Growing Together - with Program Assistant Katie

It was the final meeting of the year with the Big Sky Orchestra through Google Meet, and the sense of community that I had felt from them since the first day in the fall when I had joined their group as a volunteer mentor was still there. In the first 15 minutes before the actual Big Sky discussion began (to model the downtime when the kids would have their snacks and chat before the group lesson would begin when we were still meeting in person at the MLK before the pandemic), I couldn’t help but smile at what I was witnessing. One of the kids was intermittently playing Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up,” to which the other students responded by either dancing, making their stuffed ostrich and rubber duck dance, or typing in the chat how the song is a major bop. I felt a sense of gratitude to be amongst a group of people who could make the otherwise isolating form of communication over computer screens feel like we were once again together in person, and that 15 minutes of fun only preceded what would be the last of the deep, social-justice-based Big Sky Discussion of the year.

When I enrolled at Salve Regina University this past fall, I had decided to major in elementary education and music, as well as minor in creative writing. When I met my cello teacher at Salve, Jacob MacKay, I learned that he was the resident cellist and director of educational programming of NSP! I quickly asked if I could become involved in the organization. I began going to the MLK every Wednesday as a volunteer mentor, working with the Big Sky Orchestra and the Bright Sparks Orchestra. The first week I came, I was welcomed by a warm round of “Up the Ladder” with the Bright Sparks, and in my second week there I even substitute taught two of Jacob’s cello students. Before hopping on the trolley with my blue cello case (which is a great conversation starter with Newport tourists, by the way) on the way to the MLK center one week towards the beginning, I had told my friends from music theory that I was off to the Newport String Project. Upon being asked what that was, I described it in that moment as being “wholesome and rewarding;” since then, I have never refrained from using that description.

Working with NSP was wholesome through forging relationships with the students and staff and feeling as part of a community, whether through playing games such as “Lucy Locket” and memorizing each item we put in a mouthwatering soup with the soup stirring bow exercise, or through singing and playing “Rocky Mountain” as a whole ensemble at the Fall Barn Dance no matter the students’ skill levels. My position at NSP was also quite rewarding, because I had discovered that this type of program combines all my interests: working with children, teaching, music, creativity, and social justice. After my first semester, I decided to undergo the daunting task of quitting my work study position at Salve in order to take the new opportunity in my second semester to transition from a volunteer mentor into a paid Program Assistant.

In my second semester, I worked with NSP on both Mondays and Wednesdays, in which I could also work with the Pinwheel Orchestra and observe other students’ cello lessons. Before I knew it, the beginning of March came around, and we were planning this incredible March Practice Challenge. I was in awe of Ealain’s creativity with all the different engaging activities and the birth of the practice mascot, Ama the Llama. However, the big plans were slightly halted when a major dilemma came our way: the Coronavirus. It was then when we transitioned into virtual learning, and I have to say that the weekly staff meetings and Big Sky sessions really were the highlights of each week for me in the endless pit of quarantine. Right as the Coronavirus struck, I was also undergoing an incredibly difficult decision generated through self-reflection and soul-searching.

After getting sent home for the year from Salve, I reflected upon my year, and I had realized that NSP was the absolute best thing that could have happened to me. Being involved in NSP opened up a world of possibilities in life that I had never considered before, due to the fact that it combined all of my interests while simultaneously introducing me to more passions that would ultimately help me use my interests to make a difference in the world. I thought back to some of the conversations we had at Hannah’s Big Sky discussions when we were meeting in person and the life lessons I had learned. When discussing community, we agreed on a definition that community is when we show up for each other. At another point, we were pushing the importance of diversity, to which one of the students said that no diversity would be “Plane Jane-Ville,” which would be bad. I synthesized these two discussions, and I had decided for myself that if my career goal after graduating would be to work with an El-Sistema-inspired program, then I would want to be in a community of like-minded musicians who would be there for me to help me become the best musician and cellist that I could possibly be while also pushing me to discover more about different cultures and the impact that this music has on the world.

