“There is no greater joy than playing and learning about chamber music in a beautiful environment. In Port Townsend at Centrum, the love of art and nature is palpable, and the community spirit is inspiring. With respectful and worldclass professional mentors, dreamworld accommodations, and excited audiences, Centrum has every resource to inspire growth as artists and collaborators.” – Chamber Intensive 2024 participant
Since 1979, Centrum’s Chamber Music Series has brought some of the world’s leading chamber music ensembles to a jewel of the Pacific Northwest – the historic Victorian seaport town of Port Townsend, WA. Over the past few years our Chamber Music Series has featured esteemed groups such as the American String Quartet, the Dover Quartet, and the Merz Trio, as well as the remarkable Viano Quartet, winners of the 2019 Banff International String Quartet Competition.
In addition to presenting performances of the world’s top talents, the weeklong spring Chamber Music Intensive program nurtures the next generation of chamber musicians. Established in 2015, the Chamber Music Intensive is a teaching program that serves outstanding emerging, pre-formed ensembles. The intensive offers a magnificent week of coaching including a public masterclass with the Dover Quartet and our Artistic Director Lucinda Carver, as well as a public performance by each ensemble. For information about our audition and application process, please see the menu below.
Experience Chamber Music
Artistic Director
Lucinda Carver
Lucinda Carver is a distinguished conductor, pianist, and harpsichordist, recognized for her contributions to both performance and education in classical music. As Artistic Director of the Chamber Music program, she ensures students receive world-class instruction in both solo and ensemble performance. Lucinda’s background in orchestral conducting and her experience with renowned ensembles bring a rich depth to the chamber music experience at Centrum.
Faculty
Lucinda Carver
Artistic Director, Port Townsend Chamber Music FestivalLucinda was appointed Port Townsend Chamber Music Festival Artistic Director in late 2009. Called “a first rate conductor” by the New York Times, she is active as a conductor / pianist and her orchestral appearances have included the National Symphony, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Pacific Symphony, and Los Angeles Philharmonic. Opera conducting credits include the Minnesota Opera, New York City Opera, and the Lyric Opera of Kansas City.…
Bryan Lee
Violin, Dover Quartet
Bryan Lee is a violinist with the Dover Quartet, the Penelope P. Watkins Ensemble in Residence at the Curtis Institute of Music. Mr. Lee has performed as a soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Delaware, Lansdowne, and Temple University symphony orchestras, among others. He was awarded the bronze medal at the 2005 Stulberg International String Competition and won second prize at the 2004 Kingsville Young Performers Competition.…
Julianne Lee
Viola, Dover Quartet
Julianne Lee joins the Dover Quartet, the Penelope P. Watkins Ensemble in Residence at the Curtis Institute of Music, as its violist in September 2023. She has forged a remarkable career as both a violinist and violist, frequently appearing as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player. She holds the position of assistant principal second violinist at the Boston Symphony Orchestra and has been a member of the BSO violin section since 2006, serving as acting assistant concertmaster from 2013 to 2015.…
Joel Link
Violin, Dover Quartet
Joel Link is a violinist with the Dover Quartet, the Penelope P. Watkins Ensemble in Residence at the Curtis Institute of Music. Mr. Link is an active soloist and chamber musician; and has been a top prize winner of numerous competitions including the Johansen International Competition in Washington, D.C. and the Yehudi Menuhin International Violin Competition in England, for which he was featured in The Strad magazine.…
Camden Shaw
Cello, Dover Quartet
Camden Shaw is the cellist of the Dover Quartet, the Penelope P. Watkins Ensemble in Residence at the Curtis Institute of Music. He has appeared with the ensemble in performances all over the world to great acclaim. Mr. Shaw has collaborated in chamber music with such renowned artists as Daniel Hope, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, and the late Leon Fleischer, and maintains an active career as a soloist.…
Past Faculty
Laurie Carney
Violin, American String Quartet
