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FESTIVAL PHILOSOPHY

Red Cedar Chamber Music Summer Festival was founded in 1998 for the purpose of bringing professional and aspiring-professional chamber music duos together to play chamber music, to gain performance experience, and to learn needed business skills to reach their individual goals. The initial focus was on flute/guitar duos.

The scope of the festival was expanded in July 2000 when publicity for the festival (once limited to Eastern Iowa) was extended nation-wide. That year, five flute and guitar duo's from five states came together. Read a story by participant Bret Heim about his personal experience at the July, 2000 festival. Since that time, duos have come from across the country to share their ideas, musical focus, and to be inspired by one another.

It is the goal of the festival to keep the number of participants low. We do not aspire to a festival of 100 people. Instead we cap festival participation at 12 people (6 duos). Why? We want each participant to have personal coaching time, and lots of personal interaction with festival directors Jan Boland (flute) & John Dowdall (guitar), as well as learning/bonding time with other duo participants. The festival is structured for ample time to explore your personal musical goals and find ways to reach them. We learn from each other in a supportive and friendly atmosphere. You will find the Festival to be a non-competitive, positive experience.

Red Cedar Chamber Music, PO Box 154, Marion IA 52403-0154
e-mail: music@redcedar.org • Tel: 319/377-8028