Message from Seth Brenzel, Executive Director
Dear Walden friends,
I hope you are finding warmth amid the cold of winter. My heart is warmed by all the ways Walden community members are coming together to celebrate, make music, and prepare for another incredible summer of creativity in Dublin, New Hampshire.
I am currently on my way to Memphis for a weekend of activities at the Memphis Composers Institute, a new collaborative project between The Walden School, the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, and the University of Memphis. Read on for more information about this groundbreaking initiative, and if you’re in the area, please join us for the weekend’s open rehearsals, panel discussions, and four exciting world premieres on Sunday, February 9
Other upcoming Walden events include a fundraiser and celebration in Baltimore on Saturday, March 8, featuring the incomparable jazz pianist, Walden alumnus, and Baltimore native Cyrus Chestnut. You won’t want to miss his performance! And please save the date for a fundraiser and celebration in New York City on Sunday, April 27.
Applications for Walden 2025’s programs are still open, and our spring application deadline is April 1. Both the Young Musicians Program (YMP) and Creative Musicians Retreat (CMR) will be held on the beautiful Dublin School campus in Dublin, New Hampshire. Walden is also hiring for several summer positions at YMP—read on for more details, and please help us spread the word!
Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you at a Walden event or program soon!
Sincerely,
Seth Brenzel
Executive Director
415-587-8157
Memphis Composers Institue
A new collaborative project will present four orchestral premieres.
The 2025 Memphis Composers Institute, a collaborative initiative between the Memphis Symphony Orchestra (MSO), The Walden School, and the University of Memphis, will take place Friday through Sunday, February 7 through 9. This groundbreaking program celebrates emerging talent, offering mentorship and performance opportunities to composers selected through an international call for scores. The weekend will feature open rehearsals, panel discussions, and a reception, culminating in the world premiere of four new orchestral works on Sunday, February 9, at 2 pm Eastern at Harris Hall, University of Memphis.
The concert will showcase works by composers Evan Erickson, Sina Karachiani, and Soomin Kim, chosen from over 100 global submissions. Acclaimed violist Kimberly Sparr will perform a new viola concerto by D. J. Sparr, commissioned by the MSO and conducted by Kyle Dickson.
Visit this page for more information about this exciting project, including a schedule of activities, bios of featured artists, and a link to purchase tickets.
Upcoming Fundraising Events
Baltimore
Saturday, March 8
6 to 8 pm
Please join The Walden School’s Board of Directors, along with Walden and Junior Conservatory Camp (JCC) alumni, families, faculty, staff, artists, and friends, for an evening of music and refreshments to celebrate Walden and support its 2025 summer programs.
Acclaimed jazz pianist Cyrus Chestnut, himself a Walden alumnus, will perform.
“What makes Chestnut the best jazz pianist of his generation is a willingness to abandon notes and play space. ” —Time
This reception and concert will celebrate Walden’s mission of inspiring artistic expression and personal growth through experiential music programs. Contributions to Walden’s Annual Fund will underwrite critical student scholarships and inspiring artist residences at Walden’s 2025 summer programs. For more information or to RSVP, email us or call (415) 587-8157.
New York City
Sunday, April 27
3 to 5 pm
Please save the date for a Walden celebration and fundraiser in New York City. This afternoon of music, community, and refreshments will be held near Union Square in Manhattan. For more information or to RSVP, email us or call (415) 587-8157.
Apply for Walden 2025
The spring application deadline is April 1.
The spring deadline to apply to Walden’s Young Musicians Program (YMP) and Creative Musicians Retreat (CMR) is Tuesday, April 1, 2025. We encourage you to share the news with your friends, family, colleagues, students, and teachers
Walden’s 2025 programs:
- Creative Musicians Retreat: June 14 – June 22, 2025, Dublin School, Dublin, New Hampshire (for musicians ages 18-98)
- Young Musicians Program: June 28 – August 3, 2025, Dublin School, Dublin, New Hampshire (for pre-college musicians, ages 9-18)
Application materials for both programs are available on our website.
Write to us at applicants@waldenschool.org
Walden Holiday Parties
Throughout January, Walden community members gathered for holiday/new year parties in cities around the country, and online!
Walden holiday parties were held in Baltimore, San Francisco, Cambridge (Massachusetts), Bainbridge Island (Washington), and New York City. Alumni of the Junior Conservatory Camp (JCC), Walden’s predecessor program, also gathered for a holiday reunion over Zoom.
