Young Artists
Violin Book 6+
Guitar Book 5+
Viola, Cello, Bass Book 4+
Must be 13 years or older
Young Artist Curriculum:
Please visit our Price List for tuition and Teen Dorm info for accommodations and meals.
Young Artists will have 5 hours of classes per day plus practice time. Core Classes include:
Master Class (short, semi-private lesson, 3 students per class)
Technique Class (a class that focuses on instrument specific techniques such as vibrato, shifting, phrasing, etc.)
Ensemble Class (duo, trio, quartet or quintet chamber group), strings only. These students will also have a special coaching with our Guest Artist.
Studio Class (a performance class)
Pre-set Enrichment Courses. Examples of past Enrichment Classes include:
YAP Orchestra - taught by Bruce Walker
Guitar Ensemble - taught by Joseph Spoelstra
Creative Musicianship - taught by Megan Shung
A class that focuses on developing well-rounded musicianship through creativity, improvisation, and performance.
Young Artist Program Specifics
Young Artists must be 13 years old as of September 1st and matriculating into 8th grade.
We highly recommend Young Artist students stay in the Teen Dorm for the best experience. Teen Dorm students spend the entire day together in class, eating meals as a group at the cafeteria, and enjoy evening programming with the Teen Dorm Monitor. Our goal is for every student to feel welcome and have fun!
A Placement Video is required for group placement due by April 15th. Please make sure that the camera is placed far enough away that your whole body is in the shot. Landscape camera placement is required. Only submit the best examples of your playing and only solo performances - no orchestra or chamber performance submissions. Upload your videos here by April 15th.
A 3-Octave Scale of your choice.
One or two selections that would demonstrate fast, technical playing as well as slow, lyrical playing.
Piano accompaniment is recommended, but not required
Ensemble music will be available beginning May 15.
The Young Artists program is open to Suzuki and traditionally trained students.
Minimum performance levels for participants are:
Violin: La Folia (Book 6)
Viola: Concerto in G Major by Telemann (Book 4)
Cello: Danse Rustique by Squire (Book 5)
Bass: TBD
Guitar: Bach Gavottes (Book 5)
Young Artist Sample Schedule
Sunday Schedule
4:30-5:00pm Young Artist / Teen Dorm Student Welcome
5:00-5:30pm Dorm Check-in
5:30-6:30pm Dinner
Monday through Thursday Schedule
8:00-9:00am Breakfast
9:00-9:45am Class Period 1: Guided Chamber Rehearsal
10:00-10:45am Class Period 2: Chamber Coaching
11:00am-11:45pm Activities such as Student Recital, Faculty Recital, Fun Time
12:00-1:15pm Lunch Break
1:30-2:15pm Class Period 3: Creative Musicianship / Wednesday Guest Artist Coachings
2:30-3:15pm Class Period 4: Practice Time / Wednesday Guest Artist Coachings
3:30-5:15pm Class Period 5: Studio Class / Wednesday Guest Artist Coachings
5:30-6:30pm Dinner
Friday Schedule
9:00-9:45am Class Period 1: Guided Chamber Rehearsal
10:00-10:45am Class Period 2: Chamber Coaching
All student classes end at 10:45pm PDT
11:00-11:45am Chamber Dress Rehearsal
Dorm check out by 1:00pm.
1:30-3:00pm Chamber & Orchestra Concert
Young Artist student concert ends by 3:00pm PDT
Schedule is subject to change.
Young Artist students with Chamber Coordinator Adam Cordle.
Do students need to study Suzuki Method to join the Young Artist program?
Suzuki and traditional students will feel equally welcome in the Young Artist program. The program aims to enrich instrument mastery, focusing more on ensemble playing and is welcome to all students who meet the Program Specifics. Please discuss with your home private teacher to see if your student qualifies for the Young Artist program before applying. If you still aren’t sure, you can always Contact Us for more guidance.
These repertoire lists are common pieces for traditional students listed by their Suzuki Book Level:
2024 Guest Artist • Juliet White-Smith
Juliet White-Smith is an accomplished violist, an engaging and dynamic teacher, and an expert string pedagogue. With performing and professional teaching careers spanning over three and a half decades, she has performed in solo, chamber, and orchestral settings throughout the United States and in Europe, Asia, and Africa. She has performed as a member of the Texas Chamber Orchestra, with the Houston Grand Opera, Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra, and the Rochester Philharmonic. She is regularly engaged as an invited presenter for music organizations around the country and across the globe including as a featured presenter and master class clinician at the American String Teachers Association annual conference, for the 75th Anniversary Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, and as a recitalist and presenter for conferences of the American Viola Society and at International Viola Congresses. She has served as adjudicator for prominent career-advancing competitions including the William Primrose International Viola Competition and the Yellow Spring Chamber Music Competition.
Her views on pedagogy, talent, and effective practice have been featured in The Strad, Strings Magazine, Journal of the American Viola Society, and American String Teacher. She has appeared in interviews in the Boston Globe and on WBUR Boston. She served as President of the American Viola Society from 2008-2011 and was on the Artist-Faculty at the Brevard Music Festival 2018-23. Her 2009 album Fashionably Late: Juliet White-Smith Debuts! features the premiere recording of Pulitzer Prize winner George Walker’s Viola Sonata (1989) and is available on the Centaur Records label (CRC 2982).
White-Smith is passionate about the health and wellness of musicians. She is a certified yoga instructor (RYT 200) and is also licensure trainee to become a Body Mapping Educator. She also enjoys cycling whether it is on bike paths in Ohio or Colorado or virtually around the globe.
A native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, White-Smith joined the faculty at The Ohio State University School of Music in 2012 having previously held positions at the University of Northern Colorado and Western Michigan University.
White-Smith earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the Eastman School of Music and is a graduate of the University of Houston (MM) and Louisiana State University (BM in violin).
Young Artist Important Dates
Register and submit Placement Video by April 15th.
Music will be available beginning May 15th.
Arrival and welcome on Sunday, June 16th at 4:30pm.
Classes begin in the morning on Monday, June 17th at 9:00am.
Finale Concert on Friday, June 21st time TBD.