber works written specifically for participant groups by our composers-in-residence during weeks 1, 2 and 3. Previously composed works by these composers are performed at the faculty concerts as well. The Conference also invites a small number of apprentice composers as participants, to have their work critiqued and tried out, under the direction of Senior Composer-in-Residence, Chen Yi. The activities of the Forum are supported in part by grants from the Alice M. Ditson Fund of Columbia University and the Virgil Thomson Foundation, whose generosity is gratefully acknowledged.

A Typical Day


7:30 a.m. -  8:45 a.m.    Breakfast

9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.	   Assigned coached ensembles

11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.    Coffee break

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.    Orchestra or free time

12:00 p.m. -  1:30 p.m.	   Lunch

2:00 p.m. -  3:30 p.m.	   Assigned coached ensembles

3:30 p.m. -  5:30 p.m.	   Workshops or free time

5:30 p.m. -  7:00 p.m.	   Dinner

Evenings: concerts by faculty; informal ensemble sessions, etc.

Performances and Other Special Events

The Conference Concert Series - The Conference faculty presents chamber music concerts on Wednesdays and Saturdays of the second and third weeks, and on Saturdays of the first and fourth weeks.

Participant Musicales - Informal concerts on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons provide participants with the opportunity to perform works on which they have been coached during the week. On Friday evening of the third week, Patricia Stenberg leads participants in a reading of Brahms' Serenades. On Friday evening of the fourth week, there will be a special participants concert (see Special 55th Summer Activities).

Open Rehearsals - Conference members are invited to attend faculty rehearsals of pieces to be performed on the Conference Concert Series.

Music Facilities

Rehearsal and practice rooms - Jennings Hall, Bennington College's music building, contains numerous rooms, most with pianos, for coached chamber music sessions and informal music-making. The Carriage Barn accommodates large ensembles and the Chamber Orchestra.

Library - The extensive music library of Bennington College, supplemented by the Conference's collection, is at the disposal of Conference members. Located in Jennings Hall, the library is staffed by a librarian and open during the day. Participants are encouraged to bring their own copies of works they are particularly interested in playing or studying.

Sundays at the Conference

Sunday is a free day. There is time to swim, snooze, practice, play, savor Vermont, or join friends to make music. Sunday evening, each week, the welcome meeting at the Carriage Barn is followed by a musical round robin and a party.

THE CHAMBER MUSIC PROGRAM

Participants may perceive differences in each of the Conference's four weeks, due to such factors as the number of groups being coached, the presence or absence of wind participants, or whether there is a Resident Composer. All weeks, however, have a common base in the chamber music literature - from classical to romantic and contemporary - and in extensive opportunities for informal playing among faculty and participants.

The Full Weeks

Weeks 2 and 3, each with a full enrollment of about 90 participants plus auditors, offer the greatest opportunity to meet new friends, see old ones and explore chamber works of differing instrumentation and style. Coached sessions include a mixture of groups, from just strings or winds to a variety of instrumental combinations large and small

The Intimate Weeks

Weeks 1 and 4 will offer a more informal program and relaxed setting for a limited group of about 50 participants plus auditors. Week 1, like Weeks 2 and 3, offers a broad range of chamber music literature for a variety of instrumental combinations. Week 4, "Strings Plus," is devoted to coaching primarily in the string quartet literature, but also includes works for strings and piano.

Week 1 instrumentation (7/30 - 8/6): Violin, viola, cello, double bass, piano, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and horn.

Week 2 instrumentation (8/6 - 8/13): Same as Week 1.

Week 3 instrumentation (8/13 - 8/20): Same as Weeks 1 and 2.

Week 4 instrumentation (8/20 - 8/27): Violin, viola, cello, and piano. Also pre-formed ensembles (see "Special Activities" below).

Participant enrollment is limited in each category of instrument to insure a balanced program.

The Conference Administration:
Stephen Reid, Chair
Dianne Mahany, Vice-Chair
Shem Guibbory, Music Director
Chen Yi, Senior Composer-in-Residence
Patricia Stenberg, Assistant Music Director
Kermit Moore, Assistant Music Director
Beth Anderson, Dorothy Kalson, Administrative Directors

Brochure photos: Claire Stefani.

