IN THE COMMUNITY
In addition to sponsoring an annual concert series and offering free tickets to students and EBT/SNAP holders, Syracuse Friends of Chamber Music encourages community members to engage with chamber music in other ways. Opportunities include an annual competition for young chamber musicians, engagement with local schools, and the CHAmber Music PlayerS (CHAMPS), an informal group of amateur musicians who enjoy playing chamber music with other congenial people.
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YOUTH CHAMBER MUSIC COMPETITION
Early each spring, SFCM sponsors a Youth Chamber Music Competition. The primary purpose is to encourage students in the Central New York area, grades 7-12, to discover the joy of preparing and performing chamber music under the guidance of a coach. The 2025 competition was held on the morning of March 1, 2025 at Park Central Presbyterian Church in downtown Syracuse.
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COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Syracuse Friends of Chamber Music has recently identified community engagement as a strategic priority. Initial efforts are focused on Grant Middle School, the host of our 75th anniversary season. Members of the Board's volunteer Community Engagement committee met with music teachers and administrators to learn about the school community, its music programs, and its needs. The committee sought to understand how SFCM's support might bring interesting and accessible music programs to children across the Syracuse City School District. The openness of the Grant Middle School teachers and administrators offered a perfect opportunity for partnership. This year, SFCM will fund the purchase of supplies and performance T-shirts for students in Grant's band and orchestra; school day assembly performances by quartets or quintets drawn from The Syracuse Orchestra, Syracuse University Jazz, and other local ensembles; the commissioning of a school-themed composition for the school's combined orchestra and band by a local composer; and support for music performances at multicultural school events. Over the next year, the committee is eager to continue to work with the Syracuse City School District and to seek other possible community partners as well.
CHAMPS
As a contribution to the Central New York music scene, SFCM has organized a service for amateur musicians of all abilities who want to play chamber music with other congenial people – just for fun. We invite you to dust off that cello, take that flute down off the shelf, and start playing some chamber music yourself!
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There is no charge for this service. For more information about CHAMPS, or to find out when the group will meet, call 315-383-7269, or send an email to dsvendsen@verizon.net.
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