By TAMAR HALPERIN

At a conductors' forum at Aspen last summer, the prominent American conductor Leonard Slatkin was asked, "What is the most important thing a young musician can do in order to become a great conductor?"

The current members of the Juilliard String Quartet, founded in 1946, (left to right) Joel Smirnoff, Ronald Copes, Joel Krosnick, and Samuel Rhodes, performed most recently in Alice Tully Hall in October 2005. The concert included the premiere of Ezequiel Viñao's new string quartet. (Photo by Nan Melville)

"Play a lot of chamber music" was the decisive answer.

Chamber music combines the best of all worlds: Like orchestral music, it offers the joy of playing together with others—and, like solo music, it gives plenty of room for individual expression without dictating an authoritative hierarchy. With one player to a part, chamber music implies carefully constructed, intimate music that is played for its own sake, with or without an audience. Composers throughout history have seized on these qualities in producing masterpieces in the rich chamber music repertoire.

However, the image of chamber music, and the approach to its performance, have evolved dramatically over the last decades. Earlier in the 20th century, chamber music was generally seen as an informal activity, requiring less professional training. For example, when pianist Joseph Kalichstein came to study at Juilliard in the early 1960s, he intended to pursue a solo career. At that time, he says, he did not even consider chamber music as a career possibility. Now, Kalichstein is an internationally acclaimed chamber musician, and a Juilliard faculty member holding the recently created Edwin S. and Nancy A. Marks Chair in Chamber Music Studies. "The music itself has not changed," says Kalichstein. "What is changed is the approach to stardom, and the way in which professional musicians perceive the cultural place that chamber music occupies. In the late 19th century, the music world indulged mostly in large orchestral ensembles on the one hand, and in extravagant solo virtuosity on the other. This was generated by magnetic personas like Liszt, Paganini, Caruso, Chaliapin, and others, and eventually caused chamber music to be seen as a 'backstage' activity: music for musicians in their free time, and not a viable career path in and of itself. Today, orchestral, solo, and chamber music occupy an equal share of a musician's life. Superstars like Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Pinchas Zukerman, and others have made their names in great part thanks to chamber music playing."

Hans Letz (standing) coaches chamber music students in the 1950s. (Photo by Eileen Darby—Graphic House)

Change is taking place, and The Juilliard School is evidently attentive to it. While chamber music has existed at the School since its earliest years, it received a higher profile of recognition in 1946, the year in which then President William Schuman founded the Juilliard String Quartet. Through pedagogy and public performance, the ensemble established itself as one of the world's leading string quartets, using its experience and vision to influence many aspiring string players. As faculty members, the Juilliard Quartet players offer individual lessons as well as chamber music coachings, master classes, and an annual weeklong seminar of intense work with a select group of quartets who come from around the world. In the 1980s, The Juilliard School appointed two other chamber ensembles that fulfill a similar role in other instrumental sections: the American Brass Quintet and the New York Woodwind Quintet. Their work at the School culminates in numerous student concerts during the school year. Since 1981, Juilliard has also offered a two-year residency for a graduate string quartet, whose members assist the Juilliard String Quartet with their quartet and chamber music teaching, and assist faculty member Earl Carlyss in the first-year String Quartet Survey course. The resident ensemble has lessons with members of the J.S.Q., and performs the annual Lisa Arnhold Memorial Concert at Alice Tully Hall. This year's concert will be offered on February 21 by the Calder Quartet, in their first year of residency this season.

In 2001, chamber music—which to that point had been administrated through the orchestra office—was given a more independent and significant place in the School, with the physical creation of the Office of Chamber Music. This marked the beginning of a dramatic change in the "state of affairs" at the School. What used to be a musical, graceful, do-as-you-wish kind of chaos is now a carefully supervised, planned, and supported matter.

The New York Woodwind Quintet is one of the School's ensembles-in-residence. Here members (left to right) Carol Wincenc, flute; Stephen Taylor, oboe; Marc Goldberg, bassoon; William Purvis, French horn; and Charles Neidich, clarinet; perform on the Daniel Saidenberg Faculty Recital Series in April 2005. (Photo by Nan Melville)

Today the School encourages students to commit to one group, and to concentrate on quality rather than quantity. Groups rehearse either during the two weekly prescheduled, two-hour chamber music slots or at other individually scheduled times, and ensembles now have the opportunity to perform in a wide variety of venues, including Alice Tully Hall, Paul Hall, Morse Hall, and a variety of neighborhood venues, including St. Paul's Chapel at Columbia University. As of this year, a bimonthly chamber music master class series is offered, coached by members of the School's faculty. In addition, over the past few years, the School introduced a number of specialized ensembles such as the Juilliard Electric Ensemble, Bach and Friends Ensemble, fortepiano ensembles, and ensembles that coach with members of the School's composition faculty.

