The Spirit of Kinhaven, Fall 2010 Issue

The Spirit of Kinhaven
Fall 2010
Nancy Bidlack, Director of Kinhaven
Retires After 40 Years
by Susan Mesner,
President of the Board of Trustees
The new year will mark an important transition in
Kinhaven’s history. In the span of nearly 60 years, only
two names have been associated with the leadership of
Kinhaven–Dushkin and Bidlack–but Nancy's retirement
brings the Bidlack era to a close.
Nancy joined the Kinhaven faculty in 1970 as a ‘cello
teacher, and quickly fell in love with the Dushkins' unique
approach to music education in a supportive community
setting. She loved teaching, coaching and performing in
a friendly, but intensive atmosphere. She watched and
learned from Mary Jane Metcalfe the challenging and
Photo by Steven Capwell
deeply satisfying work of overseeing all student assignments and concerts, as well as programming the weekly
for 21 years. In 2004, Jerry retired as Director of Senior
staff concerts.
Session, and Nancy was there to take up the reins.
In 1981, Jerry Bidlack took over as Director from David
Dushkin, and Nancy Bidlack was named Director of Admissions. The program grew, but in 1988, the Bidlacks
assessed the marketplace and made a strategic change
in the length of Senior Session, shortening it from seven
to six weeks. This also allowed Nancy to realize her
dream program, a two-week session for middle school
musicians, which commenced in 1990. She was named
Director of Junior Session, and the program has flourished
Nancy has made several important changes to Senior
Session since she took over as Director. In 2006, Kinhaven adopted a program of inviting guest conductors
for one or two weeks during the summer, introducing an
exciting diversity of repertoire and conducting styles to
the students. A composer-in-residence was added to the
senior faculty in 2008, an addition very much in keeping
with Mrs. D.’s early emphasis on composition and one
that has generated considerable enthusiasm among the
students. Nancy instituted a masterclass program this
past summer, and brought two outstanding musicians to
campus--Soovin Kim, violin and Kinhaven alumnus Ignat
Solzhenitsyn, piano. (See article on Page 7.)
As the effects of ALS began to limit her ability to perform, she was forced to stop playing the ‘cello in 2008.
However, she has maintained her directorial responsibilities for the past three summers. Retirement has come
sooner for Nancy than she expected, and for reasons no
one would wish for. But the soul and spirit of Kinhaven
have been nurtured by Nancy in ways that will endure
for many years.
F F F
Photo by Nancy Terhune
Deborah Buck and Tony Mazzocchi
Meet Our New Junior Session Directors
Named Executive Directors
And Directors of the Senior Session
by Nancy Terhune, Kinhaven Trustee
The new faces at the helm of Junior Session are actually
well known to us all. On October 2, by unanimous vote
by Kate Sheeran, Kinhaven Trustee
Photo by Nancy Terhune
The Kinhaven Board of Trustees is pleased to announce
the appointment of Tony Mazzocchi and Deborah Buck
as the next Executive Directors of Kinhaven. In addition
to overseeing all of Kinhaven, Inc., Tony and Debbie
will play the very important role of Directors of the
Senior Session.
Over the past few months, a committee comprised of
members of the Board, Faculty, and Nancy and Jerry
Bidlack ran a national search to find candidates who possessed the unique skill sets required for these roles. After
many applications were reviewed and applicants were
interviewed, Tony and Debbie rose to the top as the best
choices for the next leaders of Kinhaven. The Board of
Trustees unanimously voted their appointment on November 7th, and we are delighted that Tony and Debbie
have agreed to serve as Co-Executive Directors.
Tony Mazzocchi joined the Kinhaven faculty in 1997, and
has been the low brass instructor since then. Outside of
Kinhaven, Tony is currently the Superintendent of Fine
Arts for the South Orange Maplewood School District in
New Jersey and Professor of Trombone at the John J. Cali
School of Music at Montclair State University. Those
who know Tony know that his dedication to his students
and colleagues, and his usual mix of authority and humor
will continue to be assets to Kinhaven.