Special 55th Summer Activities

For our 55th anniversary this summer, we will continue the successful pre-formed quartet program in week 4, featuring intensive coaching with members from the Silvermine Quartet and, new to the Conference this summer, Danielle Farina, violist with the Lark Quartet. Each pre-formed group will receive 12 coaching sessions on two standard works, one selected by the group and one by the music director. The Silvermine will be performing one of these works. Each participant group will perform in a recital. Please apply early -- enrollment is limited.

In week 2, we will have two new coaches: percussionist james Preiss and trombonist Nathan Durham. They will be performing in Stravinsky's L'Histoire du Soldat and coaching regular sessions in our standard repertoire. We will again welcome three or four Guest Faculty members each week. They will meet with and play with participants and auditors, with particular emphasis on improving sightreading skills.

Composers' Forum - Each participant selected for the Resident Composers' program (weeks 1-3) will prepare for the performance of new compositions during one of the three-day coaching sessions. These sessions will be guided by the week's Resident Composer and the Senior Composer-in-Residence.

This summer's faculty-led seminars will focus on the efficient and effective preparation of individual parts from scores.

The Conference mourns the untimely death of Jack Glick. A memorial program is being planned as part of the summer's acitivites.

THE CONFERENCE FACULTY

Music Director

Shem Guibbory
Cordier Ensemble; Epistémé Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; Soloist, N.Y. Philharmonic, Recording Artist, DGG, ECM, Grammavision. (7/30-8/27)

Senior Composer-in-Residence

Chen Yi
Professor Composition, University of Missouri, Kansas City; Former faculty, Peabody Conservatory, John Hopkins University; Composer-in-Residence, Women's Philharmonic, Chanticleer; NEA, American Academy of Arts and Letters grants; Prize, Chinese National Competition; Commissions, Koussevitsky, Fromm, Ford Foundations, Chamber Music America, San Francisco Art, Mary Flagler Cary Trust, Women's, Brooklyn and Los Angeles Philharmonics, New Music consort, San Francisco Contemporary Music Players, Rasher Saxophone Quartet, Kronos and Ying Quartets, Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, James Galway, Yehudi Munuhin, Evelyn Glennie, Yo-Yo Ma; Recordings by Nimbus, Cala, New Albion, Teldec, CRI, CRC. (7/30-8/20)

Violin

Joel Berman
Professor, University of Maryland, retired; Concertmaster, American Camerata for New Music; Former Concertmaster, Alexandria (VA) Symphony; Formerly University of Maryland Trio and String Quartet; Recording Artist, Columbia, Vox, Orion, Smithsonian, AmCam. (7/30-8/27)
Arnold Black
Director, Mohawk Trail Concerts; Formerly Casals Festival, NBC Symphony, and Assistant Concertmaster, Baltimore Symphony and National Symphony; Recording Artist, Allegro, Columbia, CRI, Nonesuch, Orion. (8/20-8/27)
Mayuki Fukuhara
Orchestra of St. Luke's, St. Luke's Chamber Ensemble, Brandenburg Ensemble, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra; Recording Artist, Music Master. (8/13-8/20)
Renée Jolles
Continuum, Andreas Trio, Musical Chairs, Chamber Music Plus, Jolles Duo; Bard, Marlboro, Rockport, Bowdoin Music Festivals; Guest Artist, Da Capo Chamber Payers, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Les Amis; Faculty, Juilliard Pre-College Division. (7/30-8/6)
Sonya Monosoff
Professor Emerita, Violin and Chamber Music, Cornell University; Formerly New York Pro Musica, Galimir Quartet, Amadé Trio; Fulbright Lecturer and Performer, New Zealand; Concerts and Workshops, Europe, Australia, Israel, USA, Solo Recording Artist. (8/13-8/20)
Linda Rosenthal
Founder, Director, Alaska Chamber Music Symposium, Juneau Jazz and Classics Music Festival; Chamber Music International, Chenanga Summer MusicFest, Festival Alexandria, Park City International Music Festival, Sitka Summer Music Festival; Professor of Violin, Chamber music, University of Alaska Southeast; International soloist; Recording Artist, Bay Cities, Topaz, Town Hall. (8/6-8/13)
Eriko Sato
Concertmaster, Orchestra of St. Luke's, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra; Founding Member, Aspen Soloists, Festival Chamber Music Society; Performing Artist, Mostly Mozart, Bargemusic, Chamber Music Northwest, Aspen, Angel Fire, Gretna, Caramoor and Dobbs Ferry festivals; Faculty, Mannes College of Music Preparatory Division, Hoff-Barthelson Music School, Special Music School of America; Recording Artist, DGG, Delos, Music Masters, Vanguard, Grenadilla. (8/6-8/13)
Joseph Schor
American Composers' Orchestra, Brandenburg Ensemble, Former Concertmaster, Denver Symphony; N.Y. City Opera Orchestra; Formerly Marlboro Music Festival, Casals Festival, Bennington College, Windham College, Middlebury College; Recording Artist, GM. (7/30-8/6, 8/13-8/27)
Paul Wolfe
Founder and First Violinist, Florida String Quartet; Co-Founder and Artistic Director, Sarasota Music Festival; Conductor, Florida West Coast Youth Orchestra; Conductor Laureate, Florida West Coast Symphony; Formerly Chairman of Education Committee, Board Member, Chamber Music America. (8/13-8/27)
Masako Yanagita
Concertmaster, Queens Symphony, Springfield (MA) Symphony; Faculty, Mannes College of Music; Princeton Chamber Music Week; Winner, Carl Flesch (London), Paganini (Genoa), and Munich Competitions; Recording Artist, GM, Town Hall. (8/13-8/27)