During quarantine, I had applied to other schools where I believed I could satisfy these desires. Still, I was incredibly torn because of my love of working with NSP, having top-notch cello lessons with Jacob, and being completely in love with the community at Salve, although I juggled these attachments to Salve with the fact that I had felt unfulfilled in being challenged in other regards and yearned for more rigor. Even though I was just exploring other opinions to expand my horizons and ensure that I was not being complacent in the school in which I was currently enrolled, I felt an overbearing sense of guilt that I was betraying Salve. I was ultimately searching for schools that could challenge me more, have a cohort of classical-based string musicians, supply lots of classical music opportunities, and provide me with more multicultural learning experiences.

In the meantime, I continued with life in quarantine as a Salve student, and I had contributed to the online learning experience with NSP, such as uploading weekly music-related quizzes for the Big Sky Orchestra and “Imaginative Illustration” prompts for the Bright Sparks Orchestra on Flip Grid. I also took upon two other challenges that helped me become more aware of my passions: I made two “Listening Calendars” that included music beyond the western classical music trope, as well as two Ama the Practice Llama themed children’s stories that reignited my love for creative writing. 

I had soon begun to hear back from transfer schools, and I was blown away by the opportunities available at the University of Rochester. Rochester is a big, diverse city on its own with opportunities available similar to NSP. As a school, it has a large international student population and an outstanding music department (and connection with the Eastman School of Music). I would be part of the Guaranteed Rochester Accelerated Degree in Education (GRADE) Program and specialize in elementary education to earn my MSEd in a year after my undergraduate education and work in the Rochester school district. As for music, I would take cello lessons at Eastman and have the opportunity to participate in different orchestras, chamber ensembles, and world music groups. As a music major, I would choose a track, which for me would be the Music in World Cultures track. I would also minor in creative writing and have the opportunity to sharpen my writing skills in hopes of writing more children’s literature in the future. Overall, the aspect of Rochester that I liked the most was its motto: Meliora (ever better).

The Meliora motto reminded me of my time at NSP, where we came together as a community to learn music and work for social justice. We all held hands and danced together at the Barn Dances no matter our age or anything else that would divide us. We overcame any nerves of performing in front of a large crowd by spreading holiday joy at the Jane Pickens Theater. We were resilient during remote learning and optimistic even in the face of a global pandemic. We made ourselves ever better, and that is exactly what my goal is for myself, as well, going forward—inspired by the motto of Rochester and the model of NSP. 

Living near Boston, I recently came across a mural of Charlie on the MBTA at the Symphony Stop with a cello; it led me to think that maybe we are all like Charlie (and conveniently enough, I had named my cello “Charlie” back when I got it in high school) in some way. We all eternally take a ride on our paths and never get off. We never lose sight of our values and passions, and we do whatever it takes to not stop prematurely. And that’s exactly what I saw at that last meeting with the Big Sky Orchestra. Yes, we all underwent a global pandemic, but the jovial banter made it seem like we never took this unnecessary stop, and our eyes are always on the future. 

Katie

Reflections: Big Sky Ensemble Virtual Meetings

As this season comes to a close, a season unlike any that has come before, we want to share one of the highlights of our distance learning experience.

With the onset of COVID-19, we immediately discussed how to recreate our weekly group classes with our oldest students making up the Big Sky Ensemble. In these classes, the students not only were able to practice and play together, but also had time to chat with us and each other, sharing whatever might be on their minds at the time. We also convened for a monthly workshop facilitated by our administrator, Hannah, playing games and doing activities around topics like safety, community, and identity. Both staff and students have expressed that they valued these in-person meetings, and we knew we had to find some way to keep that energy remotely.

Starting in early April, we invited all Big Sky Ensemble students to join us for a weekly Google Meet session - All staff and all of these students, just like each week pre-pandemic. We began by creating community guidelines together that incorporated this new platform of meeting (things like muting your mic when not speaking so the speaker can have the most attention), and then dived into planned topics each week. These topics included non-violent communication, youth activism, emotional literacy, and general check-ins about life in quarantine. Student input was always a main focus, making sure to ask questions around how students wanted to spend our time together and what topics interested them. Often, either our facilitator Hannah or one of the mentors screen-shared so that all participants could watch a video or view an image related to one of these topics. Other times, we did drawing activities where we responded to a given prompt and then were able to share our creations virtually.

