Chamber Music Program

Chamber musicians at the Aspen Music Festival

Welcome to the Chamber Music Program at the University of Colorado Boulder College of Music!

Participants in our Chamber Music Program work in a small ensemble throughout the semester, studying and exploring a chamber work together. Receive weekly coachings, perform in a showcase concert and enjoy the opportunity to engage with the greater Boulder/Denver community. The skills you’ll develop through chamber music study will help you in all other scholastic endeavors, musical and beyond. For even more intensive study, student groups may audition to be selected as one of our Honors Chamber Ensembles.

The goal of the college’s chamber music program is to hone the listening, collaborative, interpretative, leadership, organizational and entrepreneurial skills of each student while exploring the vast chamber music repertoire through thoughtful and inspired study, meaningful performance opportunities and community engagement in order to prepare students for a career as a citizen artist. (The Aspen Institute Arts Program has defined “citizen artists” as individuals who reimagine the traditional notions of art-making, and who contribute to society either through the transformative power of their artistic abilities, or through proactive social engagement with the arts in realms including education, community building, diplomacy and healthcare.)

There should be no dividing line between artistic excellence and social consciousness. 

—Joseph W. Polisi, President Emeritus, The Juilliard School, The Artist as Citizen

Course requirements

  1. At least 10 regular weekly coachings throughout the semester.
  2. Regular weekly rehearsals outside of your coaching time where all group members are present.
  3. Performance on a Chamber Music Showcase concert.
  4. Attendance at two showcase concerts and one other professional chamber music concert during the semester.

meta weiss
Meta Weiss

Meta Weiss joined the College of Music in January 2019. She has made a career as a performing cellist, both solo and chamber music, and college educator—and she’s passionate about all things chamber music! Weiss is excited to help shape and unify the College of Music’s chamber program. She moved to Boulder from Brisbane, Australia, where she served as both senior lecturer in cello and head of chamber music at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University (2015-2018). At the College of Music, Weiss coordinates all chamber music study—including helping with the formation and registration of student groups, assignment of coaches, organizing student chamber music performances and classes within and outside the college, and managing guest artist master classes and recitals. She also coaches several chamber groups in the program, performs on Faculty Tuesday recitals and directs chamber music performance classes. MORE

Contact

Meta Weiss
Chamber Music Coordinator
meta.weiss@colorado.edu
415-997-8054
, N1B08
 

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The Honors Chamber Ensemble Program is open to any chamber ensemble that is participating in the Chamber Music course in the fall semester. This program is designed for groups that are especially serious about chamber music and would like to stay together in more intensive study in the spring semester. Chamber ensembles that are selected for the program will be featured in prominent performances and outreach concerts during the spring semester. 

Groups are selected by audition for the Honors Chamber Ensemble Program at the end of the fall semester. Chamber ensembles are eligible to audition if 1.) they will be continuing (with the same group and group members) in Chamber Music in the spring semester; and 2.) they are available for all published Honors Chamber Ensemble performance and outreach dates. 

Possible performance opportunities in the Honors Chamber Ensemble Program include:

  • Featured recital on the Presents series
  • Featured recital on a local Boulder/Denver chamber music series
  • High-profile outreach performances in the Boulder/Denver area
  • Composer commission and performance
  • Donor events
  • House concerts

Students who are preparing chamber works for their degree recitals are welcome but not required to participate in the course. Students should consult their faculty advisor to decide on repertoire and personnel for chamber recitals. Students looking for assistance with personnel for recitals must be in touch with the Chamber Music Coordinator at least eight (8) weeks in advance, and preferably at the start of the semester.

If chamber groups will be participating in the course, they must complete all of the course requirements and must submit the Pre-formed Group form at the start of the semester.

In consultation with their faculty advisor, the student is responsible for coordinating and organizing all aspects of their chamber music recital with their collaborators—including but not limited to personnel, repertoire, scheduling, room bookings and rehearsals.

More questions about the Chamber Music Program? View our FAQ.

Upcoming chamber music events