CMW welcomes violinist/violist Arlyn Valencia to Providence! We’re excited to have her participating in our Fellowship Program for the next two seasons.

What drew Arlyn to apply for a Community MusicWorks Fellowship? In her own words:

When I first read the posting for the fellowship opening, I immediately knew that I would do anything to become involved in CMW. It was a dream of an opportunity–to become involved in three very important things in my life: community, teaching, and performing. Soon after, I began perusing the website–reading the mission, watching the videos, surfing the blog, and listening to the sound clips. After meeting the Providence Quartet, speaking with Minna and Sebastion, and playing chamber music with everyone in my interview, I was absolutely certain that being a part of CMW would indeed be a dream!

-Arlyn Valencia, Fellow

Editor: Learn more about Arlyn here.

The PSQ has just returned from its annual August retreat, during which we dived into the fall repertoire. The special new feature this year was that we retreated to Greenwood Music Camp in Western Mass. (high school summer home for Chloe, Heath, and Jesse H.) What a wonderful start to the year to have a week to learn Beethoven quartets in the setting of rolling hills, a beautiful concert barn in which to rehearse, a garden full of veggies offering food for our dinners, and the wonderfully rustic barns and cabins for sleeping quarters!

A friend of CMW recently asked what we do to keep our artistic level high while doing so much work in the community constantly. The answer was two-fold: one is the obvious–lots of rehearsal time in our work week. The other answer was retreats! Having this week to focus intensively on learning the new repertoire, practice, watch old videos of the Amadeus Quartet, and swim got us in great shape and got us inspired for the year ahead.

See you soon with Op. 18/4, the "Harp" Quartet, and the surprise "Variations on a Theme of Beethoven’s’s"…

-Sebastian Ruth, Providence String Quartet

[Editor: Note the bug masks hanging in the barn. Greenwood was the site of early work on The Bug Opera by Geoff Hudson and Alisa Pearson which CMW and Opera Providence brought to the Columbus Theatre in November 2006.]

Hello Everybody,
Yesterday we had a wonderful board retreat with plenty of surprises. I had fun and it was great to see everybody. First we played a game in which we each drew a badge and on it, it had four things. They were: your home, your occupation, your hobbies and what skills do you bring to the board. You also had to write your motto.

Then we broke off into three groups and helped brainstorm some ideas. I got a big poster with birthday wishes. Thank you everybody. It was really nice. Also thanks Liz [Hollander] for the wonderful presents.

By the time we knew it, [the retreat] was over and we ended with letters stating what we planned to do for the up coming year. Can’t wait to start with you guys again and see you when I come back.

-(Fidelia) Kirby Vasquez, CMW Board member

[Editor: After postponing her trip by a day to attend the retreat, Kirby left for Mexico to celebrate her Quinceañera with her extended family. Happy 15th Kirby!]

If you’ve already visited our website’s calendar page in search of event information, you know that it will be a few more weeks before any Providence Quartet events are posted. That’s because, while we may dream up many of our ambitious projects during our annual June planning week, it takes another week of staff meetings in mid-August to confirm which of our ideas can realistically come to fruition this season. (e.g. the complete Beethoven String Quartet cycle and the 24-hour all-Bach marathon concert will probably not happen… at least this year!)

However, to tide you through the lazy days of August (before the torrent of news and information is turned on after Labor Day), here are a just a few musical things to look forward to during our 11th season:

1. Beethoven String Quartets in late October.
2. Brandenburg Concerti in mid November.
3. Dvorak’s "American" Quartet and Quintet in late January/early February.
4. "Other Americas" in mid March. (??)
5. Schoenberg’s Verklarte Nacht (Transfigured Night) for string sextet in May.
6. Music by local composers on concert programs throughout the season.

The PSQ will return to the Providence Athenaeum (January & May), travel to NYC at least once (January), and visit a number of other favorite venues around town and further afield (perhaps Denver, Banff?).

A couple of other things to add to your calendar:

1. Imagining Art + Social Change, a conference hosted by CMW. (Thurs., March 27-Sat., March 29)
2. The annual CMW benefit event at the Regent Avenue School Building will feature a recital by violinist Elmar Oliveira and pianist Robert Koenig. (Sunday, May 4)

Should be fun!

-Heath Marlow, CMW staff

During our 11th season, we hope to finally sort out which instrument Jesse plays. It appears that he has not completely settled on the violin (or the viola).

Enjoy the vintage photo from Sebastian’s living room, circa 2001.

June 30 officially brings our 10th season to a close. Here is a short summary of activities:

39 performances by the Providence String Quartet & CMW Fellows
…
33 weeks of lessons
…
18 Phase II meetings
…
14 Fellowship Seminars
…
9 Providence school visits (PSQ & Fellows)
8 Concert Trips
7 Musical Workshops
6 Board meetings
5 Performance Parties & Youth Salon
4 practice retreats
3 master classes
2 family picnics
1 incredible 10th season!

Itza, Kirby and Louis overcame the wind by the river, the sounds in the background, and difficult mikes to deliver a terrific performance at the FirstWorksKids festival on Saturday, June 16. They were supported by CMW board members Paula, Suzanne, and Siobhan who literally held their music stands and the music. I brought my step daughters and their partners and cheered and took pictures. Phase II students like these show the perseverance and calm of veteran performers and we applaud them all.

-Liz Hollander, CMW Board

The green Tacqueria Pacifica truck parked behind Roger Williams Park’s Temple to Music providing free tacos for CMW families was probably the highlight of Friday’s end-of-the-year picnic. And the perfect summer evening was nice too…

Tucked away behind an auto parts store on North Main is this surprising performance space, the Carriage House, which Community MusicWorks chose for its reunion concert last weekend. Although we know to anticipate every musical event CMW organizes, this was both an accomplished musical experience and a heartstoppingly intimate ambience.

The two well-known pieces drew only a limited audience, but it was just right for the space given the large number of performers, mostly standing and all dressed casually, drawn from the ranks of past and present teachers in the CMW program. The group had come together to rehearse and feast and socialize all weekend, and by the time Sebastian finished introducing conductor and friend David Goodman, the room was brimming with waves of affection.

Goodman’s graceful and sensitive leadership brought out a truly lyrical dynamic, and the players responded with verve and obvious pleasure, seeming to be played even as they played their instruments. 

The homey touches, the genuine feeling, the blue jeans, the pause to find another second-violin score–all worked to create a magical blend of pure joy in the music and appreciation of the style of presentation.

Another memory to treasure from this extraordinary group!

-Nan Sumner Mack

Rehearsing all day at the Edgewood Manor.

Sailing with Phase II in Newport on Friday.


Safely back ashore, the Phase II ice cream party…


Celebratory dinner at St. Bart’s Social Club following Sunday’s concert.

The last student performance event of the 10th season was a big success! Here are a few photos:

Zeeny, Paul, and Andrew playing in one of the group pieces.


A surprise visit from Big Nazo with a special delivery addressed to "Mitty MusicWorks."


Longtime board member Rick Keller won the grand prize in the raffle: a PSQ performance in his home.


Alana and Heather performing a duo.