NORTHAMPTON, MA — The Walden School of Dublin, NH, has launched a new program—the Creative Musicians Retreat—on the Smith College campus, and the Northampton community gets to reap rewards in three free public concerts in Earle Recital Hall.

The International Contemporary Ensemble, one of America’s top ensembles, will perform in all three events, and on June 15 and 17, Russell Pinkston, the Retreat’s Composer-in-Residence will moderate the Composers Forums, which are part performance and part discussion with the composer, performers and audience members. The two final evenings will feature world premieres by participants in the Creative Musicians Retreat who come from all over the United States and Canada.

SUNDAY, JUNE 12, 7:30 pm
THE INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY ENSEMBLE (ICE)
Earle Recital Hall, Smith College, Northampton, MA
The Program
Nathan Davis, “Wweet Bells” for clarinet, percussion, live electronics and cell phones
Kaija Saariaho, “Oi Kuu” for bass flute and cello
John Adams, “Road Movies” for violin and piano
Nathan Davis, “on the speaking of 100 names,” for bassoon and electronics
Intermission
Edgard Varese, “Density 21.5″ for solo flute
Iannis Xenakis, “Hunem-Iduhey” for violin and cello
Mario Diaz de León, “The Soul is the Arena” for bass clarinet and electronics
JS Bach, arr. Jacob Greenberg: Chorale TBA in a new arrangement for flute, clarinet, bassoon, violin, cello, and piano

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 7:30 pm
Creative Musicians Retreat Composers Forum
Earle Recital Hall, Smith College, Northampton, MA
Moderated by Russell Pinkston http://www.russellpinkston.com/
Works to include world premieres written by participants in the Creative Musicians Retreat, performed by members of the International Contemporary Ensemble and followed by a moderated discussion, led by Russell Pinkston

FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 7:30 pm
Creative Musicians Retreat Composers Forum
Earle Recital Hall, Smith College, Northampton, MA
Moderated by Russell Pinkston http://www.russellpinkston.com/
Works to include world premieres written by participants in the Creative Musicians Retreat, performed by members of the International Contemporary Ensemble and followed by a moderated discussion, led by Russell Pinkston.

The Northampton concerts are part of a larger 2011 Walden School Concert Series that includes 20 public concerts in Dublin and Peterborough, New Hampshire. All except one concert are free.

The Creative Musicians Retreat is designed for musicians ages 18 and older seeking to invigorate their musical training, participate in a rich and diverse musical community, and engage in creative music making through musicianship, composition, improvisation, choral singing, computer musicianship, and more.
Participants will have the opportunity to write for and work with members of the Ensemble-in-Residence, the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE). Everyone will participate in two Composers Forums, where they will hear new compositions and discuss them with the performers, composers, visiting artists, faculty and Russell Pinkston, the workshop’s Composer-in-Residence.

“Walden is a truly unique musical experience for students and teachers alike, fostering an explosively creative dialogue between composers and performers, and challenging all of us to become inventors together,” explains Claire Chase, flutist, and co-founder and executive director of the International Contemporary Ensemble.
Chase adds, “We begin with a blank page at the start of the week, and six days later we have given dozens of groundbreaking world premieres. ICE is incredibly excited to bring these new scores and new ideas to life over the course of the week in collaboration with an inspiring and singular community of artists.”

“The Creative Musicians Retreat advances The Walden School’s mission to nurture a life-long commitment to creative expression. Our newest program builds on Walden’s nearly 40 years of proven success in creative music education demonstrated by our Young Musicians and Teacher Training programs. The Creative Musicians Retreat has already attracted more than 25 participants from throughout the United States, with a variety of musical backgrounds, levels of training and ranging in age from 20-70,” states Seth Brenzel, executive director of The Walden School.
The Walden School, founded in 1972, is an acclaimed summer music school and festival offering programs that emphasize creative application, specifically through music improvisation and composition. In residence since 1983 on the beautiful campus of the Dublin School in Dublin, New Hampshire, the School provides an inspiring retreat-like
environment ideal for creative music making, with a student/faculty ration of 4 to 1. The Walden School is the successor organization to the Junior Conservatory Camp. The School’s core programs include the Young Musicians Program for musicians ages 9 to 18, the Teacher Training Institute for adult music educators and the Creative Musicians Retreat, its newest program offering for adult musicians. The School’s Concert Series showcases free public performances by renowned artists and ensembles that interact closely with students. To learn more, visit .

Contact: Seth Brenzel
Executive Director, The Walden School
sbrenzel@waldenschool.org
(415) 648-4710 (office)