Chloé Dufresne Mentors Vivace Strings in Bach Masterclass

Colorado Springs Philharmonic Music Director Chloé Dufresne spent an hour working with Vivace Strings to refine their performance of Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring,” the Colorado Springs Philharmonic reported.

The intensive rehearsal focused on the top string ensemble within the Colorado Springs Youth Symphony Association (CSYSA). The ensemble is composed of students between the ages of 11 and 17 who perform at a Grade 4 and 5 level.

Dufresne began the session ahead of schedule by asking the musicians to play through the Bach piece immediately. This allowed her to listen, conduct, and diagnose specific areas for growth within the group.

The masterclass centered on three primary musical objectives: distinguishing between duple and triple time, sharpening intonation, and shaping expressive phrasing. Dufresne worked through the orchestra section by section, moving from the cellos and basses to the violas and violins.

To address dynamics, Dufresne encouraged a gentler opening and demonstrated how subtle diminuendos can be used to highlight specific notes within a phrase. To improve the ensemble’s blend and intonation, she instructed the entire orchestra to hold their opening chord together.

“Listen, don’t just hear them,” Dufresne told the musicians.

The session included interactive exercises designed to move students toward professional-level thinking. Dufresne frequently paused the music to ask the players what differences they noticed between different sections of the score, prompting them to perform their own musical analysis.

In one exercise, the string players put down their bows to sing their melodic lines aloud. This technique was used to help the students internalize the phrasing of the piece naturally.

Chloé Dufresne Mentors Vivace Strings in Bach Masterclass

As the rehearsal progressed, Dufresne addressed common pacing issues. She reminded players who were rushing that a crescendo is intended to build intensity through volume rather than an increase in speed.

In the final minutes of the hour, the director led a pacing exercise that challenged the ensemble to remain synchronized with her baton as she shifted the tempo in real time. The session concluded with the musicians working on their technical precision and their ability to move and breathe as a cohesive unit.

Through these partnerships between the Colorado Springs Philharmonic and the CSYSA, the Center for Future Audiences continues to mentor the next generation of orchestral artists in the community.

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