Higher-Ed REsidency programs

Room to Spare is committed to providing workshops and masterclasses for college and university students across diverse musical disciplines. Below is a list of our current offerings; if you don't see something that fits your needs, please contact us—we're happy to work with you to develop a suitable program. 

 

Chamber Music Coachings, Workshops, & Masterclasses

Julia Connor and David Leach bring their expertise from playing in Room to Spare as well as their experience playing in various classical and jazz chamber music settings to students across the musical spectrum.  They are available for private coachings as well as public workshops and masterclasses.

 

Rehearsal Techniques & Strategies 

From the first rehearsal to the dress, Room to Spare walks students through best practices of the rehearsal process, especially as it pertains to newly composed music.  Topics covered include developing an ensemble's musical interpretation of a piece, forging a group sound, and effective group communication.

 

Bridging the Divide: Cross-Genre Collaboration

Playing with musicians who come from different musical traditions is extremely rewarding but it also comes with a unique set of challenges.  In this lecture, Room to Spare talks about some of the things they have learned along the way, from differences in rhythmic interpretation to notational conventions in different traditions.

 

Composition for Performers

Performers have all the tools they need to be composers, but many don't realize it.  In this workshop designed to empower instrumentalists to write their own music, Room to Spare will present techniques which enable musicians to translate their performance skills into a compositional voice. 

 

Jazz Composition Workshop with David Leach

This workshop requires advance preparation, as student composers are required to send David their charts ahead of time. Student ensembles will prepare the pieces for performance, and David will workshop the compositions in a masterclass setting, providing constructive feedback to the composers and ensembles.  

 

Composing for String Instruments

Writing for string instruments present a challenge to composers who are not themselves string players.  Something as seemingly innocuous as changing one note can sometimes make a piece of music  awkward or unplayable.  Using their own drafts as examples, Room to Spare will walk students through best practices when it comes to writing for string instruments.  Topics covered include double stops, harmonics, string crossings, and extended techniques.

 

Improvisation Workshop for Classical Musicians

Many classical musicians want to improvise but they aren't sure where to begin.  Room to Spare introduces the basics of improvisation in this interactive class designed especially for classical musicians. 

 

Irish Fiddle Workshop for Classical Musicians with Julia Connor

Violinist Julia Connor shares what she has learned about transitioning between folk and classical styles.  In this hands-on workshop, Julia will work with students on rhythm and bowing styles in Irish music.  She will also discuss strategies that classical musicians can use for aural tune learning.

 

Entrepreneurship

From building a website, creating a social media presence, booking shows, and more, Room to Spare walks students through the administrative side of being in a self-managed chamber ensemble.  Students will learn about balancing administrative and musical duties, promoting concerts, different funding models, grant applications, and more.