Viola

Sarah Adams
NY Chamber Ensemble, Parnassus, Smithsonian Chamber Players; Faculty, Columbia University, Queens College; Principal, Riverside Symphony; Assistant Principal, Brooklyn Philharmonic; NY Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, American Ballet Theatre Orchestra, Orpheus, NY Chamber Symphony, Philharmonia Virtuosi; Formerly Cassett Quartet; Associate Principal, Houston Symphony; Banff, Bard, Bowdoin, Caramoor, Sherman Festivals. (7/30-8/6)
Ronald Carbone
Composers String Quartet; Associate musician, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; Associate Principal, American Ballet Theatre Orchestra; Orchestra of St. Luke's, Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra; Recording Artist, CRI, DGG, Reference Records, Sony. (8/6-8/13, 8/20-8/27)
Nicholas Chords
Metamorphosen Chamber Orchestra, Prometheus Chamber Ensemble, Wild Ginger Philharmonic, Bargemusic; Aspen, Banff, Caramoor, Evian, Ravinia, Santa Fe, Taos, Verbier Festivals; Soloist, Philadelphia Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Queens Symphonyu, Juilliard School Orchestra, NY String Seminar Orchestra. (7/30-8/6)
Danielle Farina
Lark Quartet; Concerto Soloists Chamber Orchestra; Soloist, Celebration of American Excellence, American String Teachers' Assoc. Convention; Taos, Musicorda, Yellow Barn Festivals; Faculty, Summit Music Festival. (8/20-8/27)
Joseph Gottesman
Pacific String Quartet; Faculty, Western Washington University; Assistant Principal, Memphis Symphony; Mostly Mozart; N.Y. Chamber Symphony; Waterloo Festival; "Phantom of the Opera" National Company Orchestra. (8/6-8/20)
Christopher Huebner
Brandenberg Ensemble, Boston Artists Ensemble; Marlboro, Seattle, Monadnock, Rockport, Salzburg Wierner Festwochen Festivals; Guest artist, American String Quartet, New World String Quartet; Tours with Musicians from Marlboro, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra Formerly Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna State Opera Orchestra. (8/20-8/27)
Raymond Page
Alard String Quartet; Harrisburg Symphony; Teacher/Performer, Humboldt (CA) State University, Claremont Festival, Yale Summer School, International Music Institute (Spain); Recording Artist, CRI, Golden Crest, Leonarda. (8/20-8/27)
Veronica Salas
New Music Consort String Quartet, Rosewood Ensemble, Salas Duo; Soloist with U.S.C. Symphony, Westchester Ensemble, Aspen Orchestra; Recitalist, U.S. State Department tours; Principal, Opera Orchestra of NY, Colonial Symphony; Faculty, C.W.Post College; Recording Artist, Musical Heritage, Columbia, CRI, Nonesuch, Vanguard. (8/6-8/13)
Susan St. Amour
Principal, Berkshire Symphony, Albany Symphony; Williams Trio, Evansville Philharmonic Quartet, Saratoga Chamber Players, Music-in-the-Round at Williams College; Faculty, Williams College, Steiner School (Harlemville, NY). (8/13-8/20)

