A Heretic's Guide works to debunk some of the most pervasive myths that have clouded the world

of musicianship — distractions that have gradually left it bereft of its true force and beauty. We

will talk deeply about score study and the lost art of interpretation, and we will actually learn

how to make interpretive decisions about how the music goes (faster/slower, louder/softer, cooler/

warmer, this articulation or that, the phrase goes here... and here’s why!) And we will also talk

about courage, performing, a life on the stage, leadership, community, getting into good trouble,

and the audience — our greatest truth-tellers! We will look at all of this with a rather heretical

eye... one bending toward truth!

We plan to have the incredible composer Ivette Herryman (www.IvetteHerryman.com) with us as

our composer in residence. We will be studying, working with, and performing some of Ivette’s

music right alongside her while she, meanwhile, will also be writing a new work for PNME as a

result of PNME and Ivette receiving a prestigious Fromm Foundation Award for a new

commission! This will be a major new work to be premiered in a future season and it will give all

an inside peak into ongoing discussions about the creative process of commissioning a composer

and giving birth to a new work!

With us, we plan to have astounding musicians from The Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble

(www.PNME.org) joining us as the core of our ensemble, and Lindsay Kesselman

(www.lindsaykesselman.com) will singing and making music with you... joy... pure joy! If you

also play an instrument or sing and would also like to be a member of the performing group,

please let us know as repertoire will be finalized in part based on the additional participants who

wish to play.

If you are a music educator (regardless of the age or experience level you usually work with) –

this is for you. If you work mostly as a professional conductor or with collegiate programs, this is

for you. If you are a composer who is interested in how to use fundamental tools of expression in

your own music with greater impact and may occasionally wind up leading your own rehearsals,

this is for you. If you are a performer who wants to be able to study, understand, and deliver from

the stage with a more compelling and lasting impact on the audience without copying someone

else’s version, this is for you. If you just want to feel closer to music... this is for you.

At Avaloch, we will be away from most of the normal day-to-day distractions, surrounded by a

like-minded and supportive community of people looking to explore a deeper connection with

music. As a result, the sheer amount of content that you will be able to take away will allow you

to make immediate improvement in the impact of your music making - regardless of your

particular focus!

All participants will have their own single room (with shared bathroom) and all of our meals will

be provided for us by an astounding professional chef! We will have access to the entire campus

for study, breakout rooms, rehearsals and performances, and late night hang outs with inspiring

creators and collaborators that you will soon call dear friends! We will have regular show and tell

sessions where the many extraordinary talents of our participants (not all limited to music) can be

shared! Bring your own writing, poetry, visual art, or anything else you wish to share! We also

plan to share some of the concepts that Kevin and PNME have been delving into through their

work with immersive sound design — such as our touring shows in which the entire audience

listens to PNME live in headphones!

Avaloch Farm Music Institute is an ideal collaborator and location for this kind of creativity.

They specialize in finding creative souls to partner with to bring something of lasting cultural

value to the area. Avaloch’s founders envisioned creating a professional musician’s retreat which

would provide the resources and opportunities enjoyed by artists in other disciplines, but which

were unavailable to performing musicians.

You’ve probably figured out by now that, for one week we are creating our own little turn of the

century Bohemian Paris. This is a special time time that you can invest... in you! Join us... and

bring all of yourself!

Repertoire currently being considered for this year’s retreat includes:

Ivette Herryman Memorial, and By the rhythm of your truth, set us free

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Symphonies 25, 29, 35, and excerpts from The Magic Flute or Don Giovanni

Caroline Shaw Is a Rose

John Corigliano Mr. Tambourine Man

Aaron Copland Appalachian Spring

James Mobberley Words of Love

We plan to have a final rep list by April 1 depending on participant makeup

Tuition costs: $750 pp

All food and lodging costs: $1080 pp

Space is limited to 25 participants. Deposits of $500 will be accepted starting on March 1 to

reserve your spot!

