We have heard from student Matt Sandler, who is this year’s official blographer for the Music Department’s Summer Chamber Music Institute for high school students. Here is what he has to say:

“With the UCLA Summer Chamber Music Institute well on its way, this year’s participants have been on a whirlwind musical adventure thus far. The students have come from near and far (even from Alaska!), and the SCMI faculty, led by Dr. Jennifer Snow, has helped make the most out of their first few days as true Bruins! After an intense audition process before the summer session, the students came prepared to delve into the intricacies of chamber music. However, they soon found that chamber music entails quite a bit more than what they had originally expected…from breaking the molds of common performance practice in Dr. Snow’s chamber class, to exploring personal and interpersonal movement with Dr. Mark Carlson and Professor Wookey, and much, much more.

Brass students in the Summer Chamber Music Institute

In daily practice, the students are working incredibly hard to perfect pieces for their final concert on Sunday, July 13th (at 11:00 am in Schoenberg Auditorium). Works that would normally require weeks have taken these students simply a matter of days…which is certainly a testament to their unrelenting work ethic. And all the while, the fantastic SCMI staff has been helping them along the way – with Ikumi Hiraiwa as the director’s assistant and piano faculty, Dr. Chelsea Howell leading the woodwinds, Dr. Meghan Turner coaching the Brass, Dr. Carter Dewberry assisting the strings, and UCLA students Sumner Arano, Lorry Black, Paula Karolak, and myself as coaching assistants.

Professor Jens Lindemann, coaching. Really.

Additionally, the SCMI students have been fortunate enough to work with many esteemed UCLA faculty members (Professors Sheridon Stokes, Neil Stulberg, Gary Gray, Jens Lindemann, Mark Carlson and Brian O’Connor) in small master classes geared toward refining individual and collaborative performance. As aspiring musicians, the students certainly took full advantage of picking these masters’ brains!

Professor Gray with class

Luckily, it hasn’t been all work and no play. The students have enjoyed some down time exploring UCLA’s campus and Westwod, eating from Diddy Reese, and living the college dorm life. Not to mention, tomorrow night, we’re all headed out to see a performance of the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl!

With about half the week still to go, we all have much in store. But, the resulting concert will surely not be one to miss!

When? Sunday, July 13th. Schoenberg Hall. 11am.

Why come? Because you love chamber music!”