In the fourth episode of Opus 4 of The Counterpoint Club, I Know What You Did Last Summer, the Skyros Quartet goes on a tour of music festivals! In the history segment, Justin discusses the famous Marlboro Music Festival. Next, Sarah provides some practical advice for researching and choosing music festivals. Justin and Brandon have a delightful interview with renowned violinist, third-generation musician, parent, and author Rebecca Fischer! They discuss the role of chamber music at the Greenwood Music Camp (among others), as well as her upcoming book The Sound of Memory: Themes from a Violinist’s Life. In the chat, Skyros shares some of their most influential memories from music festivals they’ve attended.
In the history lesson, Justin explores the beginnings and impact of Marlboro Music, a prestigious summer music festival in Vermont.
Visit Marlboro Music to learn more about this wonderful festival.
In the technique lesson, Sarah discusses the process of choosing and applying to music programs and workshops for students and adult learners. She explains how to navigate the myriad challenges and opportunities that are available through thousands of music programs. For more detailed guidelines from Sarah, visit the worksheet here.
Justin and Brandon share their conversation with violinist Rebecca Fischer about summer music festivals, artistic inspiration and her new book, The Sound of Memory: Themes from a Violinist’s Life.
Rebecca Fischer
Praised for her “beautiful tone and nuanced phrasing” (Boston Musical Intelligencer), violinist Rebecca Fischer is sought after as a highly expressive, intuitive performer of solo, chamber music and chamber orchestra repertoire. Garnering attention for her compelling programs of solo violin and singing violinist music, Ms. Fischer has premiered solo works by composers Lisa Bielawa, Nico Muhly, Paola Prestini, Mathew Fuerst, Augusta Read Thomas, Byron Au Yong, Pierre Jalbert and others. Recent solo recital engagements include Columbia University’s Miller Theater Pop-Up series, The Stone, and the University of Oregon. She is the concertmaster of Ensemble Baroklyn, a group run by pianist Simone Dinnerstein specializing in the music of Bach. Ms. Fischer is also a member of The Afield, a multidisciplinary collaboration with visual artist/writer Anthony Hawley combining new and original compositions for violin, voice, and electronics with video and other media. The Afield has performed at the Harare International Festival of the Arts in Zimbabwe, Brooklyn’s National Sawdust, Boston University, and KANEKO in Omaha.
First-violinist of the Chiara String Quartet for eighteen years until the group’s final season in 2018, Ms. Fischer recorded and performed numerous works by heart, held residencies at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Harvard University, and premiered many major new works by composers such as Philip Glass and Gabriela Lena Frank. Performance highlights include the complete Bartók Quartets by heart at Chicago’s Ravinia Festival, several complete Beethoven quartet cycles, and collaborations with such artists as the Juilliard and Saint Lawrence Quartets, Roger Tapping, Robert Levin, and the electronic duo Matmos. Ms. Fischer has recorded for Azica Records (the complete string quartets of Brahms and Bartók) and New Amsterdam Records (the string quartets of Jefferson Friedman, a Grammy-nominated album).
Committed to working with musicians and artists of all kinds, Ms. Fischer has given masterclasses and run workshops at Carnegie Hall, Rice University, Seoul National University, Peabody Conservatory, the University of Michigan, and San Francisco Conservatory, among others, and she served for over a decade on the faculty of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She currently teaches violin and chamber music at the Mannes School of Music and at Greenwood Music Camp, where she is also Associate Director. Ms. Fischer holds degrees from Columbia University (B.A.) and The Juilliard School (M.M., A.D.). Her writing on artistry and creativity has been published in Strings Magazine, and her first book of personal essays The Sound of Memory: Themes from a Violinist’s Life will be available in spring 2022.
To learn more about Greenwood Music Camp, where Rebecca Fischer is Associate Senior Camp Director, visit: Greenwood Music Camp or contact Rebecca at becca@greenwoodmusiccamp.org
To learn more about the Summer Student Festival led by the Skyros Quartet in July, visit: www.chambermusicmadness.org
Do you have a favorite music festival? Or a story to share about one of your experiences at a music festival? Please share your story in the comments!