Chamber music is the best way to nurture motivation and passion in young musicians: cellist Dmitri Atapine

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Dedication and inspiration: what is the right balance? It is an age-old dilemma in any field, and in classical music, it comes up early. We can all agree on the pedagogical paths towards the mastery of one’s instrument. These rely on centuries of tradition and constant refinement and innovation (’practice, practice, practice’ sums it up). Yet more often than not, when working with students, I encounter the question mark on the inspiration side. Why should a 22-year-old keep toiling away in the practice room? What about a twelve-year-old? The question then arises: is there a best way to nurture motivation and passion for our craft? 

Well, thinking of my humble musical journey so far, and in particular, in light of my long-term involvement with the Music@Menlo Chamber Music Institute, I dare say I know the answer. It’s Chamber Music. Chamber Music worked for me, and for many of my colleagues, and it works time and again for student after student whom I am fortunate to work with. But not just chamber music ‘for fun’ and ‘on the sideline’ of the experience, but rather Chamber Music with capital letters, taken wholeheartedly, with a sense of seriousness and responsibility. It has the power to unlock the hearts and focus the drive, to inspire the young players and turn them into musicians and artists. 

You see, we are often reminded that ’genius is one per cent inspiration and  99 per cent perspiration’ — thank you, Thomas Edison. This maxim is meant to encourage young people to work hard, believe in the value of dedication, apply themselves, and know that (thankfully) there is no secret sauce. This message comes in tandem with many of our role models: Clara Schumann, Rostropovich, Michael Jordan, Marie Curie, Jascha Heifetz, etc. How many times do we hear stories of tireless pursuits, sleepless nights in the lab, and 13-hour practice sessions? ’Ceaseless work, analysis, reflection, writing much, endless self-correction, that is my secret,’ wrote Bach, and then added: ’Anyone who works as hard as I did, can achieve the same results.’ In other words: ’Perspire, damn it!’

 Chamber music has the power to unlock the hearts and focus the drive, to inspire the young players and turn them into musicians and artists

Of note is the unintentional toll taken on the young mind by all this true and well-meaning messaging. That great hard work must be all-encompassing, and somewhat lonely. That inspiration is but one-hundredth of the total equation. That barely any effort should be dedicated to it, and that an hour spent in the concert hall listening to Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet subconsciously needs to be compensated by 99 hours of an A-flat major scale, preferably in double-stops. 

This was exactly where my mind was, when over a decade ago I came as a student to Music@Menlo Chamber Music Festival. Having earned a coveted spot in its Chamber Music Institute International Program aimed at conservatory-level talent, I was ready to work hard and learn. Music@Menlo, well-established as one of the leading chamber music festivals in the world, already held a reputation not just for the highest level of artistry but also as one of the most intense places in the business. The intensity and high energy are its DNA since its founding in 2003 by the chamber music powerhouse of David Finckel and Wu Han. Add to that the innovative and fast-paced spirit of Silicon Valley and you have a unique and exhilarating recipe.

For its students, the Institute espouses ’total immersion’ in chamber music, as the Festival packs more events into three weeks than standard organisations handle in three years. Attending concerts by world-class guest artists while getting ready to perform on a near-daily basis, plus cheering on the younger generation; masterclasses, conversations, encounters, chats on topics of arts administration, historical figures, violin construction… On a single day, it would not be unusual to witness four or five public events, on top of all the rehearsing and coaching. A glorious chamber music whirlwind! 

By the end of the Festival, my brain had barely begun to process one-tenth of everything I learnt, and let me assure you, the perspiration was maxed out. But most importantly, the inspiration was on fire! 

I learnt that chamber music is a special kind of practice, uniquely capable of producing such an inspirational whirlwind. The repertoire is vast, the instrumentation varied, and the history is rich. Think of all the connections, themes, composers, performers, traditions, miniatures, symphonic-scale works, the individual virtuosity in service of the greater good, the art of collaboration, teamwork, leadership, engagement, and sensitivity. To give one’s best to the whole and, magically, the whole is greater than the parts. I couldn’t get enough chamber music in my life and had to do something about it! 

And I was not alone. A similar experience is shared among generations of Music@Menlo alumni, who feel the need to keep the whirlwind going. Together with Hyeyeon Park, the Young Performers co-director and 2009 alumna, we started a concert series in Reno and are now at the helm of the Friends of Chamber Music Kansas City. Other trailblazing alumni are at the forefront of countless projects in Chattanooga, Seattle, Portland, Sedona, Denver, Europe, South America, and Oceania. The Festival’s ’Alumni Map’ is a remarkable sight to behold with 37 projects listed as of today: close your eyes and point – you will find a ’Menlo effect’ project.

When it comes to the Young Performers, Hyeyeon and I are perpetually amazed by them. To watch them grow, to speak with them about their plans and endeavours, to see them become musicians, artists, engineers, doctors, scientists… all the while the seeds planted at the Festival take root. We know that the most important thing they need is love, trust, determination, and the eradication of self-doubt. Hard work they do, and they need their inspiration set ablaze! So we surround them with the most inspirational whirlwind we can devise, and they learn to brave and conquer it. As chamber music works its magic, they learn that the stronger the wind – the higher they can fly. 

Dmitri Atapine is co-director of the Young Performers program of Music@Menlo’s Chamber Music Institute, and a 2008 alum.

Dmitri’s 2024 Music@Menlo concert appearances via livestream include Quartets and Harps (27 July), Vocal Exchange (7 August) and Renascence (10 August)

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