Next fall, The Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music at the University of Memphis will provide full-tuition undergraduate scholarships to fourteen incoming freshmen who will be members of the School’s premier chamber ensembles. The program, which is comprised
of three ensembles known as the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music Chamber Players, will train students for national and international chamber music competitions and create opportunities for performing at the University of Memphis and throughout the community. Members of the ensembles, which include brass, string and woodwind groups, will be selected by audition from the remarkable number of talented young artists who will enter the School next year.
According to Dr. Kevin Sanders, Director of the School of Music, “The School of Music’s Chamber Players program paves new paths for continued innovation and development of the next generation of music performers. This concentrated study in diverse repertoire, program development, and community engagement, while under the mentorship of our world-renown faculty, will provide the expertise for our students to thrive anywhere in the world.”
Dr. David Spencer, Faculty Fellow for Strategic Initiatives, also sees great value in the program, observing, “It is paramount that the curriculum of a modern, contemporary music school not only focus on imparting an essential base of knowledge to its students, but also enable the skills and experiences that will serve their futures and shape communities. The arts, and music in particular, have a special role in shaping the communities of tomorrow and at the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music, we take that responsibility as a challenge to curate the best possible experiences we can for our students.”
The students will work with the School’s faculty of nationally and internationally prominent artists. They will receive private lessons and group coaching and will have many opportunities to participate in visiting artist masterclasses. Participants in the program will perform in a variety of School ensembles and have collaborative opportunities with the School’s community partners. This combination of superior instruction with real-world performance experience is at the heart of the School’s objective to produce professional musicians who succeed upon graduation.