A founding member of the American String Quartet, Laurie Carney (violin) holds the distinction of performing quartets longer than any other woman in this elite field. The American String Quartet began concertizing while she was still an undergraduate at Juilliard. Apart from the Quartet, she has performed trios with her husband, cellist William Grubb, and pianist Anton Nel; duos with violist Michael Tree; and as an ensemble partner to such artists as Isaac Stern, Pinchas Zukerman, Salvatore Accardo, Cho-Liang Lin, Joshua Bell, Yefim Bronfman, Misha Dichter, Ralph Kirshbaum, Alain Meunier, and Frederica von Stade.…
Daniel Ching
Violin, Miró Quartet
Daniel Ching, a founding member of the Miró Quartet, began his violin studies at the age of 3 under tutelage of his father. At age 5, he entered the San Francisco Conservatory Preparatory Division on a full twelve‐year scholarship, where he studied violin with Serban Rusu and Zaven Melikian, and chamber music with Susan Bates. At the age of 10, Daniel was first introduced to string quartets.A graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Daniel studied violin with Kathleen Winkler, Roland and Almita Vamos, and conducting with Robert Spano and Peter Jaffe.…
William Fedkenheuer
Violin, Miró Quartet
William Fedkenheuer is widely respected as a performer, teacher, and consultant. Uniquely drawing on two decades of experience onstage and off as a member of three internationally renowned string quartets (The Miró, Fry Street, Borromeo Quartets), he dedicates his life to serving others through performance, teaching, personal and professional development.
Growing up in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, William became the youngest member of The Calgary Fiddlers in 1983 and was named a Canadian national fiddle champion in 1989 before making his solo debut with the Calgary Philharmonic in 1994.…
Luke Fleming
Viola, Pacifica Quartet guest
Praised by The Philadelphia Inquirer for his “glowing refinement,” violist Luke Fleming‘s performances have been described by The Strad as “confident and expressive…playing with uncanny precision,” and lauded by Gramophone for their “superlative technical and artistic execution.” Festival appearances include the Marlboro Music School and Festival, the Steans Institute at Ravinia, Perlman Music Program, the Norfolk and Great Lakes Chamber Music Festivals, the Melbourne Festival, Bravo!Vail, and Festival Mozaic.…
Simin Ganatra
Violin, Pacifica Quartet
Simin Ganatra, a Grammy-award winning violinist, has won wide recognition for her performances throughout the United States and abroad. She has been described by critics as an “excellent and unique violinist” and heralded for “creating a miraculous sense of flow and otherworldly beauty.” She has performed in such prestigious venues as Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, the Corcoran Gallery, and Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall.…
Joshua Gindele
Cello, Miró Quartet
Cellist Joshua Gindele, a founding member of the Miró Quartet, began his cello studies at the age of 3 playing a viola his teacher had fitted with an endpin. As cellist for the Miró, Josh has taken first prizes at several national and international competitions including the Banff International String Quartet Competition and the Naumburg Chamber Music Competition.…
Austin Hartman
Violin, Pacifica Quartet
Grammy-award winning violinist, Austin Hartman, has distinguished himself as a chamber musician, soloist and educator with performances throughout the United States and abroad that critics have hailed as a “top flight…masterclass in chamber music.” His performances have been featured in venues throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Africa that include Alice Tully Hall, Carnegie Hall, the Library of Congress, the Kennedy Center, Wigmore Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and the Baroque Art Hall in Seoul.…
Wolfram Koessel
Cello, American String Quartet
Since his Carnegie Hall debut in 1994, Wolfram Koessel (cello) has performed as a chamber musician, recitalist and soloist throughout the world. The Strad praised his “exceptionally attractive cello playing.” As a soloist he has performed concertos throughout the United States as well as with Japan’s Osaka Symphony Orchestra and orchestras in Germany and South America.…
John Largess
Viola, Miró Quartet
Violist John Largess began his studies in Boston at age 12 in the public schools, studying with Michael Zaretsky of the Boston Symphony, and later as a student of Michael Tree at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. In 1995, he graduated from Yale University to join the Colorado String Quartet as interim violist with whom he toured the United States and Canada teaching and concertizing.…
Brandon Vamos
Cello, Pacifica Quartet
Brandon Vamos is professor of practice (cello) at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and a member of the Pacifica Quartet, the school’s quartet-in-residence.
