Inside Out Concerts

“I found your approach fascinating and the performance of the Schubert Octet first rate. Congratulations on developing this unique way of communicating the power of music to people of all ages. Your efforts in this regard are important to the future of great music making and to developing a sense of the importance of music in our lives and in our civilization.”
     —David Cerone, Former President, Cleveland Institute of Music

Listening to classical music can be a creative experience!

“Inside Out” is an innovative interdisciplinary approach to presenting classical music which encourages concert goers to relax and become open to the images, feelings and memories that come up when they listen.  There are no right or wrong answers.  At Inside Out Concerts, we encourage concertgoers “to come to their own imaginative conclusions” (see “Breathing meaning into classical program" from the Cleveland Plain Dealer on Eli Epstein’s first Inside Out concert).

Eli Epstein, a veteran performer, conductor and educator, first presented these concerts in 2001. Since then, he has developed an active listening approach that connects concert goers with universal emotional themes such as joy, loss, caring, strength, struggle, gratitude and grace.

Since abstract classical music may have no words to evoke specific feelings, thoughts or storylines, Mr. Epstein presents doorways for listeners to help them access their own feelings and memories.  Listeners have reported having amazing and moving experiences at these concerts.  In fact, 62% of survey respondents disclosed that this approach changed the way they thought about classical music.

In addition to this novel approach with listeners, Mr. Epstein’s approach to preparing and coaching the performers differs from conventional rehearsal technique.  “To bring a character to life on stage, actors dive into emotional memory.  A jazz or rock musician will not solo well unless he or she ‘feels’ it...Epstein's method leads [musicians] back to the birth of the music itself, often bringing in the biographical details of the composer and then trying to find shared ground within the musician's own life...the [performances] jump from proficient to moving” (see “Method man: Could Eli Epstein be the Stanislavski of Classical Music Instruction? ” from the Santa Barbara News-Press).

In summary, Inside Out Concerts present music that is highly evocative of universal human themes; the performers have been rehearsed in ways that encourage genuine emotional expression; and the listeners are supported and assisted into a state of openness and receptivity which makes it easier for them to access memories and feelings and activate their imagination.  At the end of each concert, listeners are encouraged to informally share their experiences with the music.

“I would have thought after a lifetime of enjoying music, I wouldn't experience something as fresh and different and completely fun and enjoyable as last night's concert. Thank you for a wonderful performance, for the wit and newness of the presentation, and for your creativity.”

Please contact Eli Epstein to join the electronic mailing list or to discuss how Inside Out Concerts can help meet your programming goals.