Brushstrokes in harmony for Chamberfest

FALLS VILLAGE — On Thursday, July 10, Music Mountain hosted its annual Painting Music workshop as a part of Chamberfest Music Camp.

The event invited artists, amateurs and beginners to paint to the sounds of Classical artists like Beethoven and Mozart, using music to guide their art.

The painting workshop was not only for the local community, but an opportunity for the sixteen Chamberfest students to showcase their skills. The Arianna String Quartet, who recently joined Music Mountain as the teachers for this year’s summer music school, performed as well.

Chamberfest has been a staple at Music Mountain dating all the way back to the venue’s establishment in 1930. It invites players to learn from highly accomplished instructors and offers fellowships and opportunities to aspiring musicians.

Music Mountain’s Artistic Director Oskar Espina Ruiz and artist Vincent Inconiglios led the event. The two have been the coordinators ever since its beginning in 2018.

Ruiz described the workshop as, “An example of how art may respond to musical interpretation. In essence, what we’re doing today, we are in search of inspiration.”

The painters had no prompts, just their painting tools and the music. The results varied from colorful abstracts to monochrome designs and directly reflected the emotions and ideas that the music inspired.

“It really goes both ways,” recalled Ruiz. “You are hopefully going to receive inspiration from music for your painting, but we performers are also in search of inspiration.”

Artists drew inspiration from music at Music Mountain’s Chamberfest Music Camp.Mia DiRocco