Cello

Edward Arron
Kim-Jacobson-Aaron Trio, Metamorphosen Chamber orchestra; Performances with Salzburg, Ravinia, Tanglewood, BRAVO! Colorado, Caramoor Festivals, Banff Center for the Arts, Jerusalem Chamber Music Encounters, Sante Fe Chamber Music Festival, Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert Series; Teaching Artist, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. (7/30-8/6)
Michael Finckel
Finckel Cello Quartet, Eberli Ensemble, The Sextet Project; Music Directory, Principal Conductor, Sage City Symphony; Faculty, Marymount College; Recording Artist, Opus One, CRI, DGG, ECM-Warner Brothers, Vox/Candide, Dorian. (8/13-8/27)
Alexander Kouguell
Professor Emeritus, Queens College; Principal, Musica Aeterna and Clarion Orchestras; Faculty, Alfred University Summer Chamber Music Institute; NY Chamber Soloists; Recording Artist, Columbia, Decca, Nonesuch. (8/13-8/27)
Kermit Moore
International soloist; Guest conductor, Brooklyn Philharmonic, Detroit Symphony, National Opera Ebony; Founder-Conductor, Classical Heritage Ensemble; Guest lecturer, N.Y. Philharmonic; Composer, Recording Artist, AmCam, CRI, EMI, Musical Heritage, Orion. (8/6-8/13, 8/20-8/27)
Maxine Neuman
Walden Trio, Breve, Vermont Cello Quartet, Crescent Quartet, St. Luke's Chamber Ensemble, N.Y. Virtuosi; Lighthouse Festival; International soloist; Faculty, Steiner School (Harlemville, N.Y.); School for Strings (NYC); Former Faculty, Bennington College, Williams College; Recording Artist, EMI, Columbia, Vanguard, Leonarda, Austrophon, CRI, Opus One. (7/30-8/20)
Lutz Rath
Orchestra of St. Luke's; Bronx Arts Ensemble; String Trio Kandinsky; Director of Chamber Music, Lyon, France; Formerly International String Quartet, Munich Philharmonic: Former faculty, Indiana and Brown Universities. (8/6-8/13)

Double Bass

Lewis Paer
Principal, N.Y. City Opera and American Ballet Theatre; Guest with Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center; Orchestra of St. Luke's; Sea Cliff Chamber Players; Recording Artist, ECM, Vox/Candide, Nonesuch, Arista, CRI, Angel, DGG. (8/6-8/20)

Flute

Sue Ann Kahn
Founder, Jubal Trio; League-ISCM Chamber Players; Faculty, Mannes College of Music; Director, mannes Preparatory Division; Former faculty, Bennington College; Naumburg Chamber Music and American New Music Awards; NEA Solo Recitalist Grant; Former Board Member, National Flute Association; Recording Artist, Vox, Musical Heritage, New World, Opus One, CRI, Albany. (7/30-8/13)
Jan Vinci
Vinci-Brown-Alton Trio; Albany Symphony; International soloist; Faculty, Skidmore College, Queens College; First Prize, International Performance Competition (England); Recording Artist, Albany. (8/13-8/20)

Oboe

Patricia Stenberg
Conductor, Sarasota Pops; Former Principal, Florida West Coast Symphony Orchestra; Florida Wind Quintet; Faculty, Florida Southern College; Past National President, Sigma Alpha Iota Music Fraternity; Recording Artist, Crest. (7/30-8/13)
Brian Greene
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke's, NY City Ballet Orchestra, American Ballet Theatre Orchestra, American Composer's Orchestra, Long Island Philharmonic, Stamford Symphony, Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake on Broadway; Berkshire Opera, Woodstock (IL) Mozart Festival, Skylight Opera Thtater; Formerly Sylvan Winds, An die Musik; Featured Recitalist, 1994 IDRS Conference, 1994, 1997 "Oboe Blowout" Conferences; Recording ARtist, Bridge, CRI, DGG, Newport Classics, Pantheon, Sony, Berve. (8/13-8/20)

Clarinet

Michael Dumouchel
Montreal Symphony, Musica Camerata Montreal, McGill Chamber Orchestra; Recording Artist, London, DGG, Centredisc CBC. (8/6-8/13)
Alan R. Kay
Music Director and Conductor, New York Chamber Ensemble; Founding member, Windscape and Young Concert Artists award-winning ensemble, Hexagon; Principal, Riverside Symphony, Santa Fe Opera, Little Orchestra Society; Guest artist, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, Da Camera of Houston, Bridgehampton Chamber Music Players; Recording artist, Arabesque, Bridge, Delos, DGG, Koch. (8/13-8/20)

