In order to honor Deb Sherr’s legacy as Director of Senior Camp for 40 years, the Greenwood Board of Directors created the Deborah Sherr Commissioning Award. Every two years for 40 years, Greenwood will commission a composer to write a work of chamber music to be premiered by Greenwood campers. In the summer of 2022, the Greenwood board surprised Deb with the first commission, a string quartet entitled “A Greenwood Quartet,” written by Emmy-nominated composer and Greenwood alum Ronit Kirchman.

“To make chamber music grow in the world and have it be connected to me is the greatest honor I can think of.”

—Deborah Sherr, Director of Senior Camp 1983-2022

2023 Awardee—Reena Esmail

2022 Awardee—Ronit Kirchman

As part of the Award, the composer receives an honorarium and travels to camp for a mini-residency to work with campers in preparation of the world premiere. Greenwood will have exclusivity for the premiere of the composition and the right to stream and archive it on our YouTube channel. Following the Greenwood premiere, the piece will be available for purchase through the composer’s publisher to chamber musicians globally. (Stay tuned for a link to purchase “A Greenwood Quartet” (2022) by Ronit Kirchman.)

Our goal is to create an endowed fund of $200,000 to ensure that the Deborah Sherr Commissioning Award can endure in perpetuity. Please help us meet our goal by donating to the fund. Thank you!