Crowden Music Center

A string ensemble… and a singalong?

Today’s visit from Palaver Strings brought everything from centuries-old instruments to a modern, high-energy moment that had students fully engaged.

Rooted in folk traditions from the Balkans, Eastern Europe, and beyond, their work shows just how dynamic and connected music can be!

Thank you for a memorable masterclass!

Summer music programs at Crowden School are designed for students at every stage! From beginners to advanced musicians, as well as adult learners.

Explore:
Strings programs
Chamber music intensives
Composition program
Vocal academy
Adult workshops

Not sure which program is the right fit? We’re happy to help.

Explore Lessons & Camps →

Link in bio on IG

For FB, please click here: https://www.crowden.org/summer-programs/-

Owen Dalby (’98) and friends performed a mesmerizing concert marking the finale of Crowden’s Sundays @ Four Chamber Music Series.

Beethoven’s Piano Trio in E-flat Major unfolded with poise and interplay, followed by the still, meditative breath of Reena Esmail’s Saans. The program culminated in the intensity and brilliance of Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio in C minor.

Featuring Owen Dalby (violin), Hyeyeon Park (piano), and Dmitri Atapine (cello), the afternoon traced a compelling arc of reflection, connection, and momentum.

Thank you to our artists and community for joining us!

Over the past days in Colorado, our 7th and 8th-grade students stepped into something larger than the classroom, performing, traveling, and navigating this experience together!

Tour has long been a defining part of life at Crowden. For many students, it becomes one of the most memorable and formative experiences of their time here.

This short film offers a glimpse into that experience.

Crowden School is a K–8 private school in Berkeley, California, where students engage in a unique integration of academics and chamber music.

🔗 Link in bio on IG
🔗 FB https://www.crowden.org/crowden-on-tour/

Every other year, Crowden’s 7th and 8th-grade students carry their music out into the world, performing for new audiences and connecting with musicians beyond the Bay Area.

For many, it’s their first time navigating this experience together: new cities, new stages, and the responsibility of representing both their ensemble and their community.

Full tour film coming soon!

To find out more and support the tour:
IG - Link in Bio
FB - https://donate.crowden.org/campaign/604361/donate

Today, on our Colorado tour, our 7th and 8th-grade students had the opportunity to workshop with acclaimed cellist Meta Weiss and Crowden alum David Requiro (Class of ’99).

Having alumni work with our students - especially on tour - is a meaningful part of the Crowden experience, and reflects the strong musical community that continues to grow around the school

Today on the Crowden School Colorado tour our 7th and 8th graders enjoyed an informal exchange with the Denver School Of Arts.

Here they are performing ´St. Paul's Suite' by Gustav Holst

Crowden School students spent the morning in orchestra with composer and music educator Richard Meyer, rehearsing and performing his piece Geometric Dances.

Working directly with the composer gave students a rare opportunity to explore the character, rhythm, and energy behind the music and experience how a piece comes alive under the composer’s own baton.

Thank you, Richard Meyer, for an inspiring masterclass with our young musicians!

The acclaimed Fry Street Quartet offered our students a dynamic masterclass - mentoring ensembles, refining performances, and demonstrating how chamber music truly comes alive through connection, movement, and shared intention.

Through coaching and performance, they illuminated the conversational nature of the string quartet — a form perfected by Haydn, often called the “Father of the String Quartet,” and later expanded by Mozart.

The Quartet performed Mozart’s “Haydn” Quartet in E-flat Major, K. 428 — written in admiration of Haydn and a powerful example of four voices interacting with equality, depth, and expressive

At Crowden School, chamber music is not just performance, it is collaboration in action.

Thank you, , for your mentorship and artistry!

What happens when world-class musicians open up their rehearsal process?

Join at Crowden for a rare behind-the-scenes workshop experience. Through performance and discussion, you’ll witness how great chamber music is shaped — phrase by phrase, idea by idea.

Perfect for musicians, students, and devoted classical music lovers.

February 28 at 4pm

👉 Reserve your spot today. Link in Bio.