Young Musicians Chamber Music Workshop
An intensive experience for the advanced young chamber musician.
The Young Musicians Chamber Music Workshop is designed to be a one week, intensive experience for the advanced young chamber musician for those students in the 8th grade or lower as of fall 2012. The workshop has a low faculty to student ratio which makes it a wonderful learning environment. The camp is open to strings players (violin, viola, cello) and pianists. Prior chamber music experience is not necessary.
Sessions are held in the morning and include up to 4 hours of instruction each day. The noon hour is utilized as either a master class, performance time, or a general meeting time for all students to discuss topics of interest to help them grow both musicially and socially.
Location
The Young Musicians Chamber Music Workshop takes place at the MYA Center at Fort Sheridan.
Young Chamber Musicians Daily Schedule
| 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. | Coaching / Practice |
| 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. | Master Class / Performance Time / Lunch / General meeting |
There will be a brief meeting with Ms. Reagen on Monday at 8:30 a.m. The coachings, rehearsals, and FUN will start at 9:00 a.m.
These days will be busy and fun, and students should bring a lunch and a healthy snack.
Performance
Chamber Music Recital
Friday, June 29, 2012
12:30 p.m. at the MYA Center
Faculty
Rhona Reagen, Viola, Director of Midwest Young Artists Young Musicians Chamber Music Camp: Rhona Reagen has been a Suzuki method violin and viola instructor for over 30 years. She received her Bachelors and Masters degrees with honor and distinction from DePaul University. She has also had advanced pedogogy training with Betty Haag, Dr. Milton Goldberg, Gwen Furbee Ying, Rebecca Sandrok, and Julian Leviton. Rhona is on faculty at Midwest Young Artists where she conducts the Reading Orchestra and coaches chamber music. She has served on the board of directors of MYA since 1993 and is also a member of the executive committee. Rhona has maintained a private studio in Skokie since 1979. In addition to her studio teaching she is in demand as a sectional coach, clinician, and adjudicator at several local schools. In 2008 Rhona was named the Illinois ASTA Studio teacher of the year. She is the former co-director of the Elmhurst College Suzuki Program and a former faculty member of National Louis University.
Mandy Dennis, Cello: Today’s budding cellists may see Mandy’s perfect cello hand position in the early Suzuki cello books. As a young cellist, she won the Junior High String Division of the MTNA National Competition in Albuquerque, her performance there resulting in invitations to be a featured guest artist at the Illinois, California, Iowa and Oregon State Music Teachers Conventions. She was a finalist in the Stulberg International String Competition and prize winner in the Johansen International String Competition. Internationally, she captured the audience prize of the Skene Competition in Aberdeen, Scotland. She was also a prize winner in Indiana University’s Concerto Competition, where she received a B.A in Music as well as a Performer’s Certificate. Her teachers have included Janos Starker, Tsuyo Tsutsumi, Helga Winold and Hans Jensen. Mandy is also an avid lover of chamber music. She has participated in the well-known Chautauqua Institute in New York, the Next Generation Concert Series in Maine, and is a two-time medalist at the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition. She currently coaches chamber music ensembles at Midwest Young Artists. She has performed as a soloist in the Ravinia Festival’s Kids Concerts, the Knox-Galesburg, Kankakee Valley, Glacier and Champaign-Urbana Symphonies.
Paula Fischer, Violin/Viola, has 35 years of experience teaching and coaching young musicians. She is a faculty member at MYA, and also teaches chamber music to students at Niles North, Niles West and Loyola. In addition to teaching, Paula is also a freelance musician and very active performer. She has played for the Lake Forest Symphony, Chicago String Ensemble, and she is currently performing with the Evanston Symphony Orchestra. Paula also maintains a home studio in Skokie, where she conducts private lessons.
Beatriz Helguera-Snow, Piano, studied with Maria Teresa Rodriguez, one of Mexico's finest pianists, at the National Conservatory of Music of Mexico, where she graduated with a Concert Pianist Diploma with honors. She also holds a Master Degree in Piano Performance from Southern Methodist University, where she was a student of Dallas Symphony pianist Alfred Mouledous. At SMU, she had the opportunity of working as an accompanist for the studio of late Russian cellist Lev Aronson. One of the highlights of this time was playing for a master class by the legendary Mtislav Rostropovich. In Mexico City she has performed in major concert halls and was a soloist with the State of Mexico Symphony Orchestra, Bellas Artes Chamber Orchestra and others. Currently, She is an active accompanist and chamber musician, and with husband, cellist Andrew Snow, is a founder of the Chicago Pan-American Ensemble. Beatriz was part of the faculty at Betty Haag Suzuki School for almost a decade, and since 1997 has held a private piano studio for students ages 4 to adult.
Student Eligibility
No prior chamber music experience is necessary.
Minimum Level of Experience
Violin: Suzuki Book 4 or equivalent
Viola: Suzuki Book 3 or equivalent
Cello: Suzuki Book 2 or equivalent
Piano: Mozart Sonatas or equivalent
A Private Teacher Recommendation Form is required for students not currently in MYA programs so that we can appropriately group students into ensembles.
Tuition and Application
Students wishing to attend the workshop should complete the Secure Online Application Form and submit the non-refundable $50 application fee. This application fee will be applied toward summer camp tuition. Applications will be accepted until all positions have been filled. Tuition must be paid in full by June 1, 2012. Tuition for this workshop includes participation in Evening Orchestras for those students old enough to join.
Apply Online Now!
Pay your $50 Application Fee
Financial Aid Form
The financial aid form must be submitted at the same time as the workshop application.
Tuition
Young Musicians Chamber Camp: $490
Click here to download a PDF brochure for the Young Musicians Chamber Workshop
