2023 Alumni Events
50th-Anniversary Reunion
We held a Walden School and Junior Conservatory Camp (JCC) Alumni Reunion from August 4-6, 2023, in Dublin, New Hampshire.
New York City Holiday Party
Thanks to everyone who gathered in New York on January 22 for a wonderful Walden holiday party! Executive Director Seth Brenzel and Development Director Noah Mlotek were joined by Walden alumni, faculty, staff, board members, parents, and artists for our first winter get-together since 2020.
2021 Alumni Events
Alumni Composers Forum
Featuring Yarn/Wire
On April 18, The Walden School hosted an online alumni Composers Forum, featuring Yarn/Wire performing works composed by Walden alumni. Each piece was followed by discussion with the composer.
This exciting event featured 10 world premieres. Our featured composers ranged in age from 12-70, and included alumni of the Young Musicians Program, Junior Conservatory Camp, Creative Musicians Retreat, Teacher Training Institute, Online Young Musicians Experience, and Online Creative Musicians Experience.
Alumni Composers Forum
Featuring the International Contemporary Ensemble
On May 23, The Walden School hosted an online alumni Composers Forum, featuring members of the International Contemporary Ensemble performing works composed by Walden alumni. Each piece was followed by discussion with the composer. Alumni of the Young Musicians Program (and OYME), Junior Conservatory Camp, Creative Musicians Retreat (and OCME), and/or Teacher Training Institute were eligible to submit works.
Walden Winter Wednesdays
From January 27-March 10, 2021, we hosted Walden Winter Wednesdays (WWW), a series of casual online gatherings over Zoom. Each WWW was for a different Walden cohort, with alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and artists bundling up in cozy scarves and gathering from around the country and around the world.
Learn more and see photos from the gatherings here.
2020 Alumni Events
Composers Forums in New York and San Francisco
We had two fantastic Composers Forums in New York on January 19 and San Francisco on February 22. The two Composers Forums featured works by 23 alumni of Walden programs. The featured composers ranged in age from 13 to 70. In New York, Mivos Quartet, frequent artists-in-residence at Walden, performed 12 world premieres. After each piece, the composer took the stage to answer questions from moderators Joan Tower and Loretta Notareschi, as well as audience members. Joan Tower is a past Composer-in-Residence, and Loretta Notareschi is a Walden alumna and faculty member. In San Francisco, past visiting artist Del Sol String Quartet performed works by 10 Walden alumni, with discussion n moderated by past Walden Composer-in-Residence Nathaniel Stookey.
Collaborative concert with Face the Music
On March 10, The Walden School and Face the Music collaborated to present a concert featuring students of both programs. The concert at Kaufman Music Center in New York featured flutist Laura Cocks and violinist Erica Dicker, members of The Walden School Players, CMR Artist-in-Residence David Friend, and the musicians of Face the Music. The featured composers included alumni of both Walden’s Young Musicians Program and Creative Musicians Retreat.
Festive Holiday Potlucks
This past winter we had festive gatherings for the Walden community in eight cities–Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, McLean, New York, Portland, San Francisco, and Seattle. Many thanks to our holiday party hosts, who welcomed local Walden community members to their homes for potluck-style gatherings. It was great to catch up with Walden alumni from multiple programs and many different years, as well as past faculty, staff, artists, supporters, and friends.
2018 Walden/JCC Alumni Reunion
Celebrating 67 years of transformative music programs
Some of America’s most promising composers and musicians
Alumni of the Walden School pursue a variety of careers and interests, although all leave Walden with a greater appreciation for the creative arts, music, and the compositional process. Walden alumni are among America’s most promising young composers and musicians, and we do everything to empower their future understanding and application of musicianship.
Friendships formed atWalden last a lifetime.
Alumni often cherish their experiences at Walden School and retain a vibrant connection to the organization. Some return to work as staff members during their years in college, and many of our faculty members experienced the Walden School as students for the first time. These composers, educators, and musicians have committed to nurturing the next generation of youth, as Walden once nurtured them.
Stay Connected With Alumni!
Keep conversations going with your Alumni Walden Community by joining our Facebook Group.