At Bach at the Rock, our work aims to address two fundamental issues concerning the classical music space:
First, we want to provide career growth and artistic development opportunities for professional musicians who have experience in the field and wish to continue their educational growth. We see an opportunity to center young professionals in a music festival setting because of the often exorbitant costs and lengthy time commitments associated with traditional music festivals that, while necessary for networking and career growth, often present a barrier not many working musicians can overcome. It is for this reason that we are seeking fiscal sponsorship to eventually replace participant fees with fundraising.
Second, we see an opportunity to address the inequitable distribution of opportunities to engage with classical music in the United States, so often dictated by divisions of class, race, and geography. We are passionate about growing a new generation of classical music audiences on the local level through innovative concert spaces and diverse programming. We believe that both rural and urban spaces can benefit from this vision, which is why we are excited about our potential for growth in both the Rock Island and greater Nashville communities.
Specifically, our summer programming consists of a ten-day intensive experience that includes chamber music rehearsals, chamber music coaching with world-class faculty, masterclasses, professional development centered around community outreach (contacting venues, negotiating fees, attracting new audiences), and contact with innovate ensembles that are actively engaged in this work. This experience will culminate in a series of community concerts in the greater Nashville and Rock Island areas, where participants will use the professional development skills they have learned over the course of the week to present their work along with our faculty.