Southern California Chamber Music Workshop

 2020 dates: July 19-25

Scripps College
Claremont, CA

If you’re on this website, you probably know that there’s something special and powerful about playing great chamber music. Is it the sensation of being inside the mind of a great composer? The joy of creating a beautiful and ephemeral thing? Spending intimate, creative time with bright, friendly people? The joy of chamber music comes from all of these. And the wonderful thing is: the more skilled you become, the more intense this joy becomes. Imagine having a solid week every year to immerse yourself in chamber music, building your skills in a positive, intense, friendly and informal environment. This is the Southern California Chamber Music Workshop.

This year, the SoCal Chamber Music Workshop (SCCMW), formerly known as the San Diego Chamber Music Workshop, celebrates its forty-second anniversary. SCCMW is designed for amateur and professional musicians (strings, winds, piano, and vocal) ages 18 and up. We offer a fun, intensive and structured program that strives to deepen a musician’s enjoyment and understanding of chamber music, while improving their ability to play within a group. This year’s workshop week includes master classes, group readings, coaching sessions, faculty concerts, evening programs, and musical freelancing.

See our lineup of coaches on our faculty page.  The Telegraph Quartet will be back in 2020! Other faculty to be announced soon.

A prospective participant may apply as an individual player or as a member of a preformed group (quartet, etc.) An individual player will receive a new assignment (a combination of new players and a new piece) each day from our coaches. Preformed groups stay together for the entire week (minus one day) to explore their own chosen repertoire at greater depth. If you’re accepted, we’ll send you more info and instructions on how to pay your tuition, and room and board.

A video from our time as the San Diego Chamber Music Workshop

Some Workshop testimonials from over the years.
Read all of them on our Testimonials page.

The Southern California Chamber Workshop (SCCMW) has excellent coaches and the master classes provide the best possible learning experience. I have been to many other workshops, and I think that SCCMW offers the best experience at a reasonable cost. It’s simply outstanding!

Harriette E.

It was worth crossing the Pacific to be part of it!

Lynn D.

What a wonderful state of bliss to be immersed in such a loving musical environment such as the SCCMW. The caliber of playing is high and the level of coaching is stellar. The workshop is so well-run that participants do not have to worry much if at all about everyday logistics. If there is any kind of issue, the people who run the workshop are very sensitive and responsive and will take care of it immediately. This year has been especially fun and enjoyable!

Milton W.

High class music making in a wonderful venue, what could be better?

Robert M.

I came to chamber music rather late in my life, and as a result, I try to fit in as much playing as I can! As a violinist/private teacher, I enjoy the challenges of sight reading and seeing how easy (or challenging) it truly is! This workshop serves as a benchmark to see how far I have come from one year to the next! Exhilarating and humbling at the same time! It’s also great to see friends from all over the U.S. and abroad, and receive top-notch coaching!

Linda T.

Great music, great people, great experience.

Liz C.

Be prepared to get your musical butt kicked in the best way.

Caroline C.

Our preformed quartet has attended the workshop for over 20 years and has benefited from the phenomenal coaching year after year.

Linda O.

The SoCal experience helps players at many levels play and learn together.

Joe P.

I was privileged to attend the SoCal Chamber Music Workshop for an intense week of chamber music. I was deeply moved, inspired, and humbled to be among an outstanding group of amateur musicians, advanced music students, and professional musicians. This was my second time attending the workshop, and I have many cherished memories to add to the ones from my first time there. I can’t wait to go back yet again!

Raymond M.

Probably the most fun you can have with your clothes on!

Anonymous