Chamber Music, First-Year Forum, and Senior Recital Seminar – Bard Conservatory of Music Internal Documents

Conservatory Chamber Music Studies

Handbook 2020/21

Conservatory Chamber Music Courses, First-Year Forum, and Senior Recital Seminar

CNSV 108 Melissa Reardon/Raman Ramakrishnan

First-Year Conservatory Forum: Wellness, Life Skills, and Chamber Music
2 credits. Enrollment in this course is required of all first-year undergraduate students in the Conservatory. Life as a musician can be extremely rewarding, but it can also, at times, be difficult physically, psychologically, socially, logistically, and in any number of other ways. This course aims to give students some tools to help them navigate their lives as musicians in the double degree program and beyond. A series of presentations, workshops, and discussions will cover such topics as time management, practice techniques, physical well-being, and mental well-being. Since many of a musician’s life skills can be learned through the study and performance of chamber music, students will also be assigned chamber music groups at the beginning of the semester, and will work with Conservatory faculty towards a final performance at the end of the semester.

CNSV 110 Marka Gustavsson
Chamber Music
2 cr. Enrollment in this course is required of all Bard Conservatory performance undergraduates, after their first semester in CNSM 108. Students will be automatically registered for this class, and are assigned or may request their own groups of 2-9 musicians. To be considered, requests must be sent to [email protected] before August 15, and January 15. All groups commit to the preparation and performance of formative repertoire. Rehearsal requirements must include at least two weekly 90 min meetings, and regular coaching will be arranged by the lesson scheduler. Performance opportunities include: the Chamber Music Marathon (Nov/April), noon concerts, student recitals, performance classes, and guest artist master classes.

**Notes:
Undergraduate students who have an exceptional need to reduce their work load may apply for a waiver for CNSV 110. Students must submit the online waiver form, and send an email notification to [email protected]. The waiver must be approved before the end of the first week of classes. Waivers received later than the first week will not be considered. Students may request to audit Chamber Music CNSV 110 for 0 cr, however the workload remains the same as the credit bearing requirement.

CNSV 403 Peter Laki/Raman Ramakrishnan

Senior Recital Seminar

4 cr. Students who are preparing for their degree recitals meet weekly to perform their recital repertoire for each other, and for members of the Conservatory faculty. In addition, the students conduct historical and analytical research into their repertoire, and write program notes that are printed and distributed to the audience the day of the recital, timetable permitting. Besides the weekly performance class, the seminar normally entails four or five individual meetings with the faculty member who assigns reading materials and supervises the writing of the program notes. The objective of the seminar is to give students an opportunity to become comfortable performing their recital repertoire, and to learn how to give each other constructive comments; they will also discuss and reflect on the music, and hone their writing styles.

CNSV 511

Chamber Music APS

3 cr. The role of APS musicians in Chamber Music may consist in being members of CNSV 110 required ensembles, as well as working with the CNSV 108 first-year ensembles, as mentors. This responsibility may include guiding groups in scheduling, rehearsal techniques, insistence on acquiring good materials, score study, preparing parts, maintaining good attitudes and relationships for productive rehearsing from the first meeting, through the performance process. APS may form their own groups within their program, and request coaching through Conservatory lesson-scheduling. Additionally, some APS musicians will be asked to perform in special concerts such as Music Alive, Da Capo, VAP chamber music, among other opportunities.

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Mission of the Chamber Music Program:

The demands of chamber music are variable, and not always remunerative, but the rewards can be profound. At minimum, if you learn to be a good colleague in chamber music, from the first reading to the final performance, you will gain tremendously in skills, which carry over into any kind of playing, or professional function that most interests you. If you truly invest yourself in the process by taking initiative, these will be some of your most gratifying, memorable musical experiences. Your fellow students, and the professional musicians whom you are beginning to know during these years of intense study, will be your life-long colleagues in various musical endeavors. The community you build through these musical tasks will be your network of support as you move through school and into your professional life. Treat people with respect, kindness, and always focus on a constructive path in preparing the task at hand. You will sometimes be the strongest, and sometimes the least experienced in your performing situations. Your job is to learn, and to effect positive change, for yourself and those around you.

Rehearsals and Coachings:

Chamber Music is a required course in the Conservatory; students are placed into groups, which are a primary obligation, similar to instrumental lessons. In addition, some students may also be assigned to do vocal chamber music for the VAP, ensembles for the Music Alive contemporary music concerts, and to play student compositions in reading groups, or for the Da Cap Chamber Players residency. Most groups should anticipate 8-10 scheduled coachings in the semester; additionally, groups are responsible for rehearsing between their sessions with faculty. A minimum of 2 rehearsals of 90 minutes each is recommended. In order to make good use of rehearsals, students are expected to be prepared, having practiced and cued their parts, studied the score, put measure numbers in parts and score. Respect for coaches and colleagues is assumed by being ready to play at the appointed time, having all materials (pencil, part, score, functional instruments), and turning off phones. Our chamber music faculty is very committed to their time at Bard, and we must acknowledge their generous effort share their experience as performers and teachers by being as attentive and prepared as possible. Students are expected to make their coaching sessions a priority. Unexcused, or unaccounted-for absences are very serious and will be reflected in the grade.

Final Concert:

It is expected that all enrolled students be available to perform in the end-of-semester Chamber Music Marathon concert. Groups should present their most prepared movements, or exceptionally an entire work. Please check the Conservatory Calendar for the date, so that you do not schedule any conflicting off-campus events. Each group must submit all program information to [email protected] before the announced deadline. The listing must include the following details: title of work, composers’ full names and dates, names of movements to be played with timings, and all players first and last names along with their instrument.

Special Performances and Master Classes:

In addition to the primary assignments in Chamber Music, each semester some students may appear on special concert programs by invitation. These opportunities include the Music Alive series, directed by Joan Tower and Blair McMillen, Faculty/Student Chamber Concerts, and a few off-campus events in the area. A number of guest artists offer master classes at the Conservatory each season, students and groups are assigned to these events according to specific repertoire requests of the guest, and recommendations by faculty. Opportunities that are open to all students are the Tuesday Noon Concerts, non-degree recitals.

Conduct and attendance:

Attendance at Conservatory Concerts and Master Classes events is a serious component of this program. In order to learn your craft thoroughly, you must develop beyond what your own practicing and performing experiences can provide you. Listen to your colleagues, and take the opportunity to learn from the visiting artists of various disciplines. Many of the masterclasses and concerts are open to the Bard Community, as well as the general concert-going public. When you perform, you must dress to show appropriate respect to our guests. Master class attire should be what you would wear to an audition, and concerts can be more formal if you wish.