Students, faculty and parents crowded into the Timken room to enjoy the music of 18 different chamber music groups. The audience, seated casually at small round tables, nibbled on cookies and fruit as they listened to works by Beethoven, Brahms, Dvorak, Prokofiev, Mozart, Stravinsky and others. Indeed, the diversity of repertoire chosen by the chamber music coaches was outstanding. Ranging from classic to contemporary, the program truly provided a taste of everything. Instructor in Music Holly Barnes, faculty advisor of the Academy Chamber Music Society, noted that she especially valued students’ exposure to 20th century music. Rhythm, she noted, can become the most challenging aspect for chamber music groups at the high school level, as the group must feel a common pulse. As there is no conductor in a chamber music group, unlike in an orchestra, group members must trust one another, listen carefully and discover common interpretations. Barnes said, “The ultimate goal is finding an interpretation for the music that everyone is committed to.” Considering these various aspects and challenges, the chamber music groups displayed superior preparation and produced a successful concert. Most students agreed, however, that with PA schedules, finding a consistent weekly rehearsal time became very challenging. Barnes explained, “Everyone is a soloist and each person’s part is crucial,” so rehearsing without the entire group of two to five people is worthless and unproductive. However, the students and faculty were able to overcome these initial organizational challenges to take part in what Barnes considers “a most intimate interaction in music.” The set-up of the Timken room, modeled as a café with tables and plenty of snacks, created a relaxed ambience conducive to relieving the stress of the musicians and attracting more students and adults wary of the formal concert atmosphere. In fact, this new approach attracted perhaps too many people, as the Timken room filled with people and soon became uncomfortably cramped. Also, the program featured 18 performances, perhaps too much to handle in one sitting. Even though there was a brief intermission, more students might attend these concerts if they know they won’t be committed to three hours of music. Regardless of the lengthy duration, the quality of the performances was consistently excellent. Memorable performances included those of the Seniors who played for their last time on the PA music stage. Marina Warsaw-Fan ’07 and Amy Chen ’07, co-presidents of the Chamber Music Society, gave heartfelt goodbyes in the styles of Brahms and Stravinsky, respectively. Justin Chew ’07, who was awarded a prize for his four-year dedication to the chamber music program, also closed his PA music career with a piece by Brahms. The underclassmen, however, didn’t fail to impress the audience with promising talent. The concert featured many Juniors, including two exclusively Junior ensembles which mastered pieces by Mendelssohn and Beethoven. Though the department will miss its graduating members, the future for the Music Department looks promising.
