Creative Music Intensive is a two-week in-person program which will be held from August 2nd – 17th at Arts Letters & Numbers in 2025. The program is open to musicians working in any genre, of any age or nationality. Participants will be immersed in the creative process of making and performing music, exploring new approaches, and developing individual and collaborative works as creative artists.
This unique program will be directed and led by Michael Harrison, Music Program Director and recurring Visiting Artist of Arts Letters & Numbers, featuring special guest Vijay Iyer (week one) and co-taught by Bergamot Quartet, Elliot Cole, Payton MacDonald, and David Gersten, Arts Letters & Numbers founding director. Each will host weekly classes and offer one-on-one private lessons, and facilitate potential collaborations with co-participants.
Topics to be covered during group and private classes include composition and improvisation; composing for string quartet and percussion; Indian classical ragas, rhythms and techniques; performance, recording and career strategies; and developing interdisciplinary work and collaborations. Please see the program breakdown page for details.
Participants are encouraged to come with creative projects they want to develop. There are spaces to work, and opportunities to collaborate, present, and receive technical and artistic support.
At the conclusion of the program, on August 16th, participants will present a public performance together (live onsite and online), in which they may perform or arrange for other musicians to perform their work. Participants will also have the opportunity to compose a new work for performance by Bergamot Quartet. The Participants’ Concert, BQ’s concert and other events are opportunities to explore new performance practices and material in a safe and welcoming environment. The faculty will also present concerts of their work.
Program Breakdown:
https://www.artslettersandnumbers.com/creative-music-intensive-2025-breakdown
The program fee is $1950 for a shared room, and $2250 for a private room. Housing and partial meals are covered in the program fee. Limited scholarships are available.