June 17 arrive (dinner provided)

June 23 depart (breakfast provided)

“Kevin Noe is without a doubt one of the most important artists and teachers of our lifetime. For me, choosing to study with him was the most pivotal decision of my career and he will forever sit on my shoulder each time I take the podium. Every conductor, no matter the level, must find a way to learn from this master pedagogue and artist. Attend one of his retreats and you will understand.”

- Soo Han, Director of Orchestras, George Mason University

"I can think of no other person who has had such a profound impact on my musicianship. He helped me to unlock the subtext that exists beneath and between the notes. Our work together will always remain a compass...”

- Matt Forte, Director of Orchestras, University of New Mexico

“Noe’s conducting symposium is life-changing because it finally unlocks the connection between the act of conducting and the art of actual music-making. It is a place where things actually matter. Every time I walk out of it a better musician with a fire in my belly.”

- Ho-Yin Kwok, Artistic Director Mississippi Valley Orchestra, Director of Orchestras, Ithaca College

“The Conducting Symposium with Maestro Noe is a must for all conductors. He does a fantastic job facilitating meticulous, deep dives into score study, and his insights are second to none..”

- Adam Torres, Music Director, Loveland Opera Theatre and Hyperprism Music.

"Noe’s symposiums create a space where meaningful reflection and musical curiosity are nurtured. The structure of each day’s sessions along with the discussions on music and score study are life-altering. Year after year I discover more about why we do what we do.”

- Hisham Bravo, Music Director, St. Cloud Symphony Orchestra

"A truly transformative experience that has had a lasting impact on my work. The intensive score study sessions helped me develop stronger methods for learning and internalizing new work and the symposium is a fantastic opportunity to meet and learn alongside other gifted conductors. I highly recommend it.”

-Michael Roest, Associate Dean & Executive Director of Pre-College and Continuing Education, San Francisco Conservatory

“When working with Kevin Noe, you are immediately thrown into a deeper engagement with the music at hand — questioning the identity and meaning behind each and every note. Delightfully exhaustive, I found this process exhilarating and this approach has transformed how I look at a score! Of course, all other matters of conducting: rehearsing, communicating, articulating and defining one’s gestures, engaging the audience etc. naturally flow from your knowledge of the score.”

-Mark Dupere, Director of Orchestras, Lawrence University Conservatory of Music

“Kevin Noe’s retreats have been the most momentous and impactful events on my life in music. I appreciate how, as a school orchestra teacher, the lessons are immediately applicable to my work and I take away actionable strategies that have transformed my classroom for the better. I walk away a new artist and human being... looking forward to the next one”

-Maddie Moll, Director of Orchestras, The American School in Japan

“Participating in the 2023 Heretic’s Guide to Score Study, Interpretation, and Conducting Retreat was truly transformative!

“Kevin and Lindsay are two of the most insightful, committed, and generous musicians I have ever met. And they are a perfect team: Kevin peers deeply into the score with a profundity of ideas and perspectives, and Lindsay offers a vibrant, embodied approach. They imbue score study with creativity—it becomes a personal journey of learning and discovery—leaving space for everyone to contribute, collaborate, and share their ideas. And they connect interpretation to movement in a way that allows and emboldens every individual to use their own physical vocabulary. What a deeply inspiring experience!”

-David Biedenbender, composer

“The musical guidance of Kevin Noe has had profound and long lasting impact on the band and orchestra teachers and students of the Plano Independent School District. His passion, imagination, and curiosity for unlocking more musical meaning transfers effortlessly to all music learners through awareness of musical elements and basic formulas that are begging to be discovered inside the music. Whether you are a conductor, classroom music teacher, private music teacher, or a performing musician, Kevin Noe will open your heart, soul, and mind to the greatest heights of musical expression. “Jeremy Kondrat,Plano Independent School District, Instrumental Music Coordinator & Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra Wind Symphony, Conductor