Chamber Music Connection - you should know about this program!

Yesterday was the Winter 2010 Finale concerts for the Chamber Music Connection. This is such an amazing program that I want to let the world know about what's going on here. Chamber Music Connection is a program for K-12 students to learn and perform chamber music. The first session was in 1998, although the roots for this program go back to 1992. The artistic director and founder is Deborah Barrett Price. The program has recruited and produced some amazing chamber musicians, including groups that have been medal winners in the Fischoff and St. Paul competitions.

Every year, hundreds of young musicians are coached by professional musicians from the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Pro Musica, music faculty from universities in Ohio, and professional Chamber Musicians from visiting quartets and other chamber groups performing in the Chamber Music Columbus series at the Southern Theater. Autumn and Winter sessions include a series of concerts, including jazz, chamber orchestras and chamber ensembles. Master classes for all the ensembles are featured in every session. The spring and summer sessions include some intensive all-day workshops and master classes as well as finale concerts. These concerts are truly amazing and it's wonderful to watch the progression of our youngest musicians into accomplished chamber players over the course of just a few years.

Several of our young musicians have been featured in the "From the Top" series of radio and television shows. This YouTube video (Mendelssohn Quartet, Op. 13 I. Adagio. Allegro vivace, featuring Kaho Sugawara, Rebekah Lee, Rachel Kufchak and Kyle Price) that I filmed at yesterday's performance will give you an idea of how talented our program students are:



The programs is so successful that CMC has outgrown their available space for teaching students chamber music. I'm sure Deborah Price would be very interested in hearing from potential sponsors on coming up with a permanent solution to the space issues the Chamber Music Connection is facing.

This program is truly a hidden gem in central Ohio. If you enjoy chamber music and want to help promote the future of this genre, please consider supporting the program.