A publication of the Furman University Music Department

Cradled within the quiet, misty hills of Brevard,North Carolina, is a place where each summer400 aspiring musicians and 70 distinguished artistfaculty and staff members gather for six weeks with thesingular purpose of making magnificent music.Brevard Music Center (BMC), a summer institute andfestival celebrating its 75th anniversary season this year, isa music mecca drawing students and faculty from all overBy Tina T. UnderwoodIN PERFECTHARMONYBREVARD MUSIC CENTER & FURMAN UNIVERSITYthe United States and abroad. Traditionally, part of thisinternational corps of pilgrims is a strong contingent ofcurrent Furman students as well as graduates, and a sizablenumber of Furman faculty members who, in some cases,have seen decades of summers at the institute.After speaking with several Furman delegates abouttheir experiences at BMC, one central theme emerges—six short weeks at BMC can have lifetime repercussions.GREAT EXPECTATIONS,GREATER RELATIONSHIPSViolin performance major Seth Gilliard ’12 (Johns Island, SC) hasspent three summers at BMC. He developed polished skills, newrepertoire, and a heightened appreciation for teamwork, not tomention a host of new friends. At the festival, expectations arehigh. Headlined by international guest artists and conductors,weekly concerts demand short turnaround for learning newmusic. Gilliard admits a healthy level of competition existsamong musicians, but in the scramble to prepare for performances,a sense of community and spirit of comradery prevailat BMC, and competition tends to, well, play second fiddle.Gilliard recalls sittingdown with friends eager tohelp him with a piece hewas struggling to master.“I learned just as much fromstudents as I did teachers.”The Brevard MusicCenter Orchestra, comprised of faculty and students, is themusic center's flagship ensemble. Like so many other studentsat BMC, Gilliard was privileged to rehearse and perform rightalongside faculty members. He fondly remembers playingRachmaninoff’s Second Symphony for the first time with ateacher and former member of the Pittsburgh Symphonysupporting him throughout the piece.A NATURAL PLACE FOREXPRESSIONLong hours of practice virtually melt away in BMC’s“I LEARNED JUST ASMUCH FROM STUDENTSAS I DID TEACHERS.”sequestered setting amid the towering trees. Joshua Espinoza’11 (Greensboro, NC), a piano performance major, says theatmosphere had a “calming effect” and helped to sharpenhis focus. Practice rooms outfitted with generous windowsoverlooking the wooded landscape had a way of creating“oneness with nature,” he says.In addition to practice and private lessons, Espinozasays there are ample ways to hone your craft at the institute.“There’s a concert almost every night and sometimes multipleconcerts per day.” Chambermusic, orchestral concerts,opera, solo, and concertocompetitions—the music isas ubiquitous as fireflies on awarm summer evening.An unexpectedbonus for Espinoza was the invitation to play a regular jazzgig at a local restaurant with faculty and students fromseveral prestigious schools. “It really boosted my sense ofaccomplishment as a musician . . . I was able to see all myhard work pay off. It also showed me I have a lot to learn,”says Espinoza.continued p. 645