What remained constant each week was our “Rose & Thorn” check in: An activity not created by NSP and used in many other youth organizations. Everyone shared their “rose,” something positive about their day/week, and then something not as positive, being their “thorn”. At our final meeting last week, we gathered together with one of the highest attendance of students since our virtual sessions began in April, and reflected on the year with a slideshow consisting of pictures of performances and lessons. It seemed that all students and teachers had similar “thorns” in this final meeting - That the season was over, and we wouldn’t spend time together each week until the fall.

As we look forward into next year, and tackle the questions around new methods of learning mid-pandemic, we now have seen the ways that distanced connections can remain just that - connections. Thank you, Big Sky Ensemble, for reminding us how strong our community has become.

Students Diego, Joseph, Max and Ryleigh joined by NSP staff at one of our meetings!

Spring Appeal 2020

Dear friends,

I hope this letter finds each of you well and in good spirits.

In this time of uncertainty, social distancing, and isolation, our shared need for a sense of community and connection has come into sharp focus. At NSP, we are guided by the belief that music can open pathways for people to connect in meaningful and nourishing ways – the ways that help communities engage with complex challenges.

The pandemic has created unprecedented complexity for our community. In this context, NSP has postponed many much-anticipated spring events and quickly pivoted to supporting our students, audiences, and musicians in new ways.

• For our students: Our students have been able continue their learning and crucially, maintain connections with their teachers through weekly online lessons, digital portfolios and discussion-based group classes. Last week’s Doorstep Duos saw students performing for family members on their porches and in their gardens, accompanied by their teachers on the sidewalk.

• For our audiences: To stay connected with our audiences we launched Virtual Mixtape 2020, which will continue to provide online interactions with our audience members throughout the summer. This initiative has opened up a beautifully rich dialog with our audiences. More online concerts and performances will be shared with our audiences in the coming months.

• For our musicians: Our Board of Directors instituted a Resident Musician Emergency Fund in order to offer additional compensation to the members of our team who have seen much of their freelance income disappear. As we experiment with new digital formats, we are excited to explore the opportunities that these tools provide. However, this moment pushes us to examine our role more fundamentally: to examine how this musical residency can be a resource for Newport—all of Newport—in its journey into a new chapter. We believe that organizations like NSP will have an important role to play in the landscape that is unfolding. The need for connection, beauty and healing will be deeply felt. We are determined to respond thoughtfully, to continue making music and creating spaces for expression and artistry. Now more than ever, we appreciate your generosity. Thank you for your continued support during these very difficult times. To make a donation, please click HERE.

On behalf of our entire team—staff and board members—we can’t wait to share live music with you in better times ahead.

With warm wishes for your safety and wellbeing,

Ealain McMullin Co-Founder & Director

Newport String Project at Home with Education Director Jacob Mackay

Here I sit, ensconced in my apartment waiting for inspiration to strike. My fitness goals were forgotten weeks ago, and the stack of books to read has somehow only grown taller. The houseplants are slowly expiring along with my capacity to think optimistically. I have baked a truly obscene quantity of artisan bread, and the only skill I’ve honed is the ability to recite nine seasons of The Office from memory. Last week, I watched so much CNN that in a belligerent stupor I accidentally performed fifteen consecutive push-ups. The regret that followed was overwhelming, and my news consumption has now been rationed to 30 minutes every morning, preferably over coffee and a multivitamin. So here I sit, ensconced in my apartment waiting for inspiration to strike.

From the other room, I hear the FaceTime alert emanating from my computer. Oh right, teaching! I leap out of my favorite chair and quickly excavate my cello from the debris field that has become my sheet music collection. The task at hand is to teach Minuet No. 2 over the internet, which I’m sure would have amazed the hell out of Bach if he were alive. After shaking the mental image of Bach in a wig and face mask, I fall into the familiar pattern of play-talk-listen, play-talk-listen. Then something truly unexpected occurs to me: that’s right, I really love playing the cello! Teaching kiddos over FaceTime is still teaching! Minuet No. 2 is a flawless creation! And all that blathering about music being powerful and healing might actually be true! 

