“Kneisel Hall was the purest music making process I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying. Students and faculty work together to create and explore art, learning from each other and inspiring each other in the tranquility of nature. The fact that a place exists which promotes so much encouragement and dedication in the young artists is quite astonishing to me. I will never forget the beautiful friends I made and music that we made together.”

–violinist Carter Coleman

The idyllic hillside campus overlooking Blue Hill Bay is home to an intensive school where musicians from around the world study chamber music with a distinguished faculty. It’s Festival Concerts by faculty and guest artists make Blue Hill a summer destination for discerning music lovers.  Our Young Artist Program accepts a class from among the day’s most gifted students for a rigorous, seven-week program which focuses exclusively on chamber music for strings and piano under the guidance of the superb faculty and Artistic Director Laurie Smukler.

A summer at  Kneisel Hall is an uninterrupted time in which to grow, experiment and work with others of the highest caliber. Emphasis is on the cooperation and communication that ensemble performance requires. Since 2002, all 51 of the young artists accepted into the program have received full scholarships. In addition, Kneisel Hall hosts two successful outreach programs the pre-season Program for Maine Students and post-season ACMI, Adult Chamber Music Institute, a week of chamber music for adult amateurs.