Deborah Buck celebrated her tenth summer of teaching
at Senior Session in 2010. She is an in-demand violinist
in the New York City area. Debbie is a member of the
LARK Quartet, Concertmaster of the Brooklyn Philharmonic, and is a frequent soloist. In addition to
(Continued on Page 3)
Photo by Nancy Bidlack
of the Kinhaven Board of Trustees, longtime faculty
members Sandy Dennis and Marty Knieriem were appointed Co-Directors of Junior Session. Their tenure
will begin January 1, 2011, with new student applications
and auditions.
“Junior Session has been my project for the twenty-one
years of its marvelous lifetime,” says Nancy Bidlack,
founder and Director. “It is not my choice to step down,
but I’m very comforted to be succeeded by Sandy Dennis and Marty Knieriem. They are charter members, and
have offered a wonderful presence at Kinhaven. With the
support of the whole faculty and staff, they will offer the
best leadership I could have hoped for.”
“It’s impossible to express how honored we feel,” says
Sandy. “When Nancy first asked us to take on the directorship of Junior Session, we were both speechless
–which, as anyone who knows us will point out, is not
our usual response to anything.” “Individually, we never
considered not doing it,” adds Marty, “but we were so
stunned that we were unable to say, ‘Yes’ to Nancy until
the following day.” “Nancy’s shoes are big ones to fill,”
says Sandy, “and it’s not lost on us that it’s taking four
people to do all that Nancy has done singlehandedly, and
consummately well, for so many years.”
Marty and Sandy live in Northampton, MA with their
daughter, Emma, who, after 11 summers at Junior Session,
followed the path of many faculty children and became
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(Continued on Page 6)
ALUMNI NOTES FALL, 2010
Michael Bartos S’ 56-58 clarinet: Just had the first USA
performance of my orchestration of Ernesto Lecuona’s
Symphonic Poem Del Manglar for piano, voice and large
orchestra performed by the Symphony of the Americas in
Fort Lauderdale. Am also a member of the Kinhaven
Board of Directors which is great since it enables me to
keep up with all of the wonderful things that Kinhaven
does. Fred Kuhns S’72-73 flute: I do valuation and economic
damages consulting and now work independently after
many years at large firms. My wife Paula and I have two
children, Abby age 13 and Samuel age 11. We live in the
Brentwood area of Los Angeles. I don’t play the flute
much these days, but I do enjoy listening to recordings
and getting to an occasional concert. We are fortunate to
have some inspired musical leaders, including Dudamel
and Placido Domingo right here in L.A. Unfortunately,
my dad, who was a Dushkin alumnus from back in the
Winnetka days, passed away last month. He was also
a flute player and told many stories of learning to make
instruments as well as play them under the tutelage of
the Dushkins. It would be great to hear from other alums
in the L.A. area.
Photo of Chamber Music Workshop Orchestra by Nancy Terhune
Alyson Venti J’95-96 trumpet: Missing the music of
Kinhaven.
Ryan O’Connell S’06 horn: While at Kinhaven, I wrote
a piece for the composers’ concert that I titled Capriccio
for Four Horns. The piece was recently published by The
Hornists’ Nest, and is now available nationwide. Inside
the front page, I included that the piece was premiered at
Kinhaven, and now that information is on JWPepper and
other stores where the piece will be sold. You can check
it out here: http://www.jwpepper.com/10162029.item.
David Gerson S’07-08 percussion (news via parent):
David won the Suburban Symphony concerto competition
in Cleveland, playing N. Rosauro’s Marimba Concerto,
and is headed to Stanford this fall.
Juan Gonzalez S’76-77 trombone: Still performing
*In answer to Susan Grooters' question, the answer is
extensively on the trombone. I’ve traveled the world
absolutely YES, the Dushkins had a music school in
with varied groups and bands. Does anyone have news
Winnetka. Editor.
about my trombone instructor (Franklin Jaeckle) at
Kinhaven? Currently living in Miami.
Now Available in the
Sebastian Ruth. (See Article on Page 7.)
Sarah Deveau S‘90-’91 violin: is the new artistic
director of the Arvada (CO) Chorale.