I finish the lesson and return to my chair. It’s a leather armchair that came with my apartment. Truth be told, it’s the main reason I decided to live here in the first place. Basking in the afterglow of an elementary cello lesson, I start thinking positively for the first time in a long while. What a luxury to be fed, housed, and at least partially-clothed in a time like this! I still have a job that I love, practicing a skill that is fulfilling. And apparently I can still be motivated by Minuet No. 2! Across the room, I see the Bach Cello Suites sitting on a music stand left idle for days. I walk over and start playing the Gigue movement from the first Suite in G Major. The house is filled with familiar sounds, and I can feel the vibrations through the hardwood floors.

I move on from Bach to Memory by Chen Yi, a brilliant modern piece dedicated to the composer’s late violin teacher. In my head, I begin to perform in honor of the brave healthcare workers who have lost their lives saving others. I am ashamed by all those days of self-pity and pessimism. The piece finishes and I return to my chair, because let’s face it I’m not in shape. I think about how annoyed I used to feel seeing other musicians share their self-indulgent practice routines and virtual performances. For the first time, I envision the newly-widowed grandmother sitting by herself at home. She has just lost her husband and is isolated from anyone who could provide a sense of comfort. She goes online and finds a musician playing something that speaks directly to her. For a few minutes, she is lost in the moment and there is peace. 

So here I sit, ensconced in my apartment, sharing the inspiration that has finally struck.

Newport String Project at Home: Practice Scenes

As we have moved all of our lessons from in-person to the virtual realm, we encouraged our students, now more than ever, to share with us a snapshot from their at-home practice rooms!

Newport String Project at Home - with NSP co-founder EmmaLee

My new life, according to COVID-19

●     I have reverted to my childhood self, the one who was homeschooled and lived on a farm as an only child. My head is awash with ideas of how to spend my time at home, showers are optional and shoes seem needless. (What I can’t do is try a new fiddle tune out on my small flock of sheep.)

●     I now have time to play music with my husband Piero. We each retreat to our practice spaces, but then we converge in the living room where Piero has parked his 12-foot marimba and I bring my 14-inch violin. Our neighbors and friends below us have been showered with the sounds of our violin and marimba duos.

●     It has been challenging, but I’m easing back into running, or maybe I should call it people-dodging on the streets of Providence.

●     Even though it doesn’t offer the same rewards as gathering in real time and space, I’ve enjoyed having more time to connect with friends via Zoom, Skype, FaceTime and all those other platforms I rarely used before.

●     I was never a techy and it took me months to muster the motivation and courage to add a few tools to my technology repertoire. But now, through the help of many patient friends, I have learned some and failed at others that I would never have attempted before this period of isolation.

●     The kitchen has been a whirlwind of activity; I’ve been experimenting with new recipes and inventing meals to make use of all the odds and ends left in the pantry and gathering in the back of the refrigerator. My most exciting baking project so far was making sesame bagels!

●     Growing up, I spent countless hours knitting and crocheting, practicing my violin, helping on the farm and just roaming the woods surrounding our home. I now have a pair of knitting needles, a ball of beautiful yarn and a pattern sitting on the floor in the middle of my practice room, and so it has remained for a month or so.

●     Online teaching has been interesting. I’m growing accustomed to frozen questioning faces, strange squeaks and noises coming through my headphones, disembodied foreheads and violin scrolls in the corner of the screen and lots of awkward moments. I’ve learned how to get away with wearing my pj pants by staying close enough to the screen.

●     For us musicians, performing for live audiences is not an option these days.  But through the magic of technology we have found ways to connect with audiences in safe ways.  My husband and I have joined fellow musicians all over the world to broadcast on-line concerts.  The intimacy of these little events has a charm not often found in large concert settings.  Everyone has a front-row seat, and the real time chatting among audience members adds a feeling of connection.

I have realized, more than ever, how fortunate I am. I live in a comfortable apartment with my husband and wonderful neighbors who are great friends and great musicians and we have been able to make music together in our social pod during this time. I have enough food to eat, time to do things that I love and the privilege of staying home. I realize this isn’t true for many many people and I feel for all those who are going without, who are working in unsafe and stressful situations and who are fighting for their lives or are grieving the loss of those who have been lost to the virus.

