Kneisel Hall Festival
Full Scholarship Festival
Endowment Funds Contact Us Adult Inst. Chamber Music School Faculty/Artists About Kneisel Hall Comm. Outreach Programs Concert Schedule
Concert Hall

Welcome to
Kneisel Hall
Chamber Music Festival


Full Scholarship Festival
It's one of the most important developments in the 100+ year history of Kneisel Hall. All students attend with full scholarships to Kneisel Hall. This attracts the very best student musicians to our program.

Chamber Music Comes to Your Home
Our Young Artist Concerts have been recorded and converted to MP3 files, so you can download to your computer! We are presenting a sampling, with the hope to add more in the future. These are from our 2004 season, July 10 performance:

  • Beethoven: String Quartet in A Major, Op. 18, No. 5, Allegro
  • Beethoven: String Quartet in A Major, Op. 18, No. 5, Menuetto
  • Haydn: String Quartet, Op. 64, No. 6, Allegretto
  • Haydn: String Quartet, Op. 64, No. 6, Andante
  • Haydn: String Quartet, Op. 64, No. 6, Menuetto-Allegro
  • Haydn: String Quartet, Op. 64, No. 6, Presto

    Please note: these downloads are a bit large, averaging between 4.5mb and 7.7mb.

    Accolades for Kneisel
    We are pleased to have received comments about the experience and effect of our program on the lives of musicians as well as our audience.

    Business Supporters of Kneisel
    When you attend a summer concert at Kneisel Hall, you'll receive a program which details the artists and the performances. The program guide is only possible with the support of a wide variety of many fine businesses. Please think of these companies the next time you need just about anything.

    Kneisel Program Guide
    Reach patrons with your quarter, half, or full-page ad. Just click Guide.

    What Else Can You Do?
    To make a significant impact on the future of a young musician, please consider support through Kneisel Hall's Support Future Artists section, on our Endowment page.

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  • Community Outreach / Young Musicians Program
    Kneisel Hall makes every effort to share its enthusiasm for experience in chamber music with its downeast neighbors. This season features four programs: Maine Young Musicians, Maine Young Musicians Masters Class, Kneisel Hall on Tour, and the In School/In Concert program. These programs are designed to bring music to Maine's citizens, and Maine's citizen to the music. Click Outreach for more information.


    A Full Scholarship Chamber Music School
    A seven-week session, June - August for 50 pre-professional musicians (violin, viola, cello, piano). The session includes the study and performance of the chamber music repertoire under the tutelage of the Kneisel Hall Festival Artists. Admission is based on audition tapes and musical knowledge. Download the Application Form (deadline February 1, 2008)
    .

    What to do when not practicing or performing? Blueberry picking, of course!

    click for a larger version of the blueberry picking


    Adult Institute
    Sign-up now for a special one week program in August for adult musicians to hone their skills with a concentration on the music of Shostakovich and Schubert.


    Mission
    With roots back to 1902, Kneisel Hall has been called "The cradle of chamber music teaching in America." In keeping with this heritage, we take it as our mission to foster the art of chamber music through teaching and performance in an intimate environment steeped in tradition and artistic excellence. Thus, we exist to enrich the artistic skills of our students and the cultural life of our surrounding community, and to represent the highest ideals of ensemble performance.

    History
    Kneisel Hall's rich musical tradition dates back to 1885, when Franz Kneisel, the celebrated 20-year-old Austrian violinist, came to the United States at the invitation of conductor Wilhelm Gericke to become concertmaster of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. During the same year that Franz Kneisel joined the Boston Symphony Orchestra, he formed the Kneisel Quartet, the first professional string quartet in America. Illustrious from the start, the Kneisel Quartet reigned supreme in chamber music from 1885 to 1917. For more about Kneisel Hall past, present, and future, click About Kneisel Hall

    contact us: festival@kneisel.org