Susan Vaughn Grooters S’92-94 clarinet, 98-00 staff:
After finishing her MPH in Epidemiology, Susan took a
position with a national non-profit organization, S.T.O.P.,
in Chicago, Illinois. She still finds time for music and
enjoys playing with the North Shore Concert Band and
chamber music with friends. She’s heard the Dushkin
name mentioned in her town of Winnetka in connection
with the Music Institute of Chicago. Does anyone know if
there is a connection to Kinhaven’s Dushkin family?*
Dates: Summer 2011
Piano Workshop: June 9-14
Chamber Music Workshop: June 15 - 19
Senior Session: June 24 - August 7
Junior Session: August 13 - 28
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Kinhaven Store!
Kinhaven 2011 Calendar
13 Full-Color Photos
To Order: visit our website at
www.kinhaven.org
and click on Kinhaven Store
Perfect for a Holiday Gift!
Tony and Deborah (Continued from Page 2)
performing, she is a renowned teacher whose students
are vital members of youth musical programs in the NY/NJ
area. Debbie’s warmth, thoughtfulness, and artistry will be
vital assets to Kinhaven as she steps into this new role.
Of the news, Tony and Debbie say, “We are honored and
humbled by this extraordinary opportunity. Nancy and Jerry
Bidlack have worked tirelessly to bring Kinhaven into the
upper echelon of music schools while still maintaining its
core values. We will continue this work in their honor, and we
are excited to ignite a lifelong passion for music in the next
generation of Kinhaven students.”
Daniel & Karen Maki
Philip, Wendy & Jeffrey Maneval
Andrea Mason Nolin
Ed Matthew
Patricia McCall
Don & Lucille McNellis
Marian Meilinger
Laura M. Mendelson
Ethan Allen Merritt
Ravenna Necara Michalsen
Drs. Manus & Elizabeth Midlarsky
Elizabeth Miles
Lloyd H. Mims
(In Memory: Betty H. Mims)
Paul Monfredo
Steve & Jane Mullen
Sally Mullikin & Paul Gellerstedt
Mimi Neff
John & Anna Dibble Newton
Elizabeth B. O’Brien
Mr. & Mrs. Dennis O’Leary
Anne Pearson
Leonhard Pfister
David & Margaret Phelps
Barbara Pierce
P. William & Nancy Polk Jr.
Carol Pope
Laura Quackenbush Savage
(In Honor: Ruth T. Quackenbush)
Jeanne E. Quinn
John Quinn
Sarah A. Reed
Dr. James & Luce Reiss
Peter Reit
Richard & Susan Riley
(In Honor: Lissa Riley)
Sally Ritter Didrickson
Joyce Rose Romm
David S. & Myra J. Ross
Janet Ross
Susan Rotholz
(In Honor: Sonja Bullati Lomeo)
Patricia Rudoff
Gail Schechter
Joseph & Carolyn Schechter
Allison Scola
Philip Seib
(In Honor: Caroline Dawson)
Kate Sewall Beaudette
Liz & Jack Sheeran
Kate Sheeran
Ruth Siegler
Dr. Robert M. Simon
Linda Simon Hall
Rochelle Itzen & Scott Singer
Carl, George & Linda Anne Sjoberg
Jennifer Smith
Richard & Gwen Steege
Steve Stettler
John Streeter
Paul Sturr
Cynthia Stutt Cummings
Dick & Sue Sweterlitsch
Carl Taylor
Danielle Tierney
James & Penelope B. Tierney
Basil C. Vendryes
Brianne Waite
Andrew Walkling
Claire Walsh
Wendy Webster Ardizzone
(In Honor: Lelah Dushkin)
Robert I. & Sanda Weiner
Phyllis & Michael Wells
Charles & Marietta Weston
Arthur White
Priscilla White
Shelley Willcox
Fritz & Peggy Willmann
Alton H. & Janet G. Wilson
Laura Bald & Jenna Wu
Suzanne Zeller
Dr. Felix & Muriel Zwiebel
Matching Gifts to Annual Fund
Bank of America
ITW
Microsoft
NYSE Foundation
KINHAVEN MUSIC SCHOOL
FOUNDERS
David Dushkin
Dorothy Dushkin
DIRECTOR
Nancy Bidlack
DIRECTOR EMERITUS
Jerry T. Bidlack
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Susan Mesner
President
John Austin
Senior Vice-President
Darrell Prescott
Vice-President
Capital Campaign Donors will be
listed in a subsequent issue of the
SPIRIT OF KINHAVEN.