I would like to share with you some of the music I have been making with Piero and my wonderful neighbors and friends, Adrienne and Andrei during these difficult times.

Looking back: Winter Community Barn Dance

At our second barn dance of the year, NSP students and families (as well as some curious and welcome onlookers!) joined together on the beautiful St. George’s campus. We were beyond excited by the turnout, with lines of dancers filled the room, accompanying music performed by EmmaLee and the Rusty Pick-Up String Band. When our students performed, I remember being floored by their progress — Without a doubt the most technically executed, but also the most comfortable and open, performance I had seen this season.

If we had known, that chilly February afternoon, that this would be the last time we would gather together in person for months, maybe we all would’ve danced a little longer… But the success of this event showcased how committed the NSP community is to creating memorable experiences together. As we move ahead into these uncertain times, that resiliency remains — Up until the day we can join hands and sashay again.

Photos by Don Farias.

Scenes from the Teaching Room

Photos by Thomas Palmer.

Winter Concert at Channing Church

On a particularly blistering night, we were brought together in warmth to enjoy NSP’s winter student concert. Each orchestra, and each student, showcased the progress they’ve made thus far in the season, making for an exciting and festive event.

Photos by Eric Hovermale.

Snapshots of Big Sky Orchestra at "Elf"

Photos by Thomas Palmer.

Highlights from "Alchemy" at St. John's Church

Photos by Eric Hovermale.

Fall Community Barn Dance Highlights

This past Sunday, we hosted our annual fall Community Barn Dance, which kicked off with the first performance of the season by NSP students. Families and community members joined us for an afternoon of dancing and fun at St. Michael’s Country Day School — Made possible by the fiddling flair of NSP co-founder Emmalee alongside the Rusty Pick-Up String Band.

Phots by Don Farias.

Scenes from This Season's Opening Concert

Photos by Eric Hovermale

A Letter from EmmaLee

After six incredible years of leadership and music making, EmmaLee has made the very difficult decision to step down as the director and resident violinist of the Newport String Project.

I remember when Ealain and I first visited the Newport community, almost eight years ago. I was struck by the charm and beauty of the city with its Gilded Age mansions and its yacht-filled harbor. As we looked deeper into the fabric of this city and began talking to residents and city leaders, we discovered there existed, amidst Newport's rich history and admirable commitment to preservation, a community of families living in less fortunate circumstances. And that is where we targeted our program of music and hope, of performances and mentorship.

From those early days in which the program was just an aspiration fueled by ideas from community leaders, it became a season of colorful paper violins and lively group lessons with singing and dancing and a sharp learning curve for both Ealain and me. Those first seasons, we hired guest musicians to join us and introduced the concept of approachable concert experiences to the community. As the project expanded, we figured things out as we went and we gained strength in the support of the community and especially of long-time advocates like you who helped fill our sails. The Newport String Project has now grown into a full-fledged organization with a board, a string quartet in residence and some 40 violin, viola and cello students and families. Ealain and I have grown, too, in our understanding of the complexities of serving the children in the MLK program and of forming a non-profit entity.

After months of deliberation and with the program now firmly anchored, this seems to be the pivotal time for me to cast my net in other musical seas. With a heavy heart but with full confidence that Ealain can guide this ship during this period of transition, I am stepping down as co-director of the project. I believe so strongly in NSP's mission and vision and I believe in Ealain and in all of you to continue to steer this vessel in a direction that enhances the lives of the students and the community. I offer my help during this passage from two directors to one.

How encouraging and empowering it is to have a group of supporters and donors who truly believe in our mission and who are working to make the organization as good as it can be. I feel certain you will chart a course that keeps the program growing and changing in response to the needs of the community and the students.

I thank you for your support and encouragement. It has been invaluable. And I look forward to an ongoing relationship.

With appreciation,

EmmaLee

Apple Hill visits Newport - a note from Ealain

It has been a longtime dream of mine to bring the musicians of Apple Hill to Newport so I wanted to share a few thoughts about how this concert came about. (Details of this weekend’s concert at Ochre Court can be found here.)