But the most important initiative is probably the School's annual ChamberFest, launched in 2002, an opportunity for the deeply committed Juilliard chamber musician to spend the final week of winter recess working in depth with one group, on one work—without distraction, and with daily coaching support and unlimited rehearsal time in a spacious studio. The results of this intense work are demonstrated the following week with a series of six concerts. ChamberFest 2006, which begins on January 17, will include 85 students in 18 ensembles, performing works by a diverse group of composers including Gubaidulina, Friedman, Ives, Dvorak, Shostakovich, Ravel, Messiaen, Shostakovich, and Brahms, among others. In addition, joining the Juilliard musicians will be 10 guest students from the Paris Conservatory and Vienna University, participating in a landmark chamber music exchange.

The person almost single-handedly responsible for these sweeping initiatives is Bärli Nugent, assistant dean, who was appointed director of chamber music in 2002. Nugent is a Juilliard alumna (B.M. '76, M.M. '77, flute), founding member of the Aspen Wind Quintet, and a passionate advocate, teacher, and performer of chamber music.

Joseph Kalichstein, pictured here c. the late 1960s, is now a faculty member at Juilliard and holds the Edwin S. and Nancy A. Marks Chair in Chamber Music Studies.

"Chamber music develops students' artistry in unique ways," says Nugent. "An honest and imaginative commitment to the chamber music process provides students with tools to wrestle with challenges that inevitably arise when articulate individuals get together to make beautiful music. We believe that this training facilitates the growth not only of compelling chamber musicians, but also orchestra players, teachers, and soloists, who will approach their work in far more distinctive ways as a result of the understanding of the chamber music process. Nuanced chamber music experience is really the ideal fulcrum in the training of every musical artist, and it produces more effective advocates for the arts as well.

"Besides," she adds with a smile, "let us not forget the great joy of making chamber music for its own sake … At the same time, playing chamber music can also be a delicate matter. It is like a marriage of four or five people, and our role is to support this process. This is why we try to keep a close eye on our groups, and an open door for students to come in and receive help and guidance. Finally, we are mindful that the training of a musical artist is a path that each student must undertake with an eye for their own unique gifts and passions."

"I could not have imagined all the improvements that have come to chamber music at Juilliard since Bärli arrived," says an admiring Dean Stephen Clapp—who himself has had a great part in making these improvements happen. "Juilliard's standard of chamber music performance has increased significantly over the past five years," notes Clapp. "Chamber music receives more focused attention, and there is greater awareness of the conditions that need to exist (like advertising, variety of venues, rehearsal time and space, etc.) in order for chamber music to flourish. Soloists profit tremendously from playing chamber music: it calls for a greater understanding of form and texture, and requires a mastery of intonation. The implications are significant because, as a result, chamber music players have a higher awareness of other people, and possibly of other societies and cultures than their own. In the end, it gives us a better view of ourselves."

Juilliard Young Artists and Their Mentors Zankel Hall Friday & Saturday, Dec. 9 & 10, 7:30 p.m. ChamberFest 2006 Jan. 17-21, various venues and times Free; no tickets required For time and ticket information, please see the calendar.

Elizabeth Joy Roe is a master's candidate in piano, and has played chamber music at Juilliard since her freshman year. She says, "I value the open exchange of ideas, the creative synergy between players, and the natural flourishing of cohesive expression that unfold during the collaborative process. I have been seriously involved in several ensembles here, and in each instance I have had the privilege to play with committed and talented musicians. Likewise, I have treasured the opportunity to work with outstanding faculty artists whose acumen and artistry have enriched my musical understanding. When everyone gives 100 percent toward a mutual goal in a rehearsal, coaching, or performance, the result is magic—these moments truly capture the exhilaration of music-making."

Elizabeth met her piano duo partner, Greg Anderson, at Juilliard in 2000, and they have been performing together extensively for several years to critical acclaim. "I can't imagine coming to Juilliard and not being caught by the need to create music with all the friends one is bound to make," says Greg of his chamber music experiences at the School. "Juilliard has connected me to musicians, such as Elizabeth, who have transformed my life, and with whom I am grateful for every shared experience of music. Our performances, rehearsals, and coachings devoted to great music only tighten our bond of friendship."

Elizabeth and Greg are but two of the many students and faculty members (including the Juilliard String Quartet, Joseph Kalichstein, and Brian Zeger) who will be joining forces in December at Zankel Hall, for two chamber music concerts presented by Carnegie Hall. These concerts will most likely be better evidence of chamber music making at Juilliard than any words. After all, joy, exhilaration, magic, and music above all, are all better experienced than read about.

Tamar Halperin is a D.M.A. candidate in harpsichord.