MAY 2026 NEWSLETTER

Upcoming Concert Featuring JCM Coaches

Tomorrow, May 18, several of our JCM piano coaches will be performing together in a special piano concert. This is a wonderful opportunity for students, especially piano students, to see their own teachers and mentors on stage, demonstrating the artistry, discipline, and musical excellence that shape their coaching throughout the year.

Ticket Link:

https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/IVC-Branded/6607/event/1468341

We encourage all JCM families to attend. Watching their coaches perform live is always inspiring for students and deepens their connection to the music they study.

Looking Toward Summer & the Next JCM Season

As students approach the end of their academic school year, we hope they enjoy a strong and fulfilling finish, both in the classroom and in their musical activities.

Summer is just around the corner, we’re looking ahead to the upcoming 2026–27 JCM season, with registration opening in July. This is a great time to encourage friends and classmates who might enjoy a meaningful chamber music experience to join you next season. Sharing JCM with a friend often makes the journey even more rewarding.

What JCM Does - A Quick Overview for New Families

We often receive questions from families curious about what JCM offers. Here is an overview you can share with anyone interested in joining.

Junior Chamber Music (JCM) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing high‑level chamber music education for young musicians.

Our program includes:

Chamber ensemble placement: Students are thoughtfully matched into groups based on level, personality, and musical goals.

Professional coaching: Each group works with experienced chamber coaches who guides interpretation, ensemble skills, and rehearsal strategies.

Performance opportunities: Students perform in formal concerts, outreach events, and masterclasses.

Competitions & festivals: JCM hosts its own Chamber Music Competition and Concerto Competition exclusively for current students.

Community & mentorship: Students learn teamwork, communication, and leadership through the shared experience of chamber music.

We’re proud to offer a program that nurtures musicianship, collaboration, and growth, and we welcome new families to explore all that JCM has to offer.

This month, we spotlight Dr. Susan Boettger, Founder & Executive Director of JCM, whose leadership and vision have shaped the program since its inception. Through her leadership, JCM has received recognition from the New York Concert Review for its performance at Carnegie Weill Recital Hall, and has performed on KUSC's Sundays Live. JCM has also performed at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, as well as St. Petersburg and Estonia. Several JCM groups were semi-finalists in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition.

Dr. Boettger is also the Director of the Keyboard Department at Irvine Valley College and the Artistic Director of the IVC Keyboard Series. She has been very active as a performer, both as a soloist and as a chamber musician. She was a winner of the Juilliard Contemporary Concerto competitions, which resulted in being selected to premiere solo works for the New Juilliard Ensemble at Lincoln Center. 

She has performed concertos with the Ventura Symphony, Conejo Symphony (now New West Symphony), Peninsula Symphony, Pasadena Symphony, and the Orange County Chamber Orchestra.  At Juilliard, she was a prizewinner in the Contemporary Concerto competition and premiered new solo piano works for the New Juilliard Ensemble. 

She has also premiered and composed works for chamber music, recording her CD "Edge" with the Classical Edge Trio. Dr. Boettger's private  students have been prize winners in major competitions such as the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition, the Minnesota International e-Competition, the Los Angeles Philharmonic Spotlight Award, and the Young Arts Foundation. 

Dr. Boettger received her DMA in piano performance at USC, minoring in business and music education. She received her MM from Juilliard and her BM (piano) and BA (mathematics) from Rice University.

Celebrating Naomi Gesk - OC Register Artist of the Year

We are proud to share that Naomi Gesk, a JCM harpist, has been named the 2025 OC Register Artist of the Year for Instrumental Music. This distinction is one of the highest honors for young musicians in Orange County and reflects Naomi’s dedication, and musical maturity.

Naomi has been part of the JCM community and has contributed her musicianship through her performances with us. One highlight includes her beautiful performance of the Mozart Concerto for Flute & Harp in C Major, K. 299. YouTube link here.

Her achievement is a wonderful reminder of the passion and excellence we see in so many of our students, and we are thrilled to celebrate this milestone with her.

Why Chamber Music Matters

Chamber music offers something no private lesson or solo repertoire can fully provide: collaboration, communication, listening, leadership, and shared musical responsibility.

Students learn to:

-Shape musical ideas together

-Listen actively and respond in real time

-Develop confidence through teamwork

-Build friendships rooted in artistry and trust

-Experience music as a living, shared conversation

Families who participate in JCM are giving their children a rare and invaluable musical education - one that strengthens their solo playing, deepens their musicianship, and prepares them for any ensemble experience in the future.

Thank you for choosing this path for your children and for being part of a community that values depth, artistry, and collaboration. We encourage you to share your experience with others who may benefit from joining JCM next season.

Stay Connected!

Follow us for daily inspiration, student spotlights, and behind-the-scenes fun:

• Instagram: @juniorchambermusic

• Facebook: @juniorchambermusic

• YouTube: @juniorchambermusic

Thank you for being with JCM. There’s so much to look forward to.

With gratitude,
The Junior Chamber Music Team