My connection with Apple Hill stretches back to when I was around the same age as our Newport String Project students. Apple Hill was touring - performing and teaching - in Ireland and Northern Ireland as part of their remarkable Playing For Peace program. For a whole weekend, myself and my youth orchestra friends were tucked away in an idyllic Irish manor in the woods of Donegal. All weekend we participated in masterclasses with the incredible musicians of Apple Hill, who coached us on the core skills of chamber music with patience, insight and humour. On a rainy Saturday evening, we gathered for the faculty’s concert. I remember being utterly mesmerized by the expressive sweep and the electric energy of their playing - a feeling of being transported far away and yet vividly present in the room. I also recall noticing how complicated the music seemed and that I didn’t really know how to make sense of it all, but that every moment was compelling. Getting to experience that music in our remote, wildly beautiful corner of the world - it seemed both totally unreal, and yet, completely natural. Home.

Needlesstosay, after that I was hooked, and sought out the chance to come to the Apple Hill’s Summer Workshop in New Hampshire as a participant. At the workshop, I joined a group of participants of all ages, all backgrounds, all playing levels, from all over the world. With the guidance of world-class faculty, we were supported to be radically expressive no matter where we were in our journey as musicians - all of this against a backdrop of a relentlessly supportive and inclusive community.

Many beautiful summers have passed and I now have the immense privilege of serving as a faculty member at Apple Hill’s summer workshop. Through Apple Hill, I have met treasured teachers, beloved friends and even met my husband (who will also be playing on this concert!). Through Apple Hill, I have discovered my most favorite composers, musicians and an art form that I am passionate about. Through Apple Hill, I have been able to travel and to make music with people from all over the world. Through Apple Hill, I am continuously learning how to be a better teacher. Through Apple Hill, I toured with an electro disco band… The list could go on and on and what is maybe even more remarkable is that I know my experience is not that unusual for Apple Hill alumni.

I am so thrilled that the Newport String Project will be introducing Apple Hill to Newport in more ways than one this month. This Sunday, Mike Kelley’s Five Animal Stories will feature both the resident artists of Apple Hill and the Newport String Quartet onstage together. Looking ahead to April 30th, one of Apple Hill’s founders Betty Hauck will give her presentation A Life in Music Lost and Found at the MLK Center. More info here. I believe that collaborations like this illustrate the strength of long-term connections made through music - friends, teachers, students, community. These connections are at the very heart of what the Newport String Project is about and our hope is to create spaces for our students and audiences that will allow these connections to unfold in their own unique ways.

We look forward to seeing you at Ochre Court this Sunday!

Ealain

A 2006 performance of Bach’s Concerto for Two Violins when Ealain performed alongside her teacher Elise (Apple Hill Hill String Quartet violinist)

Scenes from the Teaching Room

Death, Dying and Beethoven - Creative Medicine Lecture at the Cogut

We were delighted to join Dr Brian Alverson for his lecture “Death, Dying and Beethoven” as part of the Cogut Center’s Creative Medicine series. Dr Alverson’s engaging lecture was a moving and insightful exploration of illness and recovery through the lens of Beethoven’s music. It was a standing room only event with a diverse audience of doctors, med students and community members.

Photo Credit: Cogut Institute for the Humanities - Stew Milne

Fall Community Barn Dance Highlights

PHOTOS BY ERIC HOVERMALE AND PEGGY HOLMES

Beethoven at Avaloch Farm Music Institute

Longtime guest cellist and NSP board member, Heath Marlow, shares the following reflection on our magical week at Avaloch Farm Music Institute…

How fortunate am I? Each fall, Ealain, Emmy, and I spend a week in Boscawen, NH, preparing a string quartet program to bring back to Newport, usually with Ealain’s husband Jesse Holstein playing viola, when his schedule permits. This is our sixth time returning to the Avaloch Farm Music Institute.

The idyllic property includes a cluster of three barn-like buildings, specifically designed to host a diverse array of chamber music ensembles. Our surroundings are pristine yet still rustic, with seemingly friendly cows gazing at us from the other side of the low stone wall that marks the edge of the farm’s property. The only sounds we hear, other than our music making, come from the nearby fields being mowed.

