This summer on Shelter Island music will once again fill the air. Young musicians from around the world will gather at The Perlman Music Center for their Summer Music School.
The program was founded 30 years ago by musician, educator, and PMP President Toby Perlman. Her goal was to create a supportive environment where young artists could refine their craft.
And they don’t keep the music to themselves. Each summer the students share their skills with the local community through open rehearsals and concerts.
WSHU’s Culture Critic Joan Baum sat down with Toby Perlman at the Shelter Island facility to learn more about the program. In the background, you will hear strings playing. That’s Toby’s husband, Itzhak Perlman teaching a class.
Joan Baum: People referred to The Perlman as first a school and then a camp. And in a way by calling it a program, you kind of divested all connotations first of all that this was a camp and a free-for-all all. But more importantly that it would be a school in a traditional pedagogical way for extremely talented youngsters. What was it that caused you to avoid ‘Schoo”l and “Camp” and emerge some of the expectations,
Toby Perlman: I had a very clear vision of what I wanted. Really clear. I didn't understand how complicated it might get to actually do it. I just went ahead. In my mind, it was always a very serious program. It's too much of a school to be a camp. And too much of a camp to be a school. I was stupid. I didn't know that it would be so difficult. I just thought about the musical aspect of it. And I knew what I wanted. And we just went ahead and got it done.
Baum: Describe a typical day and describe the kinds of students who come here.
Perlman: Okay, so we get to be very modest about it the cream of the cream of the cream in the world, from age 11 or 12 to 18.
Baum: The Littles.
Perlman: That's The Littles’ program, The Littles come from all over the world. They send a recording, it's done through the computer, we don't ever meet them, we don't ask for recommendations. It’s only the faculty here and the players that they choose. And they come here for seven weeks. And part of it is very much like a camp. They have to make their beds and they have to do KP. They also get up at seven o'clock in the morning. They have stretching class, which is not optional. Everybody stretches because playing an instrument is an athletic activity. So you treat it the way you would treat baseball.
Baum: Could you tell the audience what instrument we're talking about?
Perlman: Only strings?
Baum: Why is that?
Perlman: Because that's all I know. I mean, yeah, I mean, it's true. You know, we have violin, viola, cello, sometimes a bass.
Baum: And then the voice.
Perlman: And we sing every day. Everybody sings every day faculty, everybody. You know, if everybody sang every day? The psychiatrists will be finished. Yeah, singing was definitely a major part of my vision all those years ago. We sing, we have orchestra, and we also have fun. We also have a waterfront and people swim.
Baum: And you have concerts. You have Works in Progress.
Perlman: Yes.
Baum: And so many of them are open to the public.
Perlman: Yes.
Baum: Free. That's extraordinary. It's not easy to make the selection of youngsters. You once explained to me, “Listen, I can't have one 12-year-old.”
Perlman: Yeah. Right now we're running a program. And we do have a 12-year-old. And he's by himself. He's a really nice kid and a beautiful fiddle player. I mean, from a musical point of view, he certainly belongs at the program right now, you know, but he doesn't have any pals. I think he's having a good time. But he could be having a much better time.
Baum: You said in a welcoming to folks who came here and wanted to know what's different now we've year 31, about to start. And you said something that I thought was really significant? You said, “We're going to be better, but not bigger”. Right? Explain.
Toby: Well, yeah, it's the secret of our success. Smaller is better. You can't go too small. You don't want to be the size of a family. You have to be bigger than a family. But not much. My father was one of 16. So I know what a big family is like. I like it. But for our purposes, we don't want to be too big and we don't want to be too small. And I think if we have 35 students, that's a really nice number.
Baum: Now the 35 would be The Littles or The Littles in The Alums…
Toby: No 35 are The Littles. We have a Chamber Music Workshop that meets three weeks of the year. That's beginning at age 18. And we also get wonderful groups, pre-formed groups, and groups that just make themselves up as they get here.
Baum: Wonderful music. Thank you for spending time with us.
Toby: You’re very welcome.
