purpose moved away from Busch's idea of amateur participation; instead leading professionals from both solo and orchestral positions work with young musicians of the highest promise and achievement, who must pass through a rigorous audition process to be accepted. Prominent musicians associated with Marlboro have included Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Emanuel Ax, Joshua Bell, Jonathan Biss, Anner Bylsma, Pablo Casals, Jeremy Denk, Leon Fleisher, Gary Graffman, Hilary Hahn, Mieczysław Horszowski, Gilbert Kalish, Anton Kuerti, Lang Lang, James Levine, Yo-Yo Ma, Mischa Maisky, Viktoria Mullova, Siegfried Palm, Murray Perahia, Lara St. John, Richard Stoltzman, and Sándor Végh. Marlboro has had enormous influence on American chamber music. The Guarneri Quartet was formed at Marlboro in 1964; Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax, a long-standing duo, concertized together as a duo for the first time at Marlboro, on August 3, 1973. (Ma, incidentally, met his wife Jill there, one of many musical couples to meet at Marlboro.) Other groups associated with Marlboro in various ways have included the Emerson Quartet, Juilliard Quartet, Orion String Quartet, St. Lawrence Quartet, and Beaux Arts Trio. Since 2018, the Marlboro Music School and Festival has been led by Artistic Co-Directors Mitsuko Uchida and Jonathan Biss. During non-summer months, the festival runs the Musicians From Marlboro national touring program, with performances in many U.S. cities each year. A tradition Serkin began of ending the summer with a performance of the Beethoven Choral Fantasy (Beethoven) - in which most participants, even non-singers, joined in the chorus - was discontinued with his death in 1991, but was reinstated a few years later. As then co-director Richard Goode told Alex Ross, "Many people felt that Serkin playing the Choral Fantasy was a unique experience that could never be duplicated. After he died, the work was retired, and I thought that was the right decision. To my surprise, a few years later people said, 'You know, I think we have to have a Choral Fantasy.' We needed the catharsis." Also, the Festival still commemorates Busch's birthday, August 8, with a special concert. Directors References External links Music schools in Vermont Marlboro, Vermont Education in Windham County, Vermont Music education in the United States Tourist attractions in Windham County, Vermont Buildings and structures in Windham County, Vermont Educational institutions established in 1952 Music festivals established in 1952 1952 establishments in Vermont Music festivals in Vermont Chamber music festivals