Bang on a Can

Summer Festival

Testimonials

Fellows from past Festivals share their experiences:

"Bang on a Can has changed my life. I never thought it would be possible to find a community that is devoted to new music with such a high caliber of musicianship, such enthusiasm and mutual supportiveness, and such a sense of joy for everything we do. I know I'll be looking to recreate this feeling in my future collaborations, always."

"Bang on a Can was by far the best summer festival I have ever experienced. I have attended several other festivals both in Europe and the U.S and have never been so impressed by the faculty, the students, the music, and the overall welcoming environment that I found at BoaC. I feel that I learned so much and this undoubtedly has influenced my understanding of and approach to music. I found the fellow participants to be so open, interested, and talented at playing new music. The faculty and participants together exuded a high level of excitement about new music, or rather, the future of new music, that was incredibly inspiring. This was truly a special experience, and I am so grateful to have had it."

"I have been attending summer music festivals every summer since I was 12 years old. This is the only festival to which I will reapply. I felt blessed to be in such a supportive, stimulating, creative environment, surrounded by fantastic musicians. I didn't want it to end. Being at this festival this summer helped me answer a lot of questions about which path within the music world I want to pursue. Thanks a lot to everyone who made this festival happenóand for having the idea of a new music festival in the first place. This festival is doing wonders for creating a cohesive new music community for our generation."

"The two weeks this summer were so fabulous. Not only were there so many incredible opportunities, but it was very inspiring. Often when I think about my prospects as a professional musician, I get depressed pretty quickly...But the summer institute made me re-think things, and I've got a much more positive outlook on things now. Most of all, it was a wonderful community. At last, I could be with my kind of people, you know? What a relief. The music-making, the discussions, and the late-night antics in the dorm all made me feel like a part of an incredible family. MASS MoCA was the perfect atmosphereÖ I was very inspired by my surroundings, and was thankful for the opportunity to be art for two weeks. So, anyway, three cheers for the summer festival! Hooray!"

"I had one of the most enjoyable musical experiences of recent memory; I left feeling energized, encouraged, and inspired. Thank you for providing us with the opportunity to do something we passionately love for almost 3 weeks straight."

"Thank you so much for a wonderful experience at the Bang on a Can Summer Festival this year. I have been a fan of Bang on a Can for many years, so the chance to meet and work with David, Julie, Michael, and the All-Stars was a huge thrill for me. Just as exciting was meeting all the fellow performers and composers from all over the world, many of whom are now my good friends and collaborators."

"The BoaC Summer Festival was a truly inspirational experience, and everyone involved with it was wonderful. From the MASS MoCA staff, to the faculty and fellows, it seemed that everyone was excited to be creating music together, and there was a very strong sense of family."

"BoaC Summer Festival was a great experience for me. I'm glad I had the opportunity to meet and work with such talented people. The supportive environment and positive reinforcement throughout definitely makes this program unique. I would love to participate again."

"I had such a great experience. I met so many great performers, composers and people involved in a proliferation of art, and I am so thankful to have been able to take part in such a unique and special festival. I hope I can come back and do it all again next year."

"Amazing experience, truly life-changing."

"I had a fantastic time and would definitely recommend this program to anyone actively involved in contemporary music."

"Thank you very much for this opportunity! I am filled with new ideas."

"I've made some great friendships and have built a mini-community. It was great to not only work with, but also get to know so many fantastic musicians."

"Every word from the Bang on a Can faculty was like a lambent dancer that would flicker around my head for days. I learned a bunch."

"It was so great to live in a community of supportive and talented musicians. I was exposed to music I don't have huge amounts of previous experience withómy horizons were greatly expanded. I think my ears grew, and my playing improved. I could say lots more bur it couldn't convey what fun I had."

"This was a truly enriching experience. I think I will take back with me a very differentómuch more positiveóattitude and approach. The sense of ìgo for itî that was imparted here was very valuable. The intense creativity on the part of the faculty was a great lesson."

"The energy and enthusiasm that the Bang on a Can composers and performers have for music can't help but rub off. They are a fantastically inspiring group of musicians. I feel as though I've been charged by the experience of being here."

"I felt that the faculty really treated the students as peers and the musical level was brought way up because of that. It was very refreshing. Also not locking the composers away in a little room with scores only to come out for rehearsals and premieres was great too. I think we all felt part of one integral community. That was the best part."

"It was great to be reassured about the tremendous variety of musical experiences out in the world. The encouragement to discover what is truly unique about our selves was wonderful. It's great to see the people who are doing it and making an original life for themselves."

"It's inspiring to meet and talk to musicians and composer who have been able to do what they love and who are happy."

"Late night debates in the dorm were frequent and valuable. The program's set up was conducive to such discussions. All of the formal sessions were interesting and came from a unique perspective on music and the music business. Performances were all at a very high level. Terrific festival."