Central to a world-class education in music performance is participation in chamber music, which provides opportunities for smaller, more intimate performance ensembles. At Lamont, you will have the freedom to explore all possibilities of chamber music and create a diverse combination of instrumental and vocal ensembles. All instrumental performance majors are required to participate in at least one chamber music ensemble each quarter.
Based on the results of their audition, students are assigned to various combinations of brass instruments, most commonly trombone choir, horn choir and brass quintet. Additionally, they may participate in non-traditional instrument groupings via the Modern Music Ensemble. All brass chamber ensembles are coached by a member of the brass faculty. They receive one hour of coaching per week, with the expectation of additional rehearsals among the players. Brass chamber ensembles generally perform in one recital per quarter.
Our guitar students participate in at least two ensembles every quarter. Each ensemble receives a weekly individual coaching session of 45 minutes — a level of attention rarely encountered in guitar programs. Ensembles perform in guitar ensemble concerts, held at the end of each quarter in Hamilton Recital Hall.
Ensembles vary in size from duos to octets, and we especially emphasize collaboration with singers and other instrumentalists. The course covers music from the Renaissance to the present day.
The Lamont Percussion Ensemble performs four concerts per academic year, one each quarter plus a ragtime concert as the Lamont Ragtime Ensemble. We perform traditional works as well as music from today's most important composers, including commissions specifically written for our group. Our students have performed alongside today's leaders in percussion, including Third Coast Percussion, So Percussion and Gwendolyn Burgett Thrasher.
Our pianists perform in duos as well as in small chamber groups with strings and/or winds, such as piano trios, piano quartets and piano quintets. Pianists can also participate in the Modern Music Ensemble, Lamont Wind Ensemble and Lamont Symphony Orchestra. Lamont pianists rehearse and perform daily with their peers, as they fulfill the accompanying needs of the school.
All string ensembles have the opportunity to perform frequently in our chamber performance class at Hamilton Hall, in addition to performing in our well-attended quarterly formal concerts. In the spring quarter, we present an honors concert spotlighting select groups performing complete works.
All registered ensembles engage in community outreach events at care facilities and public schools in an effort to build strong ties between our string department and the Denver community.
In addition to working with our renowned string faculty, string chamber groups have frequent opportunities to work with world-class artists through our Celebrated Artist Teacher Series. Guest artists have included members of the Pacifica, Emerson, Takács and Borromeo String Quartets, among many other internationally recognized chamber musicians.
Based on the results of their audition, wind players are assigned by the faculty to a wind chamber ensemble such as woodwind quintet, saxophone quartet, reed trio and clarinet quartet. Additionally, they may participate in more non-traditional instrument groupings via the Modern Music Ensemble. They receive one hour of coaching per week, with the expectation of additional outside rehearsals among the players. All wind chamber ensembles are coached by a member of the woodwind faculty, and they generally perform in one recital per quarter.
Go to the graduate admission application to submit your information. For information on admission requirements, visit the graduate academic programs page and locate your program of interest.