Bassoon

Lauren G. Stubbs
Principal, Opera Orchestra of New York, P.D.Q. Bach; Co-principal, American Composers' Orchestra, Westchester Philharmonic, American Ballet Theatre Orchestra; Parnassus, League-ISCM Chamber Players, New Music Consort; Performances with N.Y. Philharmonic; Recording Artist, CBS, Columbia, Musical Heritage Society, CRI, Telarc, Vanguard. (7/30-8/13)
Stephen Walt
Principal, Albany Symphony; Founding member, Berkshire Wind Quartet; Formerly, Northeasterly Winds; Director, Woodwind chamber music Williams College; Adjunct instructor College of St. Rose, SUNY Albany; Co-Artistic Director, Williamstown Chamber Concerts; Recording Artist, CRI, Decca, Gasparo, Nonesuch, Albany. (8/13-8/20)

French Horn

Joseph Anderer
Founding member, Orchestra of St. Luke's and St. Lukes Chamber Ensemble; Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; Formerly Boehm Quintette; Recording Artist, Music Masters, Arabesque, St. Luke's Chamber Ensemble Records. (8/6-8/13)
Jean Martin
N.Y. City Ballet Orchestra, Brandenburg Ensemble, N.Y. Pops; Artrazann Trio, Georgia Brass Quintet; Faculty, Brevard Music Center, University of Georgia, Apple Hill Chamber Music Center; Recording Artist, Albany, Angel, Sony. (8/13-8/20)

Trombone

Nathan Durham
Opera Orchestra of NY, American Ballet Theatre Orchestra, Stamford Symphony, Northeast Pennsylvania Philharmonic, San Franciso Ballet, Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, BMI Composers Workshop Band, Maria Schneider Big Band; Showboat, Secret Garden, Les Miserables National Company Orchestras. (8/6-8/13)

Percussion

James Preiss
Steve Reich and Musicians, Parnassus, The Manhattan Marimba Quartet; Brooklyn Philharmonic, American Composers Orchestra, Westchester Philharmonic; Faculty, Manhattan School of Music, Mannes College of Music. (8/6-8/9)

Piano

Cynthia Adler
Concert pianist and chamber music coach; Chamber music and solo recitals, U.S., Europe, and Israel. (8/13-8/20)
Abba Bogin
Concert pianist, Conductor; Naumburg Award Winner; Director, Tappan Zee Concerts; Associate Director, Mohawk Trail Concerts; Recording Artist, RCA, Musical Heritage Society, Period, Town Hall. (8/20-8/27)
James Goldsworthy
Associate Dean, Westminster Choir College of Rider University; International chamber and solo performances; Former faculty, Goshen College, Stanford University; Recording Artist, CRI. (7/30-8/6)
Emma Tahmizian
Mosaic; Faculty, College of the Holy Cross; Bowdoin Festival; First Prize, Robert Schumann Competition; Prize-winner, Van Cliburn, Tchaikovsky and Leeds Competitions; Recording Artist, Balkanton, Koch, New World, Premiere (7/30-8/6)
Stephen Manes
Professor, SUNY Buffalo; Chamber concerts with Cleveland, Cassett and Tokyo String Quartets and Frieda Manes; Soloist with major sympnony orchestras; Recitalist, U.S. and Europe. (8/13-8/20)
Marya Sielska
Professor, SUNY Purchase, retired; Chamber music coach; Chamber concerts; Lecturer-recitalist. (8/6-8/13)
Elizabeth Wright
Faculty, Princeton University; McDowell Trio; Principal Keyboard, American Symphony Orchestra; Solo Piano, Paul Taylor, Martha Graham Dance Companies; Recording Artist, BMG/RCA, CRI, Gasparo, Opus One. (8/6-8/13)

