The young musicians of Ensemble Connect at Skidmore College.
Skidmore College is celebrating its 10th anniversary of Ensemble Connect, a graduate fellowship program for some of the finest young professional classical musicians in the world.
Formerly know as Ensemble ACIW, the program was established in 2007. It links Carnegie Hall with the Juilliard School and the Weill Music Institute. The program is designed to prepare young musicians for professional careers while fostering community engagement, advocacy, entrepreneurship and leadership.
Every two years, up to 20 musicians are selected to participate in the program from schools such as the Juilliard, New England Conservatory and the Yale School of Music.
Guest composer Caroline Shaw will work with Ensemble Connect.
As part of the program, students learn, teach, perform and practice the art of civic engagement by working with school children, civic groups and local public service agencies throughout the Capital Region.
This month, Skidmore will host 10 new fellows, two Ensemble Connect alumni performers and one guest musician Caroline Shaw.
The group will present three performances:
10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, at Zankel Music Center, Ladd Hall, for students from Milton Terrace Elementary School in Ballston Spa.
7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, at the Tang Teaching Museum, Payne Room
7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17, at the Zankel Music Center, Ladd Hall. Tickets for this concert are $8, $5 for seniors and Skidmore community. They are free to students and children.
In the past 10 years, more than 19,000 people have experience Ensemble Connect programs.