Your employer may have a
matching gifts program. Why not
find out if your gift to Kinhaven
can go even further?
Junior Session Directors
(Continued from Page 2)
a bona fide student in 2010. Both Sandy
and Marty are very active as teachers and
performers in Massachusetts and Connecticut,
but they promise to have time for their new
responsibilities. They both bring expertise and
sensitivity to their new position at Kinhaven.
They will continue to teach violin/viola and
piano, coach chamber groups, and perform.
“Nancy dreamed a big dream for Junior Session,” says Sandy, “and it’s no small coincidence that so many of the Junior Session faculty
that Nancy brought together in 1990 have
returned summer after summer after summer
for twenty-one seasons. It’s a tribute to Nancy
as a musician and a leader that Junior Session
has continued to grow and will continue to
evolve for many years to come. “
Marty adds, “The bottom line is that we love
Nancy, and we love Kinhaven, and we will do
all we can to continue her dream. And we’re
counting on her every step of the way to get
us started!”
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Barbara Wang
Treasurer
James Harding
Secretary
P. William Polk, Jr.
Assistant Secretary
Michael Bartos
Adria Benjamin
Molly Bidwell
Elizabeth Gombosi
Preston Maynard
Irene Mendelson
Allison Scola
Kate Sheeran
Richard Smith
Nancy Terhune
Kit Van Winkle
James Wallick
Michelle Yaiser
Ex-officio Trustees:
Jerry T. Bidlack
Nancy S. Bidlack
Honorary Trustees:
Lelah Dushkin
Isaac Patch
Victoria Sanger
Photo by Nancy Terhune
Senior Session Sponsors Two Master Classes
Sebastian Ruth: Grant Recipient
by Allison Scola, Trustee
By Deborah Buck , violin faculty
and Adrienne Kim, piano faculty
Sebastian Ruth, 1989-1992, violin, was
awarded a $500,000 grant in September by
the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur
Foundation. Ruth, 35, is the founder of
Community MusicWorks, a not-for-profit
organization in Providence’s West End
that offers an array of music programs for
children in the community, including free
lessons and performances by the house
ensemble, the Providence String Quartet
(of which Ruth is a founding member).
This past summer, we initiated our guest artist master class program.
We brought in two world famous musicians who very conveniently
were spending their summers at Marlboro. Soovin Kim was invited
by our violin faculty, and Ignat Solzhenitsyn was presented by our
piano faculty. Both classes were enriching to our whole student
body.
Soovin Kim is an internationally renowned violinist who enjoys a
full career as soloist, chamber musician, and professor. Four chamber groups performed string quartets by Haydn, Mendelssohn, and
Mozart, along with Beethoven’s “Ghost” Piano Trio. From the moment Soovin began to share his thoughts about the music, the entire
audience was completely engaged. Soovin inspired us all as he so
eloquently described the essence of each individual composer’s
music. The students were shown how these various composers
For Ruth, his summers at Kinhaven were a major influence. “It was
the first chance I had playing chamber music and string quartets and
also being exposed to some amazing musicians who were teaching
there,” he recalls. Knowing firsthand how music can impact a child’s
life, he founded CMW in 1997 with the aim of creating relationships between professional musicians and kids in the community.
He came up with the idea as a senior at Brown, where he studied
the philosophy of education and was a member of a string quartet.
“I was interested in doing music in a setting where music would be
part of a project for social justice.”
Ruth started out teaching 15 students for free, and a few years later
set up shop in an unexpected setting, where people could see classical music; not a concert hall or auditorium but in a storefront. Now,
the organization has more than 100 participating children, some
have been with the program for almost a decade. Programming has
expanded to include “All Play Days” that consist of orchestral and
ensemble work; a fellowship program; a teen peer-group; and field
trips to professional concerts for children and their families.
