CHAMBER MUSIC

Timothy Hester
Division Head of Piano
Suzanne LeFevre
Division Head of Chamber String
Dana Pradervand
Division Head of Winds

Graduate and undergraduate musicians at the Moores School of Music gain a wealth of small ensemble experience through a diverse array of chamber music opportunities offered every semester. We regularly program works for performing groups representing the string, keyboard and woodwind/brass divisions, with occasional interaction with voice and other performing divisions as needed. Ensembles are created through undergraduate and graduate chamber music courses, where students are carefully assigned collaborators and repertoire for performance. Students are also given the latitude and encouraged to create ‘named’ ensembles of their own and request specific repertoire. All of them benefit from the wealth of faculty experience and input available at our school. Coachings are sometimes shared between faculty from differing areas to help give varied points of view. With its fantastic population of performers, The Moores School is an ideal laboratory in which our student musicians hone their skills for the future.

Chamber music allows our students to bring their talent and training from applied lessons and large ensemble experiences together while studying literature composed for smaller, more intimate groups. Whether working in a quintet, quartet, trio or duo, students benefit from coaching focused on tonal blending, score knowledge, effective and constructive communication, listening skills, intonation, and musical expression. Through this study, students are exposed to diverse literature, improving their musical literacy and perspective. Additionally, students derive invaluable experience in frequent rehearsals, honing vital musical skills and learning to work collaboratively. We believe that potential success in a professional music career is directly related to the skills acquired by studying chamber music at the collegiate level.

Research in Chamber Music
Courses vary, including topics such as Baroque trio sonatas. These independent study courses may include a performance component.

Performance
Ensembles have opportunities throughout the semester to perform in the Tuesday Recital concert series, student recitals and the final chamber music recital at the end of every semester. There are also numerous outreach performance opportunities at local high schools, hospitals, nursing homes, Bach-in-the-Subway and on-campus events.

Collaborative Techniques
Techniques for developing skills in sight-reading, keyboard harmony, rhythmic training, and accompanying.

Auditions

New ensembles are formed every semester; some continue throughout the term. Students new to the chamber music program should see their advisor to register for the appropriate chamber music course and section. Student-formed groups should consult with the appropriate applied faculty for guidance.

KEYBOARD CHAMBER MUSIC

Keyboard Chamber Music Coordinator – Timothy Hester along with his title Edythe Bates Old Professor of Piano, Keyboard Area Coordinator, Director of Keyboard Collaborative Arts

Professor Hester, in conjunction with Professor Brian Suits (please add photo of Brian Suits if there is room for it!), coach two-piano and four-hand literature as well a literature with mixed instrumentation. Within interdisciplinary chamber music, student levels and interests are assessed and matched, creating the ideal learning environment. Whether it is a sonata, trio, quartet, quintet, sextet or beyond, our students glean deep insight into the nuances of collaborative musicmaking. Tone control, flexibility, and active listening are skills, along with stylistic and dynamic parameters that are developed during this course of study.

STRING CHAMBER MUSIC

String Chamber Music Coordinator – Amber Archibald-Sešek

Professor Archibald-Sešek, in conjunction with the string faculty, guides students in the art of chamber music collaboration. Both standard and innovative repertoire are explored and performance opportunities fuel the learning experience. The strings chamber music course offers a variety of instrumental combinations and repertoire, primarily string quartets. Ensembles may include piano trios, quartets and quintets. Group rehearsals should average three hours per week of rehearsals and preparation for coachings. Group members are encouraged to develop responsible practice habits through individual preparation and effective rehearsal techniques. Performance opportunities include the studio classes, Tuesday one o’clock concerts, student recitals and the chamber music recital at the end of each semester as well as outreach performances that are a course requirement. The Graduate String Quartet, The Tomatz Quartet, is the flagship of the string area’s chamber music program. It is comprised of a rotating membership and stipend.

BRASS/WOODWIND CHAMBER MUSIC

Brass Chamber Music Coordinator – Gavin Reed Professor

Woodwind Chamber Music Coordinator – Yevgeny Dokshansky

In Chamber Music ensembles, students study literature written for smaller, more intimate groups. Whether working in a quintet, quartet, trio or duo, students benefit from coachings, which focus on tonal blending, score knowledge, communication, listening skills, intonation, and musical expression.

OTHER AREAS

Other areas contributing to the success of the overall chamber music are the voice area, coordinated by Professor Cynthia Clayton, percussion area, coordinated by Blake Wilkins. In many instances, there is a need for students from these areas to create special opportunities for mixed repertoire to be studied.

FACULTY

Timothy Hester
Edythe Bates Old Professor of Piano; Head of Keyboards; Director of Keyboard
Collaborative Arts
Brian Suits
Instructional Professor of Accompanying
Amber Archibald-Sešek

Professor of Practice in Viola
Gavin Reed
Affiliate Artist in French Horn
Yevgeny Dokshansky
Professor of Practice, Clarinet and Head of Woodwinds
Cynthia Clayton
Professor of Voice; Coordinator of Voice Area Activities; Director of Undergraduate Studies
Blake Wilkins
Associate Director for Recruitment, C W Moores

“Diversity, collaboration, and outreach are the core components of the chamber music program at the Moores School of Music. As a student, I had the opportunity to explore many unique genres and contemporary repertoire. We were not limited to collaborating solely with musicians from our instrument family. As a string player, I often performed with winds, vocalists, and occasionally percussionists. And we were given many ways to share our music with the community, from local retirement homes, to churches, schools, hospitals, and even city events. The program empowered me with the versatility, global awareness, and skills of a chamber musician.” - Kyle Rivera (‘19)