The Chamber Music Studio
Learning how to make great music as a part of a small ensemble is one of the most informative and meaningful ways of making classical music come alive for students and audiences alike! The Onomatopoeia Chamber Music Studio offers world-class chamber music instruction to students in southwest Missouri through weekly coaching with Steuart Pincombe and occasional coaching from the Onomatopoeia Guest Faculty. The program is open to advanced youth students (including college students), as well as beginning/intermediate/advanced adult amateurs.
About The Onomatopoeia Chamber Music Studio
Students participating in the chamber music studio will be assigned to a group of students at a similar level of experience (placement in a group is contingent on finding suitable chamber partners), and the group will be assigned a suitable chamber piece. Each student is expected to attend the weekly coaching or rehearsal and practice their individual part daily. The students are also encouraged to participate in the cello studio "field trips" where we from time to time learn from other local experts - drawing connections between their work as artists, craftsmen, and farmers and applying what we learn to our music making!
All chamber music groups have coaching sessions in the spacious and well equipped Sibley Music Studio adjacent to the Onomatopoeia Cello Studio.
Chamber music groups that show dedication in their work, are open to learning, and show significant progress will have the opportunity for virtual coaching with Onomatopoeia’s world class guest faculty who are leaders in the field of chamber music.
Students playing the Reger String Trio Op. 77b and learning from Guest Cello Faculty René Schiffer in our first masterclass at Onomatopoeia
Guidelines & Expectations
Once assigned to a chamber group, a weekly time slot will be scheduled. One week the group will rehearse on their own, the next week they will have a coaching. Students are expected to treat this time as a serious commitment and should not cancel unless there are significant extenuating circumstances such as illness or travel. If a student must cancel, the group will still meet at their regular time and rehearse or coach together.
Students are expected to practice their assigned repertoire on their own at least 2 hours per week, in addition to the weekly coaching/rehearsal.
The fee for each chamber coaching is $15-25 per student (dependent on length of coaching, and number of players in ensemble). The fee is only charged during the weeks of the coaching (i.e. every other week). If this is a significant burden for you and your family, please let Steuart know and something can be worked out.
The chamber groups will occasionally have the opportunity to play in group settings with other students in the Institute. This is a time when all of my students are invited to come together, hear one another play, and receive an informal master class in front of their peers.
The students will be encouraged to find opportunities to perform as a group when they are ready. The Institute will assist in creating performance opportunities for qualified ensembles.
Application for chamber music placement
Students participating in the chamber music program will be assigned to a group of students at a similar level played (placement in a group is contingent on finding suitable chamber partners), and the group will be assigned a suitable chamber piece. To apply to play in a chamber group, please fill out the form below.