These events brought together Walden and JCC alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and board members for festive potluck gatherings. Delicious food and drinks were shared, music was played, new friendships and connections were made, and much merriment was had. Many thanks to our wonderful volunteer hosts: Sky Macklay and Sam Pluta in Baltimore, Ruth Rainero and Pieter de Haan in San Francisco, Josh Goodman and Anna Lumelsky in Cambridge, Danielle Schindler Cheung and Jason Cheung in Bainbridge Island, and Michael Schessel in New York City.
Thank you to all who gathered to celebrate the new year with Walden community!
Give the Gift of Walden
Bring some summer magic to the holiday season and support Walden School programs and initiatives with your order of Walden merchandise!
We have Walden beach towels (new!), blankets (new!), hoodies, shirts, baseball caps, canvas totes, stickers, mugs, pens, pencils, and more.
See what’s available and fill out an order form here.
Orders can be placed by check or money order, or via credit card/PayPal. Please contact Mindy Williams, Walden’s Administrative Manager, or call the Walden office at (415) 587-8157 if you have any questions.
Young Musicians Program (YMP)
Information Sessions
Join us to learn more about the music camp that changes lives.
Join us to learn more about the music camp that changes lives.Do you know a student who writes songs or arranges music? Or a young improviser who wants to strengthen their musicianship and meet like-minded peers? Or a music teacher who might like to learn about Walden’s unique curriculum?
Join us at one of our online interactive information sessio
All YMP Info Sessions are held on Zoom. Learn more and register for one of the info sessions below:
These events are open to prospective students, music teachers, and anyone else who would like to learn about Walden’s flagship program for musicians ages 9 to 18.
Walden is Hiring!
Join our summer team.
Walden is hiring for 2025 summer positions at our Young Musicians Program (YMP) in Dublin, New Hampshire. We are seeking new teammates to join our creative community, and we hope that you might help spread the word about these opportunities to your friends and colleagues. 
The positions currently open are:
2025 YMP Camp Nurse
2025 YMP Staff Member / Staff Lifeguard
2025 YMP Faculty Member
Please contact us with any questions and inquiries. All positions are open until filled.
Competitions and Calls for Scores
Featured opportunities with upcoming deadlines
Walden encourages the sharing of opportunities and resources for composers, including competitions and calls for scores that may be of interest to our community. We maintain a searchable list of competitions, awards, and calls for scores on our website. Opportunities are often posted in Walden’s community Facebook group as well.
Below is one featured opportunity with an upcoming deadline:
MacDowell is an artist residency program located in Peterborough, New Hampshire, near Walden’s summer home in Dublin, New Hampshire. A MacDowell Fellowship consists of exclusive use of a studio (with baby grand piano for composers), accommodations, and three prepared meals a day for two to six weeks. Applications are invited from artists of all backgrounds and all countries in the following disciplines: architecture, film/video arts, interdisciplinary arts, literature, music composition, theatre, and visual arts.
Over the years, many Walden alumni, faculty, and artists have participated in residencies at MacDowell, including Sam Pluta, Sky Macklay, Caroline Mallonee, Aurora Nealand, Dave Eggar, Leah Reid, Jon Yu, Eve Beglarian, and numerous others!
Apply by February 10.
Community News
Marilyn Crispell receives NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship
Marilyn Crispell, a Junior Conservatory Camp (JCC) alumna and past Walden visiting artist, has received the 2025 Jazz Masters Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, a prestigious award that recognizes her status as a “living legend” for her exceptional contributions to jazz. The National Endowment for the Arts describes her as “one of the most original and sought-after avant-garde jazz pianists and composers,” both for her prolific recording history and her extensive touring and performance experience. Marilyn has previously been granted a composition commission from the Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust and a Guggenheim Fellowship for music composition. Marilyn will be honored alongside three other Jazz Masters on Saturday, April 26, in a free concert at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.
Walden representation at the New York Choral Consortium
Walden board member Kate Valenta recently attended a New York Choral Consortium event, where members read through pieces by six featured composers, all of whom were present to discuss and conduct their work. While discussing in small groups, Kate learned that two of the six composers had attended Walden’s Creative Musicians Retreat (CMR) in 2017: Jamie Klenetsky Fay and Laura Jobin-Acosta. We love hearing about Walden and JCC connections being made around the world!
Brian Claeys receives Emmy nomination
Young Musicians Program (YMP) alumnus Brian Claeys has been nominated for an Emmy Award for his work on the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series on Disney+. The show picked up a record-breaking 16 nominations, including Brian’s for “Music Direction and Composition for a Live Action Program,” alongside composer Bear McCreary and the team at Sparks & Shadows, McCreary’s music production and record label. The show has another incredible connection to Walden: the character of Zeus was played by the late Lance Reddick, an esteemed Walden alumnus and faculty member, in his last screen appearance, and Brian wrote a special musical theme for his portrayal. Brian has also contributed music to Outlander, The Walking Dead, See, Call of Duty: Vanguard, and The Serpent Queen, as well as assisting McCreary on multiple projects including The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and God of War: Ragnarok. Congratulations, Brian!
