The Mill, which opened last summer as a welcoming new arts center in Westport, NY, will host two events with students from Kinhaven Music School’s inaugural semester program. The Mill’s creative director Taylor Haskins says, “It’s essential to our mission that The Mill becomes an accessible resource to the North Country’s students. We encourage relationships with our local schools and universities so that students can experience the world-class music and contemporary visual art that we offer, and also welcome opportunities for students to perform in our space.”

One of these students is the Haskins’ son Felix, who began playing music “as soon as he could hold a shaker,” says Taylor, “but I never sat him down for formal lessons, I just let him discover the instruments for himself.” Felix grew up in Westport from birth and attended Lakeside School in Essex through third grade, where he experienced a Waldorf-inspired education interwoven with the magic of a farm and forest school. Continuing in the Waldorf pedagogy, Felix attended Lake Champlain Waldorf School in the fourth grade, where he was matched with the cello. Taylor remarks, “I remember that conversation with the music teacher very well. His third grade Waldorf-trained teacher had assessed that ten-year-old Felix lacked melancholy, and the theory was that the cello would help develop this aspect of his personality.”

The cello ended up being the perfect instrument for Felix, who has participated in the Vermont Youth Orchestra since 2022, and performed locally in Piano By Nature’s CODA concert (hosted by The Mill), as well as in the pit band for the Depot Theatre’s productions of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” and “First Date.”

When Felix attended Senior Session at Kinhaven Music School in 2024, their Executive Director Anthony Mazzocchi was finalizing the details on the nation’s first ever Semester Music Program for high school students. Kinhaven has a similar holistic approach to music as the Waldorf pedagogy, as Mazzocchi stated, “Our vision is to be a national model of music-centered education that inspires the growth of the whole person.” When the news broke that another local cellist, Ava Glover of Saranac, was the first to enroll, Felix realized that there was a place for him in this program. “While I knew that I was taking a risk by being a part of the inaugural class, I understood the potential that this program had to be a truly amazing part of my life.”

The four-month residential experience for high-school musicians launched in August and focuses on chamber music, performance, and holistic learning in a creative, community-driven setting. Offered in partnership with Burr and Burton Academy (BBA) in Manchester, VT, the program combines academic coursework at BBA with intensive musical study at Kinhaven, allowing students to grow both artistically and academically in the heart of Vermont. Each weekend the students and their faculty, Trillium String Quartet, travel across Southern Vermont to share the spirit of the program with the broader community in free public performances.

On October 31st and November 1st, The Mill will welcome the Kinhaven Semester Music Program for their only performances in New York. First, they will appear as musical ghosts at Mill-O-Ween, The Mill’s tuneful trick-or-treat event, haunting the halls with their string instruments. On Saturday, November 1st, the students and faculty will perform a program of chamber music starting at 5pm.

The Mill will be open for trick-or-treating guests of all ages on Friday, October 31 from 4-9 pm with the musicians improvising throughout the building until 7pm. The students and Trillium String Quartet will perform on Saturday, November 1st at 5pm. There is no charge for either event, but reservations are recommended for the concert and can be made at themilladk.com. More information about Kinhaven’s Semester Music program can be found at kinhaven.org.

THE MILL (est. 2024) supports the creative work of world class contemporary artists and musicians through exhibitions, installations, and performances which provide engaging, multi-faceted cultural experiences for visitors. THE MILL • 6679 Main Street, Westport, NY 12993 • www.themilladk.com