FCMF is geared towards young professionals and graduates getting their feet wet in the professional world of music making. For this reason, we encourage students to have at least a BM (Bachelors of Music) or higher. Contact the Artistic Director, Christopher Ferrara for more information.
There is a $100 dollar reservation to participate in the festival due no later than June 1st. This money will help offset the cost of running the festival. Cash, check and PayPal are accepted.
| 8:00 am | Depart House for GSA Building |
| 8:30 am | Warmup |
| 9:00 am | Rehearsals begin |
| 12:00 pm | Lunch Break |
| 1:00 pm | Rehearsals continue |
| 4:00 pm | Rehearsals end |
| 4:15 pm | Depart GSA Building back to House |
| 5:00 pm | Recreation |
| 7:00 pm | Dinner |
| 9:00 pm | Recreation |
| 11:30 pm | Lights out |
A simple breakfast will be provided each morning from 7:00 – 8:00 am. Lunches will not be provided, however, Norfolk has plenty of good restaurants and the MacArthur Mall food court is very close to the rehearsal space. Dinners will be provided most nights and will be served at 7:00 pm, although 1-2 may be at local restaurants. Dinners are a core function that we at FCMF pride ourselves on. These dinners, usually themed and family style, will give the musicians and teaching artists a chance to get to know each other and will also provide an ambiance not experienced at other chamber festivals. Guest teaching artist and some donors may be present.
Those who have dietary limitations or concerns should let the head chef for the evening know.
All participating young artists should arrive on July 31 between 3 and 5 pm for a meet-and-greet with pizza, and to get your room assignments. Please make sure you let us know how you are arriving so that pickups from airports, train stations, and buses can be arranged. If you are driving, we will also need to know so that parking for the week can be determined.
Obviously everyone should bring their instruments! Along with that though, I would bring a swimsuit, towel, your personal items, and clothes for a weeks’ time. There will be a washer and dryer for use if needed, contact the Housing Director, June Ferrara, if you need to do a wash.
I recommend black slacks for the guys and solid colored tops, any color will be fine. For the girls pretty much anything goes except there are a couple of guide lines. Let’s keep any type of skirt at knee height. Basically you can wear what you would want to wear at your own recital or as if you were playing a concerto with a big orchestra. You are all individuals and the dress with chamber music should allow your persona to show through especially well.
Young Artists will be staying at the Ferrara House:
The Ferrara House
4813 Nightingale Lane
Chesapeake, VA 23321
You will have your own bed, with pillow and linens provided. You will have up to 2-3 other roommates. The rooms will be gender specific.
You do! We do not have the staff or funding for cleaning personnel, therefore it is your responsibility to keep the room clean and clear of clutter. Please be respectful of your fellow colleagues who will be living with you.
Fios Internet will be provided at 60 download and 40 upload speed. Contact the Housing Director or check the main bulletin board for the router password.
Rooms will be assigned based on gender and at random. Please let the Housing Director know if you are not happy with your assignment and state the reason. We will do our best to accommodate.
There is a bathroom with a shower on the second floor and also an outdoor shower. There will be sign ups on the bulletin board for shower times so that things can been done efficiently in the mornings. Please sign up for a time slot on arrival. This is on a first come first serve basis.
The backyard is free from 6 am to 11:30 pm for recreation. There is a horse-shoe court, pool, lounge chairs, porch, and garden. Students are welcome to use all of these, but please take good care and be respectful of the premises. A lot of time and work goes into keeping the yard nice and Mr. Ferrara and Grandpa Ferrara won’t be too happy if things are mistreated or damaged. If it is passed 10:30 pm we ask that you keep the noise levels to a minimum.
The pool will be open from 6 am to 11:30 pm throughout the festival. There are a couple of rules that have put in place regarding your safety. No running; the stamped concrete that surrounds the pool can get very slippery when wet so please be extra careful when walking around the outside of the pool. The pool is 7 feet deep; even though diving is allowed, please take extreme caution! Pool controls for water jets, lighting, and streamers are off limits. If you would like it changed please ask Housing Director.
There are TVs located in the downstairs living room and most of the living quarters. All are open for use. Movie night will sometimes happen in the main living room and all are welcome. We also have Chromecast on most of the TVs for YouTube and Netflix access, and a Wii connected on the main TV available for use. Contact the Housing Director if you need instruction on how to use these peripherals.
The indoor bar will be open throughout the week for use, however it is to be noted that you are only allowed to drink rail/well styled drinks.
* Top-shelf items are off limits. *
If there are any issues or problems during your stay pertaining to the living quarters at the Ferrara House, please contact the Housing Director, June Ferrara.
Laundry will be available. If you would like to do laundry, please talk with the Housing Director to schedule a time.
It is highly recommended that you come to FCMF with your parts prepared well as there is not much time for individual issues to be addressed during rehearsals, however, students can use vacant rooms at the Ferrara House to supplement their practice time. There will also be times in which you will not be in rehearsal during the day, this is a perfect opportunity to practice on your own.
From helping clear dishes, assisting with the cooking, vacuuming a room or sweeping the floor, chores will be assigned to each person throughout the week. The assignments will be posted on the main bulletin board. Please show up on time and do a thorough job. If you have problems or concerns talk with your assigned job please contact the Housing Director, June Ferrara.
Your chamber music assignments will be based on a number of factors. From what the program function of the piece is to what was sent in on your repertoire request list. Once groups are decided, an e-mail will be sent out to all of you with your repertoire and group assignments. These assignments will also be posted on the main bulletin board. If you have an issue with your group please let us know asap so that it can be dealt with properly.
FCMF expects you to act like professionals. This means having the utmost respect and consideration for the staff, teachers, fellow colleagues, and donors. We do not tolerate belligerent or immature behavior. Most of the faculty and staff do this as volunteer and a lot of time and work goes into making this happen. Please be respectful and carry yourself in a professional manner.
Alcohol is permitted at the Ferrara House, but in no other facilities used by FCMF. Drugs are strictly prohibited. If a participant is caught with drugs in their possession they will be asked to leave immediately the same day and be banned from participating in any future festival events.
Governor’s School of the Arts Director Jeff Phelps has graciously allowed FCMF to use the GSA building as a rehearsal space for the duration of the festival. We ask that you respect the space and keep it looking as if you were never there. This means throwing away trash, putting things back where they belong, closing piano lids, and keeping the bathroom facilities clean. Also, please do not abuse the instruments for unpacking your instruments; meaning do not unpack your violin on top of a piano!
The Festival After-Party will be held after the last concert of the festival on Saturday at 5:30 pm and is put on by Mr. Steve Ferrara. Immediate family members of the young participating artists, donors, friends of the festival, and staff will all be invited. Please let us know who you plan on bringing so we can get a rough count.