Rocky Ridge Music Center Foundation

ROCKY RIDGE MUSIC CENTER TRANSFORMS LIVES THROUGH MUSIC, NATURE, AND COMMUNITY.

SUMMER RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS RETURNED TO IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION AT OUR ESTES PARK CAMPUS WITH AN INTENTIONAL REDUCTION IN ENROLLMENT TO MITIGATE COVID-19 EXPOSURE.YOUTH PROGRAMSROCKY RIDGE MUSIC CENTER'S YOUTH PROGRAM OFFERS EVERYTHING FROM HALF HOUR LESSONS TO A MONTH-LONG RESIDENTIAL MUSIC INTENSIVE FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS AT THE BOULDER AND ESTES PARK LOCATIONS. DURING THE FOUR WEEKS YOUNG ARTIST SEMINAR, STUDENTS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 18 TO 24 RECEIVE TWO WEEKLY PRIVATE LESSONS, PERFORM TWO ORCHESTRA CONCERTS, DELVE DEEPLY INTO ADVANCED CHAMBER MUSIC AND PERFORM FOR THEIR PEERS AND THE PUBLIC AT OUR HISTORIC CONCERT HALL AND IN THE COMMUNITY. IN ADDITION, YOUNG ARTIST CONCERTO WINNERS PERFORM WITH THE YOUNG ARTIST FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA, PARTICIPATE IN YOUNG ARTIST PIANO TRIO FELLOWS PROGRAM, ATTEND PANEL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, AND TAKE PART IN MOCK AUDITIONS AND RECEIVE FEEDBACK FROM SEASONED ORCHESTRAL MUSICIANS. YOUNG ARTIST COMPOSERS RECEIVE READINGS BY FACULTY AS WELL AS PREMIERE PEFORMANCE AND RECORDING OF THEIR WORKS. IN TWO WEEKS OF JUNIOR MUSIC PROGRAMS, STUDENTS BETWEEN THE AGES 10 TO 17 HONE THEIR SKILLS AND DEVELOP THEIR UNIQUE MUSICAL VOICES THROUGH COMPOSITION, ENSEMBLES, PERFORMANCE, AND PRIVATE TUTORIALS. ADDITIONALLY, STUDENTS COLLABORATE TO COMPOSE A NEW ORCHESTRAL WORK FOR THE FINAL CONCERT. OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH INCLUDE ELECTIVES IN JAZZ IMPROVISTATION, FIDDLING, OR MUSICAL THEATRE. THEY ALSO HAVE THE OPTION TO CHALLENGE THEMSELVES FURTHER THROUGH STUDY OF ADVANCED CLASSICAL REPERTOIRE OR PARTICIPATE IN THE CONCERTO COMPETITION.ADULT PROGRAMSTHE ADULT PIANO SEMINAR AT THE ESTES PARK CAMPUS PRODUCES TWO, FOUR DAY SEMINARS WHICH OFFER ADULTS OF ALL LEVELS TO ADVANCE THEIR SKILLS IN LESSONS AND AMSTER CLASSES WITH PROFESSIONAL PIANO INSTRUCTORS WHO ARE WORLD-CLASS PEFORMERS, CHAMBERRE-IN-THE-ROCKIES OFFERS AMATEUR STRING PLAYERS A COMMUNITY OF LIKE-MINDED PEERS WHO ENJOY PLAYING CHAMGER MUSIC OVER ONE TO FIVE DAYS, AND FORMING LIFE-LONG FRIENDSHIPS THROUGH SHARED LOVE OF MUSIC.

