9 DAYS, 40 ADULT MUSICIANS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
CREATIVE MUSICIANS RETREAT
June 14-22, 2025
Dublin, New Hampshire
The week-long festival in New England for composers, improvisers, performers, electronic musicians, choral musicians, and music teachers.
All participants at the Creative Musicians Retreat take classes, sing in chorus, attend improvisation workshops, hear concerts, and participate in Composers Forums. Courses include the Walden School Musicianship Course, seminars on Contemporary Topics, and courses in electronic music.
Each summer, an acclaimed contemporary music ensemble and composer-in-residence join us at the Creative Musicians Retreat. Recent Composers-in-Residence include Oscar Bettison, Amy Beth Kirsten, Lei Liang, Marcos Balter, Lisa Bielawa, and George Lewis, and recent visiting artists and ensembles include David Friend, Bonnie Whiting, Kyle Flens, International Contemporary Ensemble, and Mivos Quartet.
We are pleased to announce that Paula Matthusen will be the CMR Composer-in-Residence in 2025.
SUMMER 2025
Sign up for information about the 2025 program.
PARTICIPANTS COME FROM A VARIETY OF BACKGROUNDS AND CAN TAILOR THEIR WEEK TO THEIR OWN INTERESTS. EXPLORE OUR OFFERINGS:
Composer
For early to mid-career composers as well as amateur/hobbyist composers.
CHORAL
For those interested in choral conducting, singing, or composition.
PERFORMANCE
For artists who want to play contemporary music and/or improvise.
PEDAGOGY
For all music teachers interested in developing their teaching.
The Creative Musicians Retreat is run by the veteran faculty of Walden’s renowned Young Musicians Program. They are a diverse mix of improvisers, composers, performers, and music scholars.
CONCERTS, MASTER CLASSES, COMPOSERS FORUMS, & ARTIST RESIDENCIES
Visiting Artists reside at Walden for the duration of the Creative Musicians Retreat. They kick off the week with a concert of new music and then work with participants in a stimulating workshop environment.
Participants at the Creative Musicians Retreat are a diverse group of musicians interested in composition, electronic music, choral music, music performance, improvisation and music pedagogy. Amateur and professional musicians of all ages, including undergraduate and graduate students, are welcome to apply.
“ Walden fosters an explosively creative dialogue between composers and performers, challenging all of us to become inventors together. ”
– Claire Chase, co-founder of the International Contemporary Ensemble
“ I leave feeling refreshed and stretched intellectually and artistically, and it is such a wonderful experience — a true retreat. ”
– Participant
“ The teaching is excellent, both the formal classes and the one-on-one composition lessons. I have been exposed to interesting new ideas and have gotten practical tips that have made me a much better composer. ”
– Participant
“ It was thrilling to have the piece I wrote for the Retreat brought to life by the excellent performers. ”
– Participant
“ The excellent faculty members are extremely sensitive and geared to be helpful and inspiring. Because they are composers themselves, they are well aware of the difficulties and joys of composing new music. ”
– Participant
“ My experience at Walden’s Creative Musicians Retreat was extremely satisfying. The Walden program is unique in that it is totally geared to the needs, aspirations and interests of composers. …At Walden, we’re given the opportunity to get out with other like-minded people. ”
– Participant