QUILCENE — Concerts in the Barn will host a youth Chamber Music Intensive workshop beginning Monday, with public concert planned Friday.
The workshop at the Quilcene venue at 7360 Center Road will run from Monday to Friday, capped by the concert t 2 p.m. Friday.
The 24 music students participating range from eight to 12th grade, and come from Jefferson and adjoining counties.
This first year of the intensive workshop is for strings and piano performers with possible plans to expand in the future.
“We’re delighted to bring back music workshops for youth on the farm,” said volunteer director Leigh Hearon. “It’s a great place to concentrate on the music and enjoy a week in our rustic environment.”
Instructors for the intensive will be the Skyros String Quartet and pianist George Lopez.
The Skyros Quartet, based in Seattle, has performed extensively around Asia and North America. Its recording “Introspective Odyssey” (PARMA Recordings/Navona Records) was praised by Gapplegate Classical – Modern Music Review as “…ravishing, articulate, sonically appealing approach that has passion more than sentiment…”
Lopez is currently the Robert Beckwith Artist-in-Residence at Bowdoin College in Maine. He also is the director of the Bowdoin Orchestra and brings over 25 years as a performer and educator.
Students will work each day in several sessions including small groups and chamber ensembles with instructors. They also will receive individualized instruction and master classes.
The hope is to expand this event in the years to come.
“I’m so excited for this opportunity for students here in Jefferson County,” said said Daniel Ferland, local music director at Port Townsend High School, who has several of his students participating.
”An experience like this would usually only be offered in Seattle or another large city or maybe a University setting. This is great,” he said.
This program is sponsored by Concerts in the Barn and developed in collaboration with the YEA Music program, a not-for-profit that supports music education experiences for youth in Jefferson County.
Don and Sylvia White have provided much of the funding and support for this program. The Whites have long supported Concerts in the Barn and music outreach in Jefferson county in the past.
For more information, see concertsinthebarn.org or YEAMusic.org.
