Our History

"Whatever..." Philippians 4:8

The heartbeat of Credo finds its foundation in words the Apostle Paul wrote to the early church community in Philippi:

Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if there is anything excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things.
—Philippians 4:8

This lifestyle of acknowledgement — recognizing and responding to the grace of God — is expressed daily as Credo faculty members share from their hearts and personal experiences as followers of Christ. Credo students learn that true success is not measured by wealth or fame, but by exhibiting qualities such as kindness and compassion, and daily pursuit of intimacy with God.

How did Credo get started?

As he served on the faculty of top summer string programs in the 80’s and 90’s, Credo’s Founding Artistic Director Peter Slowik saw the need for a new kind of program — one which addressed the whole being, focusing on personal excellence as well as musical excellence.

Motivated by the philosophy of such great musicians / humanitarians as Pablo Casals and Fritz Kreisler (“No man can achieve great things unless his heart is filled with love.“), Slowik envisioned a place where the highest level of musical training would be accomplished in an atmosphere of Christian love and mentorship. By January 1999 Credo’s mission was set: “Develop the Gift, Acknowledge the Source, Respond with Service.”

Year One

In the summer of 1999, forty-five intrepid students descended on Resurrection Center in Woodstock, Illinois, to try this bold new approach. As one student put it, “I have no idea what cleaning homeless shelters will do for my playing, but I’m going to find out!” And find out they did, with Credo’s unique blend of faith, musical excellence, and service forging a special inspirational bond.

Students from that first year have since won the National American String Teachers Association Solo Competition, graduated from Juilliard, Curtis, and Eastman, and now hold significant positions in professional orchestras and on college faculties. A number of them have become string teachers across America — in fact, some of their students (we call them “Credo grandstudents”) have come to Credo in recent years!

A New Home In Oberlin

Having recently joined the Oberlin Conservatory faculty in 1999, Slowik saw the synergistic possibilities of Credo in Oberlin, and in 2002 the Credo board voted to move the program to Oberlin. In the spring of 2004, Slowik founded the 501(c)(3) non-profit Slowik Music Institute as Credo’s parent organization.

Establishing Credo at one of the world’s recognized centers of string excellence did much to bolster Credo’s esteem in the musical community, and applications grew threefold over the next four years!

Making an Impact

Credo is now a fixture on the summer string education scene. Our alumni occupy leadership positions in major orchestras, colleges, and conservatories throughout the country, and are consistently among the major prizewinners in national and regional competitions.

Equally impressive is Credo’s uncompromising commitment to serving our community with labor and music. Whether it’s cleaning homeless shelters, packing food at a food bank, or performing for underserved audiences at nursing homes, hospitals, and low-income housing projects, Credo students have made a lasting impact on thousands of people in Northeast Ohio.

David Stull, former Oberlin Dean and President of San Francisco Conservatory, has remarked:

[Credo] is really a phenomenal program. But beyond that, what does make it unique, is the fact that involved with this program is a directed, not just superficial, effort towards community service. The students really engage with the community here in Oberlin and spend time in the summer working with people in ways that typically aren’t found at most chamber music camps — in fact, none that I am aware of.

The small beginning in Woodstock, Illinois, has been transformed in the last two decades into a national program. In addition to its current Credo Festival in Oberlin and Credo Flute, Credo has presented programs in Chicago, Waco (Texas), Sydney (Australia), and metropolitan Boston. Credo has become not just a summer festival, but a way of life!