Our Purpose

A rare place where excellence is valued over expedience

For 75 years, Marlboro Music has flourished as an “idealistic experiment”—a world-renowned haven where musicians gather not to fulfill a curriculum or a concert schedule, but to explore the very essence of their art. Seasoned musicians and exceptional emerging artists come together as a supportive, multi-generational community, and as a living model of the value of collaboration in the service of shared goals.

The focus is on chamber music and artistic integrity, yet we believe that the lessons Marlboro offers extend beyond music, that its values and practices are applicable to many other fields, human endeavors, and social interactions.

In the world of music today, with ever-increasing financial and commercial pressures, Marlboro’s founding goals remain essential: that musicians have the freedom, time, and conditions to rehearse in great depth, without performance requirements; to learn together as equals; and to share new ideas and discoveries. A particular strength of Marlboro lies in teaching young musicians that the goal is not self-aggrandizement, but coming together as an ensemble to reveal the heart of the piece and the composer’s intentions.

Perhaps the most unique attribute of the Marlboro program is time: time to study, to test and absorb new approaches, to learn from others and emulate their strengths, to discuss musical styles and interpretations, and, ultimately, to the get to the heart of a piece. Such opportunities—without time constraints, financial pressures, travel demands, or concert deadlines—are rare in the world today.

“We all wish life could be like Marlboro, idealistic and pure, but this is what we remember when we’re playing in a cramped pit for a show, or working with people who don’t know the first thing about music. We remember how it is to play music for music’s sake, and how we learned about beauty at Marlboro.”

Lily Francis, violinist

“I felt again this summer the vital necessity and absolute luxury of time and setting at Marlboro. It’s opened further the horizon of what I should aspire for, and encouraged me to be always reaching for what is beyond what I know how to do. I come out of this summer so enriched by these deep human and musical encounters.”

A young string player

“It is a truly special gift to be able to solely focus on the essence of music making: finding our own voice, finding a community, and discovering the music that is dear to so many of us.”

An emerging violinist

Modeling civic discourse

Marlboro is not just a community but an ideal: a place where people practice and model the art of collaboration and respect for divergent points of view.

In the rehearsal room, the process of exploring music becomes a profound exercise in democracy. It requires attentive listening, mutual respect, generosity of spirit, and the humility to change one’s mind in service of a shared goal.

We believe that Marlboro’s values and practices are applicable to many other fields, human endeavors, and social interactions. In an era marked by division and polarization, it is a living model of civil discourse—an idea and place in which an unending quest for deeper insights can flourish.

“The secret is a sense of joy.”

Browse a selection of photos from recent seasons that captures the natural beauty, collaborative spirit, and artistic commitment that are emblematic of Marlboro.