Student days Chadwick entered
New England Conservatory (NEC) as a "special student" in 1872, so that he could study with the faculty without satisfying the rigorous entrance or degree requirements. However, he approached his studies seriously and took advantage of what NEC offered. Chadwick studied organ with
George E. Whiting (1840–1923), piano with
Carlyle Petersilea (1844–1903), and theory with
Stephen A. Emery (1841–1891), each of whom was well respected in the Boston music scene. He also pursued studies with
Eugene Thayer. In 1876, Chadwick accepted a faculty position in the music program at
Olivet College and was a valued instructor as well as administrator. While at Olivet, Chadwick founded the
Music Teachers National Association. The first evidence of his interest in composing appeared during this time, from a performance of his
Canon in E-flat dated 6 November 1876. Realizing that his musical career in the U.S. would be limited without further studies in
Europe, in 1877 Chadwick headed to
Germany like many other composers of his generation. He studied in
Leipzig at the
Royal Conservatory of Music under
Carl Reinecke (1824–1910) and
Salomon Jadassohn (1830–1902). Chadwick's most significant compositions as a student there include two string quartets (no. 1 1877-8, no. 2 premiered 1879) and the concert overture
Rip Van Winkle. They helped confirm his position as a promising young American composer among his German contemporaries, from whom he received favorable critiques. After his two-year stay in Leipzig, Chadwick traveled around Europe with a group of artists who called themselves the "Duveneck Boys". They were led by the young and charismatic
Frank Duveneck, who was well known for his portrait works in the style of
Velázquez. The group was based in
Munich, then major culture center second to
Paris. Chadwick also stayed in France with the group, where he was taken with the French lifestyle and influenced by the emerging
Impressionist movement. Chadwick resumed his compositional studies with
Josef Rheinberger (1839–1901) at the
Hochschule für Musik in Munich. Rheinberger was known as a skilled musical craftsman who incorporated polyphony with creativity and clarity. Thus Chadwick benefited from Rheinberger's extensive knowledge of the classics, both instrumental and choral.
Return to Boston Chadwick returned to Boston in March 1880 and soon began establishing a career in the U.S. He opened a teaching studio and secured two performances of Rip Van Winkle. Chadwick completed his First Symphony, which although not particularly inspired was a significant early contribution by an American composer. In addition to his compositional activities, Chadwick was a performing organist and avid conductor. He served as the music director of the Springfield Festival from 1890 to 1899, and of the
Worcester Music Festival from 1899 to 1901. In 1897, Chadwick was appointed director of New England Conservatory. Known in the Boston arts circle as talented, personable, and energetic, he was crucial in transforming NEC into a respectable school of music. Chadwick implemented features that resembled those of the German conservatories of his experience. He established a variety of performing ensembles, and students were required to take more music theory and history classes. He invited members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra as private teachers to the students, along with being an inspiring teacher himself. His students described him as "demanding, though fair-minded and witty". Among his pupils were Horatio Parker,
William Grant Still, Arthur Whiting, Wallace Goodrich,
Frederick S. Converse,
Florence Price,
Henry Hadley,
Involvement with Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity He had some influence in the establishment of
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity, which was established at the conservatory in the fall of 1898, primarily through the suggestion of the name "Sinfonia" from a student organization to which he had belonged in Leipzig, Germany. He was named an honorary member of the Alpha chapter at the conservatory, and was later named a national honorary member of the Fraternity in 1909. ==Music==