PRESERVATION OF OUR HISTORIC FACILITY.PRESERVATION AND MODERNIZATION OF OUR HISTORICAL CAMPUS IS AN ONGOING EFFORT AND PART OF OUR BOARD'S FOCUS. INVESTMENTS AND SPENDING IN THIS AREA WERE PUT ON HOLD STARTING IN MARCH 2020 DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND RESULTANT DECREASE IN REVENUE. THE AMOUNT SHOWN IS MOSTLY DEPRECIATION ON THE EXTENSIVE IMPROVEMENTS WE HAVE MADE IN RECENT YEARS IN RESIDENCE CABINS AND INFRASTRUCTURE. THERE WAS SOME WORK ON TWO CABINS THIS FISCAL YEAR BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.OUR FACILITY WAS HOMESTEADED AND CONSTRUCTED AS AN INN IN THE EARLY 1900S, OCCUPIED BY ROCKY RIDGE SINCE 1951, AND WAS DECLARED A NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT IN THE EARLY 1990S. THE RUSTIC HISTORIC FEEL IS INTEGRAL TO THE INTIMATE, PERSONAL NATURE OF OUR MUSIC EDUCATION EXPERIENCES. NATURE AND COMMUNITY ARE PART OF OUR MISSION STATEMENT AND THE SMALL STUDENT BODY AND THE CLOSE COMMUNAL LIVING IN RUSTIC CABINS REINFORCE THE MUTUAL SUPPORT THE STUDENTS FEEL FOR EACH OTHER'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THUS, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE PRESERVE THE HISTORIC NATURE OF OUR FACILITY WHILE CAREFULLY MODERNIZING IT TO MEET CURRENT SAFETY CODES AND STUDENT EXPECTATIONS. BY MODERNIZING OUR CAMPUS, OUR GOAL IS TO KEEP THE ACCOMMODATIONS COMFORTABLE FOR TODAY'S STUDENTS' EXPECTATIONS - BOTH ADULT AND YOUTH - SO THAT OUR PROGRAM AND THE FACILITY CONTINUE AND PROSPER. IT HAS ALSO BEEN NECESSARY TO BRING THE FACILITY UP TO CURRENT SAFETY CODES WHICH WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED. WE ARE CAREFUL TO KEEP THE HISTORIC AESTHETIC OF OUR CAMPUS IN THESE MODERNIZATIONS. WE BEGAN MODERNIZATION IN THE EARLY 1990S WHEN THE OWNER/FOUNDER TURNED THE ORGANIZATION OVER TO A VOLUNTEER IRS SEC 501(C)(3) BOARD. GRANTS FROM THE STATE HISTORICAL FUND (SHF) WERE CRUCIAL IN GETTING THE PROCESS STARTED BY ADDRESSING THE TWO MAJOR BUILDINGS AT THE HEART OF THE CAMPUS. LATER SHF GRANTS HELPED RESTORE 3 CABINS. IT HAS BEEN A LONG PROCESS TO CATCH UP, AND THEN MATCH, THE STANDARDS OF MODERN CODES AND STUDENT EXPECTATIONS, AND IT IS ONGOING. FOR EXAMPLE IN 2018 AND 2019 WE REPLACED THE SECOND OF THREE SEPTIC SYSTEMS, WINTERIZED ONE CABIN FOR YEAR-ROUND LIVING FOR SEASONAL STAFF, AND INSTALLED THE WATER/SEWAGE INFRASTRUCURE AND ADDED A BATHROOM TO A CABIN.

MUSICAL ACADEMIES IN BOULDER AND DENVER.THE YEAR-LONG MUSIC ACADEMY IS THE COMMUNITY ARM OF THE ROCKY RIDGE MUSIC CENTER AND ACCEPTS STUDENTS OF ALL AGES AND LEVELS. IT MOVED TO ONLINE SYNCHRONUS LESSONS STARTING IN MARCH 2020 IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. WE ALSO PRODUCED MANY MASTER CLASSES ONLINE. THE DENVER BRANCH WAS CLOSED AND THE BOULDER LOCATION PUT ON HOLD AS WE WENT VIRTUAL. WE EXPECT TO RESUME IN PERSON TEACHING IN BOULDER WHEN CONDITIONS PERMIT.THE MUSIC ACADEMY OFFERS PRIVATE LESSONS IN ORCHESTRAL INSTRUMENTS, GUITAR, VOICE, PIANO, AND THEORY. CLASS OFFERINGS INCLUDE PIANO WORKSHOPS FOR ADULT LEARNERS, YOUTH STRING CHAMBER ORCHESTRA, AND ADULT UKULELE EMSEMBLE.