The Calder Quartet wrapped up its two-year residency at Oberlin Conservatory and the Cleveland Museum of Art this past week with coachings, a masterclass, and a sold out performance at Transformer Station. Their parting words to the students came in the form of a professional development talk moderated by Director of Professional Development Dana Jessen. During this session, the members of the quartet stressed the importance of pursuing new music in college and beyond. Working with contemporary composers opens up a whole new world of possibility for musicians, as it allows them to function as a curator in addition to a performer. The four members also encouraged students to take advantage of the time and resources available to them while still in school—prior to graduation, the Calder began concertizing once a month in order to get their feet wet.
Overall, Oberlin Conservatory students found the quartet’s residency program beneficial and took advantage of what it had to offer. “Being a small community like Oberlin, it’s always valuable to have visiting performers come and share both their musical ideas and advice on professional development,” said fifth year violist Hannah Santisi. “The quartet residency offers a wonderful opportunity for us to connect with those outside of Oberlin.”
Contributed by Faith Roberts ‘16 Photos by Julie Anna Gulenko ‘15