Chamber Music Residency Program
The Chamber Music Residency Program was designed to benefit both the community and young musicians who are interested in the values of community and service, and who would enjoy a period of concentrated rehearsal time followed by a very special performance opportunity.
Organized by cellist Robert Martin, retired founder-director of the Bard College Conservatory of Music and now a member of the Camphill Village Kimberton Hills community, the Residency Program will work with selected ensembles to schedule and design a useful and enjoyable residency experience, concluding with a public concert.
Program description
The primary goal of this program is to introduce young musicians to the values of community and service, while also allowing them an immersive chamber music experience.
The years of pandemic have not only shown the fragility of the classical music enterprise; they have also awakened in many young musicians questions about the meaning and purpose of their art, and an eagerness to use their talents to improve the conditions of those around them. We believe that even a few days’ immersive experience in an intentional life-sharing community that includes persons with disabilities can be life-changing, as well as bringing joy to that community. By including the broader Chester County area in this process, we aim to be an inspiration and model for civic health and regeneration. Read more about the program here.
Who are we?
Robert Martin, Program Director
Robert Martin studied cello at the Curtis Institute of Music with Leonard Rose and Orlando Cole, and liberal arts at Haverford College. He made his New York recital debut, with pianist Richard Goode, in the Young Concert Artist Series. During his doctoral studies in philosophy at Yale University he was principal cellist of the New Haven Symphony and cellist of the Group for Contemporary Music, then at Columbia University. After receiving his Ph.D., he pursued a dual career in music and in philosophy, holding joint appointments at SUNY/Buffalo, Rutgers University, and Bard College.
He was cellist of the Sequoia String Quartet from 1975 to 1985, during which time the ensemble made many recordings and toured internationally. He was Assistant Dean of Humanities at UCLA, and founded and produced the Los Angeles chamber music series “Music for Mischa.”; He produced and performed in the series “Music for the Exhibitions: Musicians from the Bard Festival” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. He was cellist of the Bard Festival String Quartet and served from 1999 to 2004 as president of Chamber Music America. He is editor of and contributor to many books and articles on philosophy and music.
At Bard College from 1994 until his retirement in 2021, Martin served at various times as Associate Dean of the College, Dean of Graduate Studies, Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Artistic Co-director of the Bard Music Festival. In 2005 he became founding director of the Bard College Conservatory of Music.
Linda Reichert, Program Advisor
Linda Reichert was co-founder and served as Artistic Director of Network for New Music, one of the finest new music ensembles and commissioning organizations in the greater Philadelphia region. As a pianist, Dr. Reichert has developed a reputation for championing and premiering new works of emerging and established composers, and regularly performs with the Network Ensemble and other chamber groups. She is in demand as a speaker, music panelist, and judge for numerous organizations and competitions; she teaches piano and coaches chamber music at the Settlement Music School.
Mary Javian, Program Advisor
Mary Javian has toured and performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra and other world-class ensembles as a double bassist. She is chair of career studies at the Curtis Institute of Music, from which she graduated. She is curator of a critically acclaimed concert series for LiveConnections at World Cafe Live, and has also curated performances for Intercultural Journeys, an organization that promotes peace and cultural dialogue through music. Ms. Javian currently serves on the boards of Project 440 and the VOCES8 Foundation in the U.S.
Support us
Please consider a gift, fully tax-deductible, to support the Chamber Music Residency Program. Much of the cost of the program is borne by the Camphill Kimberton community, for example lodging and meals for the musicians, local transportation, and all necessary spaces for rehearsals and concerts.
Your support is needed for:
Travel expenses for the ensemble members and coach
Honorarium for the coach
High quality recording of the public concert
Production costs, such as piano tuning, instrument rental, and poster printing