Scholarship students form personal relationships with their ...

Photo | Ellie Haugsby

Lori Humphreys | Staff Writer

It is a twilight performance of a thread quartet, reminiscent of persons 18th century scenes of an English country house — reminiscent but not identical. This is 21st-century Chautauqua: the dress is casual, and the music is Three Rags for Thread Quartet in Morton and Natalie Abramson's living room. The players are violinist Giancarlo Latta, violist David Beytas and cellist James Mitchell — three Chautauqua Women's Club scholarship students sponsored by Morton, who is a violinist, and Natalie.

Morton said that he might be accused of a bit of enlightened self-interest.

"This gives me a chance to play thread quartet music with them," Morton said.

Latta, Beytas and Mitchell get collectively with Abramson regularly to play, and Natalie always has dinner for them.

The three students troop into the living room, bringing with them, as the young do, energy and talk of the day's events. It is instantly apparent that the students have developed a relationship with the two Abramsons that is more personal than musical. Morton questioned Mitchell if his injured fiddle with was better.

"I want to hear all about it," Morton said, referring to the coaching session the students had just completed with the Audubon Quartet.

The musicians sat down in the gray folding chairs, tuned their instruments while they glanced over the music on the stands in front of them. Beytas bent over a page of his copy of the Three Rags.

"It seems like a incorrect note. The D sharp should be E sharp," he said. His colleagues agreed.

Then as Morton, the unofficial director said, "The cello has the up stroke," and the quartet started before a live audience.

For the Abramsons and additional Women's Club sponsors of School of Music students, a Chautauqua summer is synonymous with music and in particular the music that students play. Sponsors like the Abramsons also become something more, a surrogate family for these young men and women. Morton provides the music, Natalie, the care.

"This is a pivotal experience for these young musicians. We wanted to be part of it," Morton said.

The Abramsons donate to the scholarships for instrumentalists. The Chautauqua Women's Club Scholarship program also supports students who concentrate the additional Schools of Fine and The theater Arts. One of the Club's fundraising priorities is financial support for student scholarships and this year it awarded 68 scholarships. Since its first $300 donation in 1947, the annual Women's Club contribution has increased. This year the Club donated $87,000.

Leaving the Abramsons' condo, the spry ragtime rhythm follows down the hall. The biblical charge, "Cast your bread upon the waters," comes to mind. For the Abramsons, all the contributors to the Women's Club Scholarship Fund, and the students who benefit our common future, the bread has returned a hundredfold.

Latta studies with School of Music faculty member Almita Vamos, Beytas with School of Music faculty member Roland Vamos and Mitchell with School of Music Faculty member Arie Lipsky. All are members of the Music School Festival Orchestra.

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Scholarship students form personal relationships with their …