A gifted artist himself, Edward MacDowell he almost gave up his musical career to study drawing. He was fascinated by photography and was well read, publishing a book of verse and also dabbled in architecture. All these interests are reflected in the facilities available to artists wishing to come to The MacDowell Colony. Donald Macleod talks to composers Paul Moravec and Ned Rorem about their residencies at The MacDowell Colony and sees how MacDowell's vision of an interaction between artistic disciplines can work.