He has appeared as soloist with orchestras worldwide and has collaborated with many distinguished artists, including Paul Katz, Michael Tree, Yo-Yo Ma, Menahem Pressler, and the Emerson Quartet, and has recorded for Cedille, Naxos, and Cacophony Records.…
Peter Winograd
Violin, American String Quartet
Peter Winograd (violin) joined the American String Quartet in 1990. He gave his first solo public performance at the age of 11, and at age 17 he was accepted as a scholarship student of Dorothy DeLay at The Juilliard School. Recognized early as an exceptionally promising young artist, Winograd was a top prize winner in the 1988 Naumburg International Violin Competition.…
INTENSIVE
Through a digitally submitable audition process, two ensembles will be invited to a week of rigorous coaching with the world-renowned Dover String Quartet and Artistic Director Lucinda Carver. The program is open to string quartets, piano plus strings, or wind plus strings ensembles. Each participant is awarded a full scholarship including tuition, travel, accommodations, and meals. Participants will appear in a public masterclass and a performance. Each ensemble will be given a professionally recorded video of their performance for their own promotional use. Participants will also enjoy a demonstration by Ole Kanestrom, one of Port Townsend’s world-renowned bow makers, and a professional development session with the faculty.
AUDITION
Thank you for your interest in the Centrum Port Townsend 2025 Chamber Music Intensive!
We request the following application materials:
- Links to videos of two complete movements of contrasting repertoire (YouTube, Vimeo, or Dropbox preferred).
- A curriculum vitae of your ensemble or CVs of the individual members if your ensemble has recently been formed.
- Contact information for two references who can speak to your qualifications.
Centrum uses the Submittable platform to manage workshop applications. Create a free account to submit your application, or log-in if you already have a Submittable account. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact Program Manager Gwen Franz at gfranz@centrum.org, 360-385-3102 x109.
We look forward to learning more about you!
APPLICATIONS WILL OPEN IN OCTOBER 2024.
FAQ
Participants stay on the Fort Worden campus at Reunion House, a two-story apartment building, each apartment having five bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a living space. A full kitchen is in the upper floor apartment.
Meals are served at Fort Worden Commons. The first meal is dinner on Sunday; the last meal is breakfast on Monday.
The two public concerts will each feature one full-length piece prepared by each ensemble.
If you have any other questions about the Chamber Music Series or Intensive, please contact Gwen Franz at 360-385-3102, x109, or gfranz@centrum.org
2024 Schedule
For illustrative purposes, here is the 2024 Schedule - This was how invited participants spent their time:
2024 Chamber Music Intensive Schedule
Sunday, May 26
Participants fly to Seattle, drive to Port Townsend, and check in at Centrum. Dinner that evening will be followed by ensemble rehearsals.
Monday, May 27
Ensembles rehearse on their own.
Dinner party with artist faculty, participants, and guests, location TBA.
Tuesday, May 28
Rehearsals and coaching with American String Quartet and Lucinda Carver.
Wednesday, May 29
Rehearsals and coaching
Thursday, May 30
Rehearsals and coaching
7:30 pm, PUBLIC MASTERCLASS with faculty and participant ensembles
Friday, May 31
Rehearsals and coaching
7:30 pm PUBLIC CONCERT with participant ensembles
Saturday, June 1
7:30 pm PUBLIC CONCERT with participant ensembles
Sunday, June 2
2 pm, PUBLIC CONCERT with the American String Quartet and Lucinda Carver
Monday, June 3
Depart Centrum
2024/25 Chamber music series
Merz Trio: March 23, 2025, 2:00pm - 4:00
Click here for more information
Chamber Music Intensive: May 25 - June 2, 2025
Click here for more information
Dover String Quartet: June 1, 2025, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
