Project Grant

Hundreds of school children will have a chance to hear masterpieces of classical music performed by top-quality professional musicians; they will also learn about the instruments and the chosen repertoire. Similarly, senior citizens will be able to hear this ensemble in a familiar venue, at no cost. They will have the chance to interact with the musicians during the question and answer time (and the cookie break!). At the Family Concert, preschool children will have what may well be their first opportunity to hear live classical music and get a close look at the instruments. Several outstanding college music students will have the opportunity to learn from the professional musicians in a one-on-one setting at the master classes. And concert attendees will hear a top-quality professional performance of music which is seldom heard at concerts because of its relatively rare instrumentation but which includes masterpieces by Beethoven and Brahms, among others. (Arts Education) At each outreach venue, the musicians will tailor the repertoire and explanations to the age and experience of the audience. Thus, listeners will come away with greater knowledge, understanding, and appreciation for chamber music than they arrived with. All three of the performers are committed to passing on their love of classical music to succeeding generations.During this season, we will be using audience surveys at every concert, to find out attendees' opinions on the ensembles and the repertoire of each event. In addition, the surveys will seek information about other aspects of our events, including logistical information (e.g., preference in venues, concert times, etc.) and people's expectations and whether they were met. This will provide specific feedback to supplement the usual anecdotal feedback which we receive at receptions after concerts, where there are always lively discussions. At Whitney Senior Center, they have already begun using audience surveys at our events; these have been overwhelmingly positive, and have given us valuable feedback regarding which aspects of presentations have been enjoyed most. We will not be asking the third and fourth graders at Pine Meadow for written evaluations, but we always get some feedback from teachers and the principal. At the master classes, we will seek input from both the students and their teachers.