Cece McIntyre spent 8 years at PCM studying violin with Elizabeth Hedman, piano with Elizabeth Babor, and participating in PCM’s chamber music program. Since graduating from PCM in 2022, she moved to Chicago before attending DePaul University’s School of Music. She recently spent the summer at Meadowmount, a seven-week-long practice intensive in upstate New York. Read on to learn about her experiences with these programs and how she reflects on her time at PCM.

The interview took place on July 11th, 2024. It has been edited for length and clarity.

What have you been up to since your time at PCM?
I left PCM after I graduated from high school two years ago and my family moved to Chicago. That summer I went to Tanglewood and started studying at the Music Institute of Chicago with Sang Mee Lee. I took private lessons with her for a year and, during my gap year, I did my college auditions. I just finished my freshman year at DePaul University studying violin performance with I-Hao Lee. I’ve been studying with him over the summer as well at Meadowmount School of Music.

So what has your experience at DePaul been like, and what other music experiences have you been having?
DePaul has been amazing. I love studying with Mr. Lee. He’s such a fantastic teacher and I feel like I’ve grown so much with him. The School of Music is pretty small, so it’s kind of nice to get that smaller, more conservatory-style education while still being part of a larger university where I take all of my gen eds. I get to still be in classes and work with students who are not necessarily music majors and who are exploring other art forms, or are in completely different areas of study from mine.

I got to participate in their theater program and play violin in a cabaret-type show people put together. And the music program itself has been a fantastic experience. It’s such a positive environment where we’re all pushing each other to do better without it being an unhealthy competition. There’s also a jazz program there so I get to go to jazz concerts, as well as a sound recording technology program so I’ve been able to play violin on some recording projects for those majors. All while also doing chamber music and orchestra – so I’m getting a well-rounded musical education.

You’re currently doing a music intensive in New York, can you talk about how that’s been and what you’ve been doing?
I’m at Meadowmount, which is a seven-week-long intensive in upstate New York. I’m here with Mr. Lee and some of my other studio mates from DePaul. We are finishing week three right now, and it’s been great. This is my first year here and its main focus is that it’s a practice camp. So they have a practice schedule they want you to follow: four hours of practice in the morning, followed by lunch and then chamber music in the afternoon; then more practice in the evening. There are concerts three nights a week and it’s fun to see my peers perform regularly. It’s been a very intense but rewarding experience.

What are some of your goals right now as a musician or hopes for the future?
My short-term goal is to work on my technique specifically in my left hand – I’ve been working a lot on that – and to grow as a musician so I get everything I can out of this education. This summer I’ve gotten to work with some great chamber musicians, which is perfect because chamber music is my one true love. It’s been great being here at Meadowmount and having a more intense chamber music experience where we’re learning an entire piece over the summer and getting to work on collaborative skills. Play with other people, I’m learning to adapt quickly and keep a balance, while also growing technically and musically and not neglecting one for another.

Did you do a lot of chamber music while you were at PCM?
PCM was my first chamber music experience. It’s where I fell in love with it. I’m very grateful for the experience that I had there. Gosh, I think I was in the program for 6 years. And then I did the summer intensives too. I feel so lucky to have had so much chamber music experience during my middle and high school years before going to college. And the program at PCM was amazing. The teachers were amazing. It was wonderful.

What artists do you like to listen to?
When it comes to classical music, I bounce around. But one of my favorite violinists of all time is Jascha Heifetz. I’ve been listening to a lot of piano music like Yuja Wang and her Rachmaninoff piano concertos, and a lot of Russian music. And I do enjoy non classical music, too. I really enjoy Big Thief and Adrianne Lenker’s songwriting is just amazing. There’s also this local Chicago band, Brigitte Calls Me Baby, that’s getting momentum – they’re playing at Lollapalooza this year. Dr. Dog is another band I’ve been enjoying recently.

Is there anything else you would like to add?
I think about my time at PCM a lot and it makes me very happy to have so many great memories. I’m just very grateful for my experience there and for getting to work with Elizabeth Hedman for violin, Elizabeth Babor for piano, and all of the fantastic chamber music teachers.