The Program

Ischiafestival offers a unique week: playing, studying and enjoying quality, professionally-coached Chamber Music. This year's workshop is privileged to have engaged Judith Glyde, cello, Bruno Canino, piano, David Yang, viola, the Helix Collective: Sarah Robinson, flute, Phil Popham, oboe, Meghan Schaut, piano; Giuseppe Carannante, conductor and clarinet,  Keith Bowen, clarinet, and artistic director Aldo de Vero, piano, as resident coaches. Open to strings, woodwinds, brass, and piano players.

The workshop welcomes players of all levels although the majority tend to be intermediate and advanced. Participants should have a command of the instrument adequate for participating in chamber music and be able to read music comfortably.

Because Ischia Chamber Music Workshop is a deliberately small workshop, the strong culture of respect and trust created by this close-knit environment allows each member of the community to pursue academic and artistic interests with enthusiasm and self-confidence. While we expect participants to work hard, our workshop culture also encourages them to be appreciative and generous.

Participants are also drawn to the warm family atmosphere of Ischia Chamber Music Festival, where musicians, staff, their spouses and children share meals, chores and social events, creating a unique musical and human community.

Coaching sessions will begin Saturday the 5th at 9:30 a.m. Evenings after 6 p.m. will be free for sightseeing, free-playing, enjoying the wonderful food, sights and ambience of this charming island as well as being warmly welcome to enjoy listening to the Festival concerts during the week. Three Orchestral readings and a performance is a tradition of our program. The workshop will end with performances by participant musicians on the evening of Friday, May 11.

Application deadline April 4, 2012

Welcome Party

On Friday, May 4th a Welcome Party will take place at the Covo de' Borboni at 6:00 pm for all participants to get to know each other and the coaches and to receive information on the workshop.

An in-house concert will follow.

Ensembles & Repertoire

Participants are assigned to ensembles based on ability level and need for balanced instrumentation. Ensembles vary in size and instrumentation. String players will generally have at least one assignment in an ensemble with winds.

Repertoire will be assigned at least 4 weeks in advance and will be chosen based on ability, experience and stated preference. Upon acceptance, participants will be asked to complete a repertoire form and provide information on their past experience.

Perfomances

There will be one performance by Coaches, participant recitals, and daily in-house concerts of piano, winds, etc. with faculty artists. Each ensemble will have the opportunity to participate in an in-house recital, usually presenting one movement of the prepared piece.

The best advanced pre-formed or in-house formed group could be eligible to perform, along with the Coaches and other performers, in the "Friends of the Ischia Chamber Music Festival" , an International Chamber Music Feast that will take place in Naples from May 12th to May 14th 2012.

Participants interested in applying for this event must e-mail an audio-file (10' minutes max.) with a solo performance and a chamber music performance

Schedule

A typical day will include three morning coaching sessions and an afternoon rehearsal. On the excursion day, usually Wednesday, (such as a bus tour of Ischia or sightseeing tour of the nearby island of Procida), the schedule is adjusted accordingly. The goal is to be flexible and find as much time for music-making as possible while providing the opportunity to see some of the important cultural sites in the area. We consult with each participant before making the schedule so we can do our best to accommodate each individual's preferences and balance the group.

Everyone enjoys the after-lunch siesta break ("riposo") for time to relax or socialize. Late afternoon hours can also be used for organized sight-reading. There are optional activities including masterclasses, in-house participant recitals, lectures, etc. While there is a scheduled activity each evening, many participants also choose to use evening hours to free-lance.

Three Orchestral readings and a performance is a tradition in our program.

Dinner at the Hotel Grazia Terme is usually at 7:30 p.m. and festival concerts are presented on the Mediterranean schedule at 9 pm. Participants have the option to take the festival bus to performances on selected days