Decoda Chamber Music Institute returns for summer residency

The Decoda Chamber Music Institute at Skidmore launched its second season July 12 with the arrival on campus of 23 young artists from as far away as Mexico and Abu Dhabi.

Orientation activities included a musical scavenger hunt that introduced the students to composers and collaborating on creating new music. Composers are Amy Beach, Elliot Carter, George Crumb, Erno Dohnanyi and Villa-Lobos. 

Decoda is a cutting-edge New York City-based chamber music ensemble comprising alumni of Ensemble ACJW—The Academy, a program of Carnegie Hall, the Juilliard School, and the Weill Music Institute. Decoda is dedicated to developing new generations of musicians, helping them to excel at the highest level. In addition, Decoda is committed to helping young musicians learn the role of the artist in society. Toward that end, the students will perform at Prestwick Chase during the last week of the program.

Additional activities have been designed in collaboration with the Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery. Decoda faculty and students will perform at the UpBeat on the Roof concert at 7 p.m. Friday, July 17, and members of the faculty will present an interactive performance for the Tang’s Family Saturday’s program at 2 p.m. July 18. Flash mob concerts are also planned in Saratoga Springs during the second week of the Institute.  

Also during the institute’s second week, the versatile Caroline Shaw will be a guest artist and composer-in-residence. She is a musician of many talents— violinist, Grammy Award-winning vocalist, and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer. She will work with institute participants and perform as soloist during the July 21 faculty concert. 

Several public concerts are planned during the Decoda residency. The schedule is as follows:

--7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 14, Decoda Faculty Concert, featuring the following program: Poulenc, Sonata for Clarinet and Bassoon; Vivaldi, Sento e Seno arr. for flugelhorn and strings; Saint-Saens, Septet for Piano, Trumpet, and Strings; and Brahms, F Minor Piano Quintet

--7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 21, Decoda Faculty Concert, performing Zelenka, Trio Sonata No. 3 Oboe, Violin, Bassoon, Continuo (w/ harpsichord); Caroline Shaw, Entr'acte for String Quartet; Poulenc, Trio; Caroline Shaw By and By for Voice and String Quartet; Mozart, Clarinet Quintet

Concert tickets are $8 general admission, $5 students and Skidmore community, free for students and children. For tickets, please visit the Arthur Zankel Music Center web site. Concerts will take place in Zankel’s Ladd Concert Hall.

Student concerts will be held July 18, 3:30 pm; July 24, 5 p.m.; and July 25, 1 p.m. and are free and open to the public. 

Skidmore’s Office of the Dean of Special Programs is partnering with Decoda on this summer program. The Decoda Institute builds on the strengths of the highly regarded Ensemble ACJW, which has been in residence each fall and spring at Skidmore since 2007.

During the first week of the institute, the focus is on the development of an internal community and the second week will be devoted to engaging and serving the external community. Young chamber musicians will explore leadership and community service through the intensive study of chamber music. Under the guidance of Decoda artists, students will learn how to fully engage their audiences and communities through scripted interactive performances while improving their own performance and public speaking skills.

Click here to visit the Decoda Chamber Music Institute's Facebook page.