Ignat Solzhenitsyn, Pianist
Soovin Kim, Violinist
Photos by Nicolas Scherzinger
used harmony, rhythm, and color to inform the choices they might
make for phrasing, character, and nuance. He also pointed out
many helpful musical ideas for ensemble playing. He spoke to the
complete musician in us all, often clearly depicting just what makes
Mozart (for instance) Mozart, no matter what instrument you play.
Soovin’s masterclass added tremendously to our understanding of
chamber music and sent us all into our day feeling good about what
we do here at Kinhaven.
Kinhaven was extremely lucky to share an afternoon with Ignat
Solzhenitsyn, a pianist and musician of uncommon passion and
refinement. His master class, on July 20, inspired everyone present to reach higher and deeper and to play with nothing less than
complete engagement. It was a treat to watch him challenge the
students to listen ever more carefully to themselves, to each other,
and to the works they played. The students presented Mozart’s g
minor piano quartet, Arensky’s piano trio, the Saint-Saëns Caprice
on Danish Airs, and Schubert’s Trout quintet. For Ignat, it was a
visit back to a special place; he had been a student at Kinhaven as
a teenager and had even played the very same Saint-Saëns Caprice.
For the Kinhaven community it was an unforgettable and exciting
afternoon.
CMW was also recognized as one of the country’s best youth arts
programs. In October, Michelle Obama presented Ruth a 2010
National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award in a White
House ceremony.
So what’s next?–Ruth is excited about seeing “in what other
ways beyond the ones we’ve established over the last 13 years in
Providence, these ideas can come together in the world and make
meaningful change.”
The Spirit of Kinhaven is edited
and produced in Pennsylvania by
Nancy and Jerry Bidlack and
Caroline Dawson.
Come spend a weekend with us this summer!
Renew old memories of Kinhaven, make new friends
and re-kindle that Spirit of Kinhaven. Concerts are
every weekend. The student concerts are on Fridays
at 4 pm and Sunday afternoons at 2:30 pm.
The Faculty Concerts are on Saturdays at 8:00 pm.
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Hope to see you this summer!
TRUSTEES: Hello and Good-bye
Non-Profit Org.
US Postage
PAID
Permit No. 187
Bethlehem, PA
The Board of Trustees welcomes four new
members.
Molly Bidwell is an alumna from
the 1950s and in more recent
years, a violist in the Chamber
Music Workshop. She lives in
Jerusalem, VT where she is the
pastor of a small Episcopal congregation and
she teaches viola, violin, and piano to both
adults and young people. The Dushkins have
been life-long models to her—as teachers
and leaders.
Preston Maynard, parent of Asa
Maynard (Junior ’05, Senior
’06-’08), brings his extensive
administrative experience and
enthusiasm to the Board. Preston currently works for the Connecticut VA seeking housing opportunities for
homeless veterans. Formerly director of the
New Haven Preservation Trust, he created
one of the most ambitious local preservation
organizations in CT and published Carriages
and Clocks, Corsets and Locks, the Rise and
Fall of an Industrial City, New Haven, CT.
Weston, Vermont
OFF-SEASON OFFICE
1704 Sycamore Street
Bethlehem, PA 18017
610/868-9200
WWW.KINHAVEN.ORG
Return Service Requested
Irene Mendelson rejoins the Board after
a hiatus of almost 20 years. She attended
Kinhaven as a clarinetist from 1974 to 1976
and served as Board president, Annual Fund
chair, treasurer, and editor of a reunion directory. Irene, who lives in Lake Hiawatha, NJ
with her husband and daughter, is currently
an information technology project manager
at Merck. She no longer plays clarinet, but
sings in her church choir.
James Wallick attented Kinhaven as a violin student at
Kinhaven in the summer of
1989. He attended Indiana
University in Bloomington
to study violin where he
earned a Master of Music degree in violin
performance in 1995. James freelanced
for a number of years. His all-time favorite
gigs were his return trips to Kinhaven as a
violin teacher during the summers of 1997,
1998, and 1999. James has practiced law
in private practice in New York City since
2002.
A fond "good-bye" and "thank-you" to
our departing Trustees, Adam Grabois
and Christopher von Baeyer. You will be
missed.
Photo by Nancy Terhune
Trustee Photos by Allison Scola
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