It’s a year-round commitment. The Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival provides training and inspiration to the community, from preschoolers to adult musicians.
Starting with our young ones, OICMF brings Musicians-in-Residence to the island, teaching 3-7 year olds musical storytelling, rhythm skills and the language of music. In addition, dedicated community musicians take part in our Pied Piper program, visiting preschools to show how their instruments work, sound and bring joy.
For K-12 students, the Chamber Music Festival brings guest artists to the classrooms several times a year. Highly trained musicians offer skill-building techniques, mentor instructors and students, and provide inspiration.
Musicians of all ages look forward to Master Classes provided by OICMF. Individual artists, as well as visiting trios and quartets, provide focused technique for both young and community musicians.
Musicians-in-Residence for the past year include Rachel Buchman, who has taught music to young people and doctoral students in the United States, Germany, England and Israel; Monique Mead, a violinist, concert presenter and passionate ambassador of classical music in the United States and Europe; and the Miró Quartet, one of America’s highest-profile chamber groups, at the top of the international chamber music scene.