Composers-in-Residence

Michael McFerron
Assistant Adjunct Professor, University of Missouri/Kansas City; Commission, Nelson-Atkins Museum, SUNY/Buffalo's June in Buffalo Festival; Performances by SEAMUS National Conference, SCI Regional Conferences, Brooklyn College Conservatory of Music, SUNY/Stony Brook, CCCD Electronic Music Festival, Music Educators National Convention; Finalist, Salvatore Martirano Competition, South Bay Master Chorale Competition; Recipient, Mrs. Ewing M. Kaufman Outstanding Graduate Assistant Award, UMKC Outstanding Graduate Assistant Award. (7/30-8/6)
Allen Shawn
Faculty, Bennington College; Commissions, New York Shakespeare Festival, La Jolla Playnouse, Lincoln Center Theatre, Film: My Dinner With Andre; Premieres by Albany Symphony, Sage City Symphony; Recipient, American Academy of Arts and Letters' Goddard Lieberson Fellowship. Recordings by Albany, Northeastern, Opus One. (8/6-8/13)
Sheila Silver
Professor, SUNY/Stony Brook; Commissions, American Composers Orchestra; Awards/Commissions, Rockefeller Foundation, Camargo Foundation, Chamber Music America-Lila Wallace Foundation, Barlow Foundation, NEA, Mary Flagler Cary Trust; Recipient, George Ladd Prix de Paris, Rome Award, League-ISCM National Composers Competition Award; Recordings on CRI, GSS, Leonarda. (8/13-8/20)

LIVING AND LEISURE

Bennington College

Bennington College, the home of the Conference, is set in the foothills of the Green Mountains in southern Vermont, with exquisite views of the surrounding countryside. The campus is a few miles north of the historic town of Bennington, which offers excellent shopping and dining, and is the site of a famous Revolutionary War battle.

Bed and Board

Conference members and their families live in charming New England-style student houses, each with a spacious living room and pantry-kitchen. Rooms are single or double with twin beds. Linens, blankets, pillows, towels, and soap are provided. Wholesome, well-prepared meals are served buffet-style in the Commons Building, a short walk from all Conference housing. Several attractive dining rooms provide a congenial setting where Conference members gather to eat, talk, and relax together.

For Fun

Parties - The Conference is known for impromptu informal get-togethers held in the evenings after the day's activities are over. A welcoming party on open night will kick off the Conference festivities.

Sports - Four clay tennis courts are available at the college, and there is swimming at Lake Paran, a short walk from campus. Boating, swimming, and picnic facilities are available at Shaftsbury State Park, a 15-minute drive. A National Park Forest in the Bennington area offers hiking and scenic drives.

Bennington and Beyond - The area has superb restaurants, antique and craft shops, art galleries, and historical museums. The Park-McCullough House, a confection of Victorian gingerbread-style architecture, is a historic landmark and community center in North Bennington, and sponsors exhibitions and concerts for the public. Williamstown summer stock theatre, Tanglewood, Marlboro Music Festival, Jacob's Pillow, and the Saratoga Performing Arts Center are all within easy driving distance.

Child Care - Bennington has an Early Childhood Center, on campus, for children 3-9; it will be open weeks 1 and 2. Other cooperative child care is arranged by participant and faculty parents. Please request further information with your application.

APPLICATIONS AND FEES

Conference Fees - Per Week

Participants - $810
Includes tuition, room and board, use of all facilities, and admission to all concerts and parties.

Auditors - $680
Includes room and board, use of all facilities, and admission to all concerts and parties.

Family Members
Adults - $380
Children 2-15 years - $170

Conference Fees - Other

Upon application, and payment of an appropriate fee, it may also be possible to join the Conference on a half-week or per diem basis.

Deposit and Payments of Fees

A deposit of $150 per person per week ($75 per family member per week) is required with each application. Full payment of the remaining fee(s) is due June 1, 2000. If a family member is unable to come, that amount will be applied to the applicant's fee. If an applicant is not accepted, the deposit will be returned. Accepted applicants who withdraw before June 1, 2000 will receive a refund of $100 for each week canceled. Refunds cannot be made for withdrawals after May 31, 2000.

Scholarship Opportunities

The Chamber Music Conference has for many years offered scholarships to participants who find it difficult to pay the full fee. For 2000 we continue this welcome tradition with the following programs: An applicant wishing to request consideration for a scholarship should send a letter, no later than May 15, detailing reasons for consideration and the type of scholarship being applied for. Please contact Administrative Director Beth Anderson for details.

New Applicants

If you have never attended the Conference we would like to learn something about your experience and playing ability in order to schedule you in compatible chamber music groups. Accordingly, each new applicant should enclose with the application a letter describing his or her playing experience and giving the names and telephone n