Peter Thompson appointed Interim Rector at St. Bart’s
The Reverend Peter Thompson, a YMP alumnus, has been appointed Interim Rector at Saint Bartholomew’s Church in the City of New York. Peter was appointed Vicar at St. Bart’s in July 2021 after serving as Associate Rector for Formation and Liturgy since 2019. The letter announcing his appointment describes Peter as “a gifted speaker, teacher, and preacher” and “a strong and collegial leader” in his parish. Peter served as Assistant Rector of St. Paul’s on the Green in Norwalk, Connecticut, before joining St. Bart’s, and continues his passion for music as a singer in the Young New Yorkers’ Chorus.
Matthew Hunter retires from Berlin Philharmonic
Matthew Hunter, a JCC alumnus, parent to a Walden alum, and past Walden visiting artist, is retiring from the Berlin Philharmonic after a 30-year career with the renowned orchestra. A violinist turned violist at the age of 27, Hunter fell in love with the “dark chocolate” tone of the instrument and shortly thereafter won the Gee International Viola Competition. After winning a seat in the Berlin Philharmonic, he also became known to audiences as a guitar player during performances of Mahler’s 7th Symphony, adding yet another classical string instrument to his skill set. In a farewell interview with the Philharmonic, he mused, “becoming an artist is one of humankind’s greatest challenges. At the same time, it is one of the greatest privileges—can you imagine being able to devote your energy in pursuit of a sound-world ideal? From a philosophical perspective, a life dedicated to art music connects us to the eternal, to the essence behind representation.” The full interview can be found here.
Lila Meretzky releases album 
YMP faculty member Lila Meretzky is releasing her first album, Bone Dice, featuring music for percussion performed by Sandbox Percussion among other artists. On January 31, there was a release show at the Sandbox Studio in Brooklyn featuring selections from the album. You can also watch a live performance of Bone Dice by Sandbox Percussion here.
Alicia Jo Rabins releases live concert album 
Composer and performer Alicia Jo Rabins, a YMP alumna, has released a live concert album of her project I Was a Desert: Songs of the Matriarchs. The evening-length show for choir, string trio, rock trio, and Alicia herself is based on Alicia’s Girls in Trouble song cycle. The work was commissioned with the 135-person Camas High School Choir, and it is now available on Bandcamp, Spotify, and Youtube. In addition, there is a mini documentary about the process of making the project, which she has worked on for the past two years. Congratulations, Alicia!
Chad Hoeppner publishes book on public speaking
Chad Hoeppner, parent of a YMP student and husband of Hilary Kole (a YMP alumna and faculty member), has published a new book titled Don’t Say Um: How to Communicate Effectively to Live a Better Life. The book includes a comprehensive guide to public speaking and communication, with video resources of confidence-boosting exercises available online. Chad is a renowned public speaking expert, having coached presidential candidates and Fortune 500 CEOs. He condensed his knowledge from his communication coaching firm, GK Training, into the book.
Pre-release of FATHM by Laura Cocks
Laura Cocks, a member of The Walden School Players and a frequent visiting artist at Walden, has pre-released her second solo album, FATHM, on Out of Your Head Records and Relative Pitch Records. The full album will be out on February 21, with a release show at City University London. The album is being released digitally and on CD and LP, including 50 of each with hand-embellished covers.
Text scores by Caroline Mallonee featured in Pauline Oliveros tribute 
Two pieces by Caroline Mallonee (YMP alumna, Walden faculty, and director of Walden’s Creative Musicians Retreat) have been included in a new book called A Year of Deep Listening. What began as an online project by the Center for Deep Listening to celebrate the legacy of Pauline Oliveros on what would have been her 90th birthday is now a beautifully bound book of 365 text scores with essays to contextualize them. It is a tribute to her and her work, and it is a valuable resource for anyone interested in music made in this way. Carrie, along with the rest of the summer community,had the great pleasure of meeting and learning from Pauline when she was in residence at Walden in 2002.
We Want To Hear From You!
If you have a recent or upcoming premiere or concert, publication, award, new job, or a celebratory life event, please share your news, which needn’t be music-related (although we love your music-related news to be sure!). Email your news to alumni@waldenschool.org.
Stay in Touch
You can like The Walden School page on Facebook and join The Walden School private group to hear about events and opportunities throughout the year. You can also find us on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, bandcamp, and at waldenschool.org.
A dance during the 2019 Young Musicians Program
