My Experience at Credo National Festival

By Mateo Estanislao, CMPI Bass Fellow Alumnus

The Credo National Festival, led by Peter Slowik and Maestro David Chan, is a uniquely transformative experience that offers perspective on what it means to lead a life in orchestral music. Credo is an incredible learning environment that offers instruction with renowned faculty, elective classes on various aspects of musicianship, and mentoring younger musicians. All of these tie into the core elements of Credo: music, faith, and service, also known as Develop the Gift, Acknowledge the Source, and Respond in Service. This week-long festival is an amazing opportunity to grow in so much more than just music.

Yes, there is certainly a religious component to Credo that includes some level of prayer, hymn singing, Bible verses, and learning about personal journeys with faith. However, that does not mean that Credo is a Christian church camp. This is a high-level summer festival that enhances learning with elements of faith. People of all faiths, or no faith at all, are welcome to learn about their shared beliefs and differences while engaging in an extraordinary level of musicianship.

For the people who are interested in the musical aspect of Credo but do not wish to participate in the religious aspect, there is a place for you at Credo. There is only one required centering session on the first day and every other session is optional. It is completely acceptable to show up for every required musical event (rehearsals, sectionals, masterclasses, and private lessons) and leave when you’re done. However, centering sessions are a chance to learn from faculty members about their own experiences from a broader scope than solely music. Even if you are not religious, there may be something for you at each session that could impact your career and life.

One of the really amazing parts of Credo is the mentorship we get from professionals living the lives we aspire to have. In return, students get the opportunity to give back through mentoring or community service. Mahler Project string players (ages 18-26) rehearsed and performed with String Intensive musicians (ages 12-19) to offer their own mentorship. Some of the String Intensive students went to the Merit School of Music to repaint music stands and help with some of the landscaping. Other students even helped prepare lunch for a local soup kitchen!

On the musical side of things, rehearsing with some of the best musicians in the country is an opportunity that should not be overlooked. The amount of information you can absorb from professionals is immense and incredibly useful to becoming a better musician. Even more, working under a fantastic conductor made the entire experience that much better. Maestro David Chan is a unique conductor who focuses on each musician bringing every ounce of character and expression into a collective interpretation of music to create a beautiful performance. This style of conducting and teaching makes each musician valuable to the complete product and creates an enriching learning experience.

Personal Experience

This is my first time doing a college-level summer festival and I felt so anxious about entering a new stage in my music career. I worried about my level of playing compared to others, how I would fit in, and if I could keep up. Credo was probably the best festival I could have done to step into this new playing field. After the first day, I felt so welcomed by my colleagues and the faculty that I couldn’t even remember why I was nervous in the first place.

Additionally, the opportunities I got to work with Scott Pingel and Andrew Anderson – two fantastic bass players and teachers – showed me a new lens to view music and life. I learned some very useful methods for playing one of the hardest bass excerpts, Ein Heldenleben, with consistently accurate rhythm that just clicked for me. I got to pick their brains on different bass pedagogy styles, incorporating new techniques into teaching, and different styles of orchestral playing across the world. A whole wealth of knowledge was available and I’m so glad I received the opportunity to access it.

I would absolutely recommend anyone interested to apply to this wonderful program!