Nick [Vines] is a truly great composer, an outstanding, candid, generous and professional mentor, and has made my time [at SICPP] more than worth it! I cannot say enough glowing things about him.

I wanted again to write you and express how fascinating and special the last week at NEC was. Thank you for the rare opportunity to listen to this interesting combination of "older" and "newer" New Music during the evening concerts and experience it through such extraordinary performances.

It really was the best musical experience of my life! Being able to meet so many people that share an equal if not more exuberant love for contemporary music was invaluable to my growth as a musician and a person. The intensity of the week really helped me rise to a new level.

Hearing composers and musicians talk about new music formally (in the masterclasses and colloquia), and informally was so educational. All of the performances on the series at Jordan Hall, at the Gardner, and at the Iditarod were fantastic. There were such good vibes and an intense excitement about new music in the air!

This summer program was really motivating, and I'm going to try to find people here to start a new music ensemble at my school.

So many like-minded people creating this great artistic community, playing fantastic music all the time. I met so many interesting performers and composers with really enlightening perspectives and thoughts, and I can't wait to come back to SICPP next time... I've been raving about it nonstop to my family and friends. Thanks again for a truly inspiring week of masterclasses and colloquia and concerts.

The entire faculty was phenomenal; superb teachers all. I don't think I've ever learned so much in so little time. The master classes were the best I've ever experienced, both as a participant and as an audience member. The faculty recitals were all extraordinary. The whole experience has a wonderfully enthusiastic and positive spirit – very energizing.

For me SICPP had the aura of an being in a parallel universe, where almost everything is identical to this one, except that when you walk down the halls of a music conservatory, from room after room you hear one contemporary composition after another, and when, occasionally you come across someone practicing a Chopin Etude, you stop and say, 'What the heck is that guy doing?!