Leander Bien, Director
Kinhaven Music School, Weston, Vermont
Cancelled for summer 2020 because of the pandemic
Summers in Vermont remain a cherished memory in the minds of the many professional and non-professional musicians who have attended Kinhaven. The school’s emphasis on non-competitive, supportive music-making has been at the very heart of its philosophy. This approach — the basis for our success with students of all ages — is the guiding spirit for our Adult Piano Workshop.
The Program
The annual workshop focuses on four-hand piano repertoire. Participants can pair up on their own and select their music, or can have the faculty’s help with both choices. Pre-existing four-hand teams are especially welcome.
Each four-hand duo receives three 75-minute coachings. There will be time for practice, rehearsal and sight-reading. The workshop culminates in student concerts. In addition, there will be group and private Alexander Technique sessions, as well as four-handed sight-reading sessions with the faculty.
The workshop typically begins with Tuesday supper and ends with Sunday lunch. It is open to intermediate to advanced-level pianists, ages 18 or older.
The Faculty
Leander Bien, director, has degrees from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the Manhattan School of Music and the Sibelius Academy. He is a former faculty member at the Vantaa Conservatory (Finland), UMass/Amherst, Lehigh University and Moravian College. Since 1994, Leander has been on the piano faculty at the Levine School of Music in Washington, DC.
English pianist Andrew Harley studied at Oxford, the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, and the University of Southern California. Formerly head of Collaborative Piano at the University of North Carolina/Greensboro, Andrew teaches in the Collaborative Piano Program at Juilliard and at the Levine School in Washington, DC. He performs frequently throughout the United States and in Europe.
Victor Galindo, a faculty member of the Levine School of Music in Washington, DC, has performed in Europe, Russia and Latin America. He earned degrees in piano pedagogy and performance at the University of Michigan and the University of Montana, and his teaching was recognized with an award from the Fifth Biennial National Conference on Piano Pedagogy. Victor is the author of several music books for young pianists. He also has an interest in international socio-economic development, having worked in USAID programs in Latin America. He received a master’s degree in public policy management from Georgetown University.
Kristin Mozeiko, a musician and AmSAT-certified Alexander Technique teacher based in Brooklyn, NY, leads optional group and one-on-one sessions in the technique for resolving movement problems that cause chronic pain and stress for performers and athletes. Kristin serves on the faculty at Queens College and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education and French Horn performance and is completing her doctoral studies in Music Education.
Housing and Food
Kinhaven has camp facilities consisting of communal cabins with bunk beds and shared bathrooms. There is electricity in all cabins. The Common Room in the Main House will be available day and night for reading, visiting and relaxing in front of the fireplace.
Participants have the option of commuting from one of the many inns or motels in the area. We know of two that offer discounts (ask for their special rate for Kinhaven Piano Workshop participants):
- Apple Knoll Inn, just outside Weston, offers a 25 percent discount if participants reserve several rooms, bringing their nightly room rate down to the $90-$110 range. Web: www.appleknollinn.com. Phone: (802) 824-0051.
- The Inn at Weston offers us a flat rate of $175 a night, reduced from the range of $185-$325. (Some of their rooms are large and gorgeous.) Web: www.innweston.com. Phone: (802) 824-6789.
A list of these and other inns is available here.
Meals will be provided from Tuesday supper to Sunday lunch. The Kinhaven kitchen is locally famous for its delicious homemade fare — fresh, nutritious and non-institutional. Vegetarian meals will be available.
Costs
Staying on campus: $850, including all musical activities, room and meals.
Staying off-campus: $775, including everything except room and breakfast.
Non-participating guests and family members:
On-campus: $425 (including room and meals).
Off-campus: $375 (including meals).
How to apply
The application can be found online and in the Kinhaven Music School brochure. To receive a brochure, you may call the admissions office at (973) 378-5854 or send an email to the office at admin@kinhaven.org.
New participants who wish the faculty to help match you with a partner, please send an audition recording. A home recording or copy of a live performance is fine. A solo work is preferable, but a piece of chamber music with the piano clearly defined is acceptable. The recording can be in a CD, DVD, digital audio file, or an audio cassette or VHS videocassette. (Please be sure to label the recording media and its case with your name and the title of the work performed.)
Send the completed application and the recording (if any) to:
Kinhaven Adult Piano Workshop
Leander Bien, Director
9 Lopa Court
North Potomac, MD 20878
Questions about applying?
First, please check our answers to Frequently Asked Questions. To inquire further and discuss the workshop, call Director Leander Bien, (301) 340-6583, or write to the school at admin@kinhaven.org.
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