In the City of Bach and Mendelssohn, an International Music Academy Bows
by STEPHEN CLAPP

Juilliard’s relationship with the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy in Leipzig began over five years ago. At Maestro Kurt Masur’s suggestion, Citibank funded a full-tuition scholarship to send one student from the Leipzig Hochschule to Juilliard for a year’s study. This was followed in the next several years by funding for an annual one-student exchange between the schools. Each year, Juilliard students returning from their exchange year in Leipzig were extremely enthusiastic about their experience—both the study and the performance opportunities. One of them, Eva Burmeister, was so successful that she was hired to be a member of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, a position in which she continues to this day.

(Left to right) Stephen Clapp, Charles Neidich, John Weaver, Marianne Weaver, Silvia Shapiro, Joel Shapiro, Linda Clapp, and Toby Appel.

So when Pro-Rektor Joel Shapiro approached Juilliard with the idea for an annual summer academy whose faculty would be drawn from Juilliard, a different rotating European conservatory each year, and the Leipzig Hochschule, he was greeted with enthusiasm. The resulting collaboration took place for the first time this past summer, during three weeks in July. Seventy students from 23 countries attended, including five from Juilliard. Faculty members Toby Appel, Stephen Clapp, Charles Neidich, and John Weaver taught at the Hochschule and performed in such historic venues as the Leipzig Gewandhaus, Thomaskirche, Nicholaikirche, Gohliser Schloesschen, and the Mendelssohn Haus.

The following comments are a synthesis of writings by cellist Sara Cortinas and violist Sarah Lane, two of the Juilliard students who participated this past summer.

When hearing about the city of Leipzig in Germany, some people might think of Bach, the St. Thomas Church, Schumann, Mendelssohn, or other historical wonders. One might never have guessed that today, despite hardships from its destruction during World War II and subsequent Soviet occupation, it is a bustling community that thrives on the culture it has given the world. Leipzig today continues to offer the famous Gewandhaus Orchestra, formerly led by Maestro Kurt Masur. I learned while studying at the International Music Academy that there also exists a fantastic music school which I previously never knew about. Just outside the city center in a newly restored pre-war building lies the College for Music and Theater that Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy founded in 1843 to pursue his passion and love for music.

The exterior of the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy in Leipzig. (Photo by Linda Clapp)

Since it was to be the first annual summer program at the Hochschule, some of us were a bit curious about what would take place in Leipzig. To our delight, we found ourselves amongst a very talented group of musicians from all around the globe, and in the midst of a well-organized festival. We students were thrilled to find ourselves wrapped up in an environment that fostered our growth in learning, while also experiencing what the community and country had to offer us.

We soon found ourselves creating our own chamber music groups with the freedom of playing repertoire that we desired. We were then given the opportunity to be coached by one of the many fantastic faculty members several times each week. To support our individual needs, we were given lessons twice weekly with our private teachers. The spacious Hochschule building houses practice rooms with nice pianos and windows! The neighborhood was peaceful and relaxed, which often put me in the right mood to practice. Due to the importance of learning from peers in an open setting, studio classes were an integral part of the learning process.

After being in Leipzig for just a few days, our whirlwind concert schedule began. With just three weeks to prepare chamber music and solo repertoire, more than 11 concerts were presented, all reviewed by the media. Everything from Brahms to Milhaud was performed with poise and confidence under this short time constraint.

But this is just the musical aspect of the festival. We were in Germany! The culture and history of Leipzig alone were enough reason to be here. We were given the opportunity to visit Liszt’s home in Weimar, where the pianists gave a recital on his own grand piano; we visited a bow maker’s shop that has been in the Dolling family since 1898, and a clarinet maker’s shop. There was opportunity for day trips to Berlin and Prague. And, of course, we had a taste of Leipzig’s nightlife. Dozens of outdoor cafes in the center city were visible from any vantage point.

The International Music Academy at Leipzig was a life-enriching experience that I will never forget, for it shaped me as a musician and as a person. Both the faculty and the city of Leipzig were a great inspiration.

The International Music Academy will take place again next summer, with four as-yet undesignated Juilliard faculty members participating, and scholarship opportunities for Juilliard students to attend. Brochures will be available in December.

Stephen Clapp is the dean of Juilliard; he has been a member of the violin faculty since 1987.