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2024 Chamber Music Conference Information

We are pleased to announce that we are now accepting applications for this summer’s Chamber Music Conference at Colgate University!

Our Conference weeks will be similar to last year, and as usual, higher flexibility will be a differentiating factor in admissions decisions – the more flexibility you can offer, the better your chances of being admitted. The format for week 1 (the Intensive Week) will be similar to last year. See the Coaching page for information about the week formats.

We will offer the ability for participants to pre-form groups for coaching up to the usual limits (see the Coaching page for information about requests and pre-formed groups). Because week flexibility is of high importance, applicants must refrain from pre-forming groups until admissions are complete in mid-March. Pre-formed groups will not be a consideration in determining admissions.

Of course, we are offering our long-standing and much-loved Composers’ Forum format, with a Composer-in-Residence and a Composition Fellow at each of weeks 2, 3, and 4. In the application form we ask you to indicate your interest in being coached on a Composers’ Forum work. See the Composers’ Forum page for information about the composer residencies and commissioned works.

We are accepting applications for Conference auditors to weeks 2, 3, and 4 (see the Auditing page for information about the option of auditing at the Conference). That said, we are again unsure which weeks will have space for auditors. If you are applying to attend the Conference as an auditor, indicate all the weeks you can possibly attend, and we will do our best to make it work.

New Applicants

Welcome! Please use the CMC Participant and Auditor Online Application Form to initiate the New Applicant process.

To enjoy the Conference experience fully, you should be able to play your instrument(s) skillfully, have good sight-reading ability, and have some chamber music experience.

To facilitate appropriate assignment in coached groups with players of similar playing level and experience, we ask that new applicants provide references and audition with a CMC faculty member either in-person or virtually.

In our admission process we give returning players priority, but we typically have many openings to include new applicants. Depending on your instrument, your preferred attendance week, and the other applications we receive, it's possible that the audition process could be very soon after you send in your application or after some time.

Note that the CMC Participant and Auditor Online Application Form will ask for the following information as part of your application:

• a description of your musical experience
• the names and contact information of two musicians (teacher, friend, Conference participant or faculty member) whom we may contact and with whom you have played music

Health Precautions

Please read the list of precautions carefully, so that you have a complete awareness and understanding of what to expect of us and what we expect of you. It is essential that all attendees comply with our precautions to protect the health of our community and to minimize disruptions to our coachings, concerts, and other programs.

These precautions were determined after consultation with experts in the fields of infectious disease and occupational health and safety.

Because the conditions are constantly evolving, our precautions could change, and some aspects of the precautions will be finalized closer to the time of the Conference. The precautions that we are specifying now are what we anticipate based on our understanding at this time. It is important that everyone who plans to attend the Conference commit to adhere to the precautions in effect when they attend.

If we make any changes to the precautions as specified here, we will notify all attendees prior to the Conference.

Accommodations

The housing options are different from last year, and include dorms and apartments. Please review the section on Accommodations in the Beyond Music page on our website. Housing is always in single-occupancy rooms unless you request to share a room. In the CMC Participant and Auditor Online Application Form you will be asked to indicate a preference for a dorm, an apartment, or either.

Please note: Because the apartments are about ⅔ of a mile (a 10-20 minute, very steep walk) from the academic quad where all of our activities take place, we strongly recommend that you have access to a vehicle if you select 'apartment' or 'either' as your housing preference.

Accessibility—Please note changes for 2024

Attendance at the Conference requires the ability to independently negotiate Colgate’s walking paths, including some steep slopes. In 2024, significant construction work on the Colgate campus will impact where we can park on campus, which will in turn lead to more walking than we’ve experienced in other years.

Non-Playing Guests

If you wish to bring a non-playing guest with you, each guest must personally complete a CMC Guest Online Application Form in order to provide information that we require of all attendees.

Fees and Payment

Weekly Fees for Participants – $1,750. Includes tuition, room and board, free-playing, use of all facilities, and admission to all concerts and parties.

Weekly Fees for Auditors – $1,450. Includes attendance as an observer at coaching sessions, room and board, free-playing, use of all facilities, and admission to all concerts and parties.

Weekly Fees for Non-Playing Guests – $600. Includes room and board and admission to all concerts and parties.

Application Fee – $200 per person per week ($100 for non-playing guests), to be paid online using the CMC Payment Form. Both the application fee and the completed online application form must be received for an application to be processed. If we cannot admit you, the application fee will be fully refunded; otherwise, the application fee is nonrefundable.

Balance Payments – After you are admitted, the application fee is applied to your attendance fees and the balance will be due by April 15.

Method of Payment – Submit all fee payments using the online CMC Payment Form.

Refund Policy – If you withdraw after April 15, your attendance fee will be partially refunded (less $600 per week). If we cancel your attendance at any time, your fees will be refunded in full.

Financial Aid

Financial aid, made possible in part by donations to the Financial Aid Fund, is available to support participants who are unable to pay the full fee. Financial aid is awarded based on need – both the participant's need for support and the Conference's need for particular players. If you are requesting financial aid, provide details in your CMC Participant and Auditor Online Application Form.

Timeline

Please note that we are continuing last year’s pre-Conference timeline to reflect the earlier timing of the Conference at Colgate and to provide more time for preparation after coaching assignments are sent out.

This is the timeline for the 2024 Chamber Music Conference application process:

February 15: Application deadline for all applicants to receive first priority consideration for space in the program. After this date, participant applications received for spaces already filled will be automatically put on a participant waiting list.

Mid-March: Acceptance letters will be sent, including information about submitting your coaching requests.

April 15: Your payment balance is due.

Submitting an Application

The 2025 application form and brochure will be posted in December 2024.

Questions

All inquiries should be directed to Susie Ikeda, our Executive Director, at susieikeda@cmceast.org or 617-447-1808.