Masterclasses & Residencies
REBEL offers a variety of educational activities: masterclasses, individual coachings, open rehearsals, panel discussions, and even joint projects, in which the ensemble's core members play along with an orchestra or chamber ensemble providing an interactive, personal experience for professional musicians, students, or amateurs, optionally concluding with a performance.
Our coaching style is vivid and bold, tempered with plenty of humor and lightness. Our goal is to inspire and empower musicians to go above and beyond their expectations, and we enjoy working with orchestras and chamber ensembles of all levels, both on modern and period instruments. REBEL can give musicians using modern instruments invaluable tools to enhance their performance and awaken in period instrumentalists a broader sense of what historically informed performance encompasses.
The core formation of REBEL led the strings of the SONOS Chamber Orchestra in New York, conducted by Erik Ochsner, resulting in an elegant, stylish New York premiere of J.C. Bach’s ‘Dies Irae’ in 2011.
An educational activity can take the form of one or a group of masterclasses, a full day of coaching, or a residency extending over a period of several days. We are happy to collaborate with you in building a curriculum tailored to the unique needs of your school, institution, conservatory, ensemble, or orchestra, and invite you to explore the myriad possibilities available through us.
We have given masterclasses at the following schools:
Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, MI
Cali School of Music at Montclair State University, NJ
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
Crane School of Music, at SUNY Potsdam, NY
Mannes School of Music, New York, NY
McGill University, Montréal, Canada
Oberlin Conservatory, Oberlin, OH
Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Ross Ragland Theater, Klamath Falls, OR
Southern Oregon University, Ashland, OR
Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY
Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY
"The class was a great success. Members of the audience as well as participants described the teaching as “phenomenal” and “truly transformative.” All four musicians worked enthusiastically with the students, and even included the audience. They made inspiring comments, used instruments to demonstrate their ideas and suggestions, and danced to illustrate the character of the music. It was fascinating to experience how quickly the students adopted the suggestions and made them their own, resulting in a much more vivid, imaginative, engaging and expressive sound and interpretation."
- Arne Spohr, associate professor of musicology and director of the
Early Music Ensemble at Bowling Green State University, OH
"Not only did REBEL teach my players how one might approach Baroque music – both in terms of stylistic phrasing and stylistic mechanics of playing the modern instruments – but they also accepted my request to play the concert with us. It was a fantastic opportunity for me, for our players, and our audiences to hear this different approach. I am so thankful to them for being so open hearted and generous. Dedication should be their middle name!"
- Erik Ochsner, Music Director SONOS Chamber Orchestra
"The University of Michigan was fortunate to host an inspiring and energetic masterclass by the musicians of REBEL. Working with students on both baroque and modern instruments, they taught with insight, creativity and a helpful sense of humor."
- Joe Gascho, assistant professor of music, University of Michigan