In keeping with our quest to learn and perform all of the string quartets from Beethoven’s late period, we have decided to tackle his String Quartet in A Minor, Opus 132. This 45-minute work, in five chapters, includes an iconic slow movement, a piece of music of uncommon emotional vulnerability, composed as Beethoven was recovering from a serious illness.

It’s our sixth time returning to an enviable daily routine of space, time, and (too much) delicious food. Here is how our rehearsal retreat has unfolded thus far:

DAY 1 is about reading through all five movements and feeling pleased by how much we can already take for granted. Three of us have had the opportunity to play the piece elsewhere, and we’re off to a quick start. We also meet the other resident ensembles, including a cello and piano duo, a flute and guitar trio, and another string quartet.

DAY 2 is when we begin to inspect each movement more carefully. We start to notice unusual instructions and markings that Beethoven carefully wrote in the score. Were they really there the entire time? How do we effectively communicate what Beethoven intended?

By DAY 3, we are having a different conversation in our rehearsal studio. It’s about making meaning, being present, and capturing the elusive sensations of togetherness and shared intention. Jesse reads aloud a favorite quotation by Mildred Portney Chase: "It is impossible to be self-conscious and totally involved in the music at the same time... As I forget my own presence, I attain a state of oneness with the activity and become absorbed in a way that defies the passage of time."

That evening, we listen to two of the movements that we are working on performed by one of the other resident ensembles, the Solera String Quartet. They sound fantastic, as they should. They are here for a final tune up before their Carnegie Hall debut next week. After the concert, we scramble back to our rehearsal room, both inspired and a bit intimidated by their beautiful and topnotch performance.

DAY 4 arrives and we start the morning a bit grumpy, perhaps realizing that, just as we begin to understand the elephant that we are uncovering (do you know that famous parable about the blind man and the elephant?), the end of our time together at Avaloch Farm is drawing near. Fortunately for us, the potential for any serious disagreement in rehearsal is quickly smoothed over by plenty of laughter. Our first run-through goes well. We debrief afterward and fix a few rough spots before our rehearsal devolves into an uproarious imagining of ordering Dominos Pizza to be delivered at dinnertime. This is truly a laughable idea because the food here is incredible; each meal is its own work of art.

DAY 5: We decide to record ourselves using an iPhone. This is always the moment of truth. It turns out—and this shouldn’t surprise me, but it always does—that many of the expressive ideas that we are trying to showcase actually interfere with the overall flow of the music. Ealain gently reminds us that, in the words of the revered violinist Pamela Frank, "you can't stop to pick every flower." Becca Fischer, another Avaloch resident and former first violinist of the recently retired Chiara Quartet listens to us play through each movement and gives us really helpful feedback. Opus 132 is a work that her quartet performed last year during its final (18th) season together.

As my final evening at Avaloch Farm approaches, Emmy and I set off to explore the nearby lake, bathed in the warmth of the setting sun, in a canoe. There’s still time for one more scrumptious dinner, a second performance by the Solera Quartet and some late-night fine-tuning in our rehearsal studio before I depart on Saturday morning. A perfect close to the week.

Heath Marlow, cello & NSP board member

We’re looking forward to sharing Beethoven’s Opus 132 quartet with our Newport audience later this season…

Learning for All

A fresh start… Blowing off the cobwebs… Navigating new schedules and routines...

The back-to-school season can be an exciting time of new resolutions and possibility. And it can also present some challenges for students, families and teachers.

In the mosaic of the first few weeks, we have certainly had some challenging moments but there have also been some inspiring highlights.

One student turned up for her first lesson of the year and was uncertain that she wanted to continue. She was feeling very discouraged about the challenges of learning to play the violin. However after just a little bit of review, her mood and confidence soared as she realized how many of her skills were still in her fingertips because of how hard she had worked last year.

Another student spontaneously started to explore the question of how to take a piece of music by Bach and how to make it your own or make it relevant to a new audience.

And as always, we keep our ears open for those snippets of conversation that let us know that good stuff is going on…

“This year is even more fun.”

“If you had told me I could play a piece like this a few years ago, I would have said it was IMPOSSIBLE.”