Chamber Music Camp big hit for junior and high school students

Ector County Independent School District in conjunction with the "Cassatt in the Basin" project concluded the first Chamber Music Camp last week.

There were 40 secondary students attending. Coaching at the camp were three members of the Permian Basin String Quartet (the resident quartet of the Midland-Odessa Symphony & Chorale).

The students will continue to be coached until the Cassatt String Quartet comes the last week of January 2009.

The project is funded by the Education Foundation of Odessa and by the Permian Basin Foundation.

The Cassatt in the Basin! Project was started last year by the Education Foundation of Odessa and the Allegro Chorale.

In the first year, two quartets were chosen from each high school. This year junior high students were included.

The Cassatt String Quartet from Manhattan (http://www.cassattquartet.com) perform and hold residencies in many countries. They have made many recordings and are also coaches. They also coached local students, held performances and master classes during camp events last week.

The Cassatt Quartet will return on the last week of January 2009. They will coach the high school groups, hear each junior high group, perform in concert, perform on a student concert, give two master classes and open rehearsals. All events will be free and open to the public.

The Cassatt String Quartet is Jennifer Leshnower, Muneko Otani, Nicole Johnson and Michiko Oshima. Leshnower is a graduate of Permian High School.

Three of the members of the Permian Basin String Quartet have been coaching local students. They will also be working with the Cassatt Quartet next month at a music festival at Hartwick College in Oneonta, N.Y. 

Coaches were: Richard Clark, Melissa Madura and MOSC trio members John Madura, Colin Garner and Sarah Wilson.

Jan Mayfield organized the event and Sally Pool, Bonham orchestra director, hosted.

Student helpers were: Clint Plumlee, Ryan Harrison and Paul Garza.

Sara Watson, harpist, played on the Thomson for the Chamber Orchestra.

Camp participants were: Devin Mata, Gwyneth Volkmann, Wesley White, Candy Yanez, Emmanuel Rodriguez, Samantha Canlas, Rachel Kuhlmann, Justin Anderson, Delayne Lee and Elisabeth Spires, all from Odessa High School; Alyssa Boguszewicz, Kami Box, Khamisie Green, Candace Hill, Luis Paz, Dakota Puckett and Adrian Sanchez, all from Ector Junior High; Marisabel Galindo, Chance Houston, Aimee Kegley, Jenifer Langston and Savana Schumpert, all from Hood Junior High; Elizabeth Hand, McKenzie Land, Sandra Lindsey, Mario Munoz, John Manuel Rosero, Manuel John Rosero, Traci Tollin and Alejandra Velazquez, all from Bonham Junior High; Charisma DeSai and Max Stanley, both from Bowie Junior High; Ashley Allen, Angie Brokaw, Addy Light, Catelyn Roberson and Amelia Springer, all from Nimitz Junior High School.