Comments

It sounds like you're having a wonderful time there, Caeli! Thanks for the report. I've loved Shannon Lee since I heard her playing the Intro & Rondo Capriccioso on From the Top. I still go back and listen to the archives for her interpretation...it's humbling enough when a 14-year-old has that kind of technical ability, but to have that level of musical understanding and dept as well is truly astounding.

Oh, how I wish I'd gone to music camp as a kid. Well, it's not too late for my girls!

It sounds like a really intense experience and a lot of fun, Caeli. Thanks for telling us about it. ah, Encore. Too bad you weren't there last year, Caeli. There were some memorable chapel performances...Henry Flory's bow hair flew out during Scherzo-Tarantelle, i think my quartet set a speed record in the second mvmt of Shosty 8, and Joel Link played a pretty incredible Tchaikovsky concerto on the final concert (which he learned in about four weeks while at Encore). If Joel performs in a chapel concert this year, go to it. Hi Caeli,

What a fascinating post! Glad you're enjoying your summer here in sticky, muggy Hudson. By the way, I like the "Silelius" concerto too... :) Just giving you a hard time.

Best,
Andrew Sords

Hey Caeli,

Great article. Just wanted to correct a mistake though: Ellen is not my mom, she's my cousin. My mom's name is Gloria :)

-Francesca

Wow. Amazing story Cae! You now have permission for all the times you couldnt talk because you had to write it or take pictures for it ;) hehe.
You'll have to post an audio of you after encore! Caeli,

I'm an ENCORE alum from 1986-89. I was even a counselor and photographer in my last year there. I've known the Cerones for many years, having grown up in Cleveland during my very early years. I studied with Linda and even went to a baseball game with David.

Please say "hello" to the Cerones for me! You'll have to ask if they remember the big slide show I put on at the end of the '89 season! . . . not a dry eye in the Chapel.

All the best,
Peter

Nicholas, Hi. I was at ENCORE last year. I must have missed Joel's concert, and yours, too, I guess, because I had to leave to go to Ireland for a week. Sounds like I missed some great performances!

Andrew, thanks for the spelling correction! I can't believe my spellchecker that doesn't have "Sibelius" in it. I'm returning this computer tomorrow.

Francesca, Thanks! But I re-read what I wrote, and I didn't say that Ellen was your mom. I know she's your cousin (my sisters used to study with your uncle Bobby. And I was in that Haiti-orchestra thing last September when you and Ellen played Symphonie Concertante.)

You were great then, and on the Barber, as well! I didn't mean to leave your mom out of the article, but I was just focusing on violinists. From the way I wrote it, it almost seems as if there's no one at ENCORE except violinists. (FYI, everyone, Francesca's mom, Gloria, is a cellist in the Philadelphia Orchestra. Her entire family is fabulous.)

I wanted to add my 2 cents to this article.

Yes, it was a good look into what happens at this festival, and it's sure to bolster ENCORE's reputation with all the name dropping--however, Chessie (Francesca) is an excellent violinist in her own right, regardless of her family's success. She's an extremely talented violinist, and it just so happens she's a member of an extraordinary family. I believe that for the purpose of the article, that reference was unnecessary. (Ellen also could not attend the Barber concert).
Yes, Hilary and Leila lived at ENCORE, in Hobart House, actually--that was the little girls' dorm back in the nineties.
Linda Cerone and David Cerone co-founded the festival in 1985.
It was very nice of you to mention my name and some of my classmates as well, but I think credit should also be given to the number of outstanding violinists, violists, and cellists at ENCORE who have not won anything yet, who do not have careers, and who work very hard to achieve a lot in a short amount of time. Those students at ENCORE should be mentioned and credited as well. Everyone here has worked to make it, and instead of a handful of violinists whose names may be more known than others, there are other memorable performances as well (Tina Guo's Dvorak cello concerto, Sifei's Tchaikovsky's Rococo Variations, the absolutely outstanding collaborative pianists, especially Anita Pontremoli and Liz DeMio, and all the chamber groups that work so hard to bring a complete work together and perform successfully).
These points are just my two cents, and I hope they add a little more clarity to the article.

Andrew Sords

P.S. I have not received my degree yet... :) On the contrary, Andrew, I think it's really neat to hear about family backrounds. Caeli is by no means saying that is why that person is as good as they are, because we all know that comes from hard work and dedication. Therefore, I definately do not believe that it is useless information, at all.

I understand where you are coming from when you want to credit those who don't always win the competions but work really hard. However I think Caeli made it quite clear how amazing everyone at ENCORE is and how hard they work.

Caeli did pick out a few students and pointed out their accomplishments which was very nice of her! She was simply trying to show examples of how much these young musicians are striving to be the best they can. If she were to talk about everyone, the article would take days to read!

Once again, Amazing article Caeli! Perfectly done. :)

Actually, Hilary and Leila DID live in North Hall when they were students at ENCORE.

Loved the article, Caeli!

Mr. Russell