Registration for Fall 2021 Semester Open!
- September 15th 2021 - January 27th, 2022
- Wednesdays, 4:30 - 6:30pm, or by weekly appointment
- Ridgeview Classical School, 1800 S Lemay Ave, Fort Collins, CO 80525
- Tuition $100 per semester. Scholarships available
Registration closes September 8th. To participate you must be a fluent music reader and play a string instrument, piano or be an intermediate level and above woodwind player in Grades 4 – 12.
Program Updates:
This season hopefully brings us back to our usual weekly routine. In general, Off the Hook Arts follows PSD guidelines: if schools are conducting in-person classes, we will return to our usual schedule of weekly Wednesday classes. No one can predict the certainty of the pandemic path for September but, no matter what state of affairs we find ourselves in, the Chamber Music Academy will be in session.
In the case that life is not yet back to normal in September, registered students will be assigned to small chamber music ensembles and work independently with an assigned coach; scheduling with coaches the date and time of meetings, in private homes and/or spaces. In the case life is back to a semi-normal state, every group’s one hour, weekly coaching will take place at Ridgeview Classical School 1800 S. Lemay Ave, Fort Collins, CO 80525 with good social distancing practices in place. The second hour of the program will be in one of our Chamber Orchestras, led by either Michael Schaefer or Michael Davis.
Eventually, students will come together to perform at Off the Hook’s WinterFest 2022 in a special recital on February 6th. This opportunity to perform alongside our spectacular lineup of artists is a great honor and will be required.
New Elements:
For the first time this past Fall semester, we brought jazz and improvisation instruction to the Chamber Music Academy. If you have an interest in being in a small jazz or world music group, please let us know. We’ll do our best to place you with like-minded students, at your performance level, with a great coach ready to inspire and help you reach your creative limits.
Program Description:
Come join us and experience the joy of playing chamber music while finding your ‘musical voice.’ This collaborative music program gives young musicians high level instruction in developing musical skills by playing with their peers and working with experienced professional musicians. All students work in a chamber music group, as well as participate in one of our two chamber orchestras led by Michael Schaefer, 30 years + experience in the PSD music programs, and Michael Davis, former concertmaster of the Louisville Symphony Orchestra. Master classes with guest artists include festival artists from WinterFest and Front Range Chamber Players and take place throughout both semesters.
Workshops with visiting artists in our Garden Concert Series will be available March through October of this 2021 season through our Garden Concert Series.
Please contact Jephta Bernstein to participate as a sponsor or donor, financially or through the donation of pianos and instruments.
To Apply:
- Fill out the Chamber Academy Program Registration Form
- You will also need a Teacher Evaluation Form.
- Questions?
[email protected]
970.305.2261
Coaching Staff:
Strings: Jephta Bernstein, violin; Glésse Collet, viola; Michael Davis, violin; Madison Johnson, viola; Heidi Mausbach, cello; Daniel Delaney, cello; Ann Schnaidt, viola; Michael Schaefer, violin
Chamber Orchestra Conductors: Michael Davis and Michael Schaefer
Chamber Music Academy Program Details
4:25 Instruments out, tuned and ready to go
You’ll have plenty of time to chat, catch up, eat snack in just a few minutes (okay, 50 minutes).
4:30 – 5:20 Coaching
Pre-assigned groups will work on a standard repertoire selection as their semester long piece. Guest coaches and occasional switching of coaches will occur in order to give coaches with different main instruments so that all students have feedback, as much as possible, on their primary instrument.
5:20 – 5:30 Snack and Social Time
Bring a snack and relax a bit with your fellow musicians.
5:30 – 6:25 Large Ensemble/Chamber Orchestra Class
Students work in Chamber Orchestras, four-hands piano groups, or woodwind choirs. Ensembles are led by former Louisville Symphony Orchestra concertmaster Michael Davis, 30 year PSD veteran orchestra/band director Michael Schaefer, and flutist ‘Cille Lutsch. Guest Events: Guest Performances and Master Classes with visiting OtHA festival artists, Front Range Chamber Players members.
6:30 Go Home!
Students are required to be present, practice their parts, participate in discussions and workshops promoted by faculty, and perform in the end of semester recitals.
Recitals will be in public facilities in an effort to give back to our community and let kids Play It Forward!
Learn about ways you can offer your time and skill(s) and take on small jobs that make a major difference in our day to day operations. Contact Jephta Bernstein at [email protected] or visit our Volunteer page.
Our Fall 2020 Class Recital:
At the end of a very meaningful semester of our Chamber Music Academy, the dedication of our students was awe-inspiring. They worked extremely hard and gained a great deal from their safe in-person learning experiences. The recording of their final performance of 2020 – Beethoven’s Op. 18 No. 4 – is here for you to admire. Please enjoy, and consider supporting our students this coming semester or enrolling your student in our CMA.
The Adult Amateur Chamber Music Workshop
Off the Hook Arts is pleased to offer the Adult Amateur Chamber Music Workshop. Enroll in a chamber music group as an individual or bring in a pre-formed group for coaching with professional chamber musicians.
