By Plane
The nearest airport is Greenville-Spartanburg (GSP), which is approximately 20 minutes from the Converse campus.
Asheville, NC (AVL) and Charlotte, NC (CLT) are both approximately a one-hour drive from the Converse campus.
Driving Directions
The Converse address is 580 East Main Street, Spartanburg, SC 29302.
Yes, students are permitted to have a car on campus. Parking is free, and guidelines are given to drivers upon arrival.
Due to the busy schedule each program maintains, it is typically impossible for students to be involved with more than one program at a time. One exception would be a student participating in the WISP during weeks 1 & 2 may choose to participate in the orchestra program during weeks 3 & 4, provided there is an opening in the orchestra and approval is obtained from the appropriate faculty member. MasterWorks masterclasses are open to the whole festival, so students enrolled in a particular program (e.g. Orchestra) are encouraged to attend classes offered by the other programs (e.g. Piano), provided no schedule conflicts occur with the student’s program.
Counselors must be at least 21 years of age. First, please apply to your program. Once you receive acceptance, you must email Chip Hill (chip@christianperformingart.org) to inquire about a Counselor Application. Applications are due by March 15, 2022. Counselors are chosen by MasterWorks administration. Decisions will be made by March 31, 2022.
Counselors are awarded a scholarship based on one-half of their tuition (based on their tiered tuition amount). Their remaining tuition balance is due by April 11, 2022.
Applicants should note that counselor positions cannot be combined with work study.
If you have further questions, please email chip@christianperformingart.org
MasterWorks Festival does not specify which measures or which excerpts should be submitted. Each student should consult his/her personal teacher to determine an appropriate excerpt based on personal playing ability. MasterWorks does not supply students with sheet music for these excerpts. Students should consult music libraries, personal teachers, sheet music vendors, or the websites imslp.org or violinexcerpts.com for appropriate excerpts.
We recommend you bring the following:
Concert Dress for Men:
Black dress slacks; white button-down, long-sleeve dress shirt; black socks; no tie. No coat or blazer and no tuxedo.
Concert Dress of Women
Ankle or calf-length black skirts or dressy black pants; black pantyhose or socks; black dress shoes and ¾ length or longer sleeve black tops. Due to the abundance of low-rise pants, please be sure your back is completely covered and no undergarments are showing when sitting or standing – this is unprofessional.
Converse University’s Gee Dining Hall provides three meals a day for all residential students. Breakfasts and dinners, as well as Sunday lunches, are optional, allowing students to enjoy Spartanburg and the surrounding area. Lunches are mandatory Monday through Saturday. Important festival announcements and faculty devotionals are presented at this time.
For dining options around town visit: http://www.visitspartanburg.com/See-and-do/dining.html
7:30-8:30 a.m. – Prayer meeting (optional)
8:00-8:30 a.m. – Breakfast (optional)
9:00-11:45 a.m. – Program meetings and rehearsals
12:00-12:30 p.m. – Lunch (required)
12:30-1:00 p.m. – Faculty devotionals (at lunch)
1:00-1:45 p.m. – Quiet time
2:00-5:30 p.m. – Lessons, coaching, practice, recitals, masterclasses, and/or free time
5:30-6:30 p.m. – Dinner (optional)
6:30-8:00 p.m. – Bible study (Monday-Thursday)
Concerts are held on Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30pm. Students who are not performing are required to attend concerts.
Day Visitors
Family and friends are welcome to attend rehearsals, concerts, and other festival activities. Visitors may eat in the Converse dining hall for a fee.
Overnight Visitors
There is no campus lodging available for guests. However, there are several hotels in the area:
On weekdays, students under the age of 18 must be in their dorms by 11:00 p.m, and in their rooms by 12:00 a.m. On weekends, students under the age of 18 must be in their dorms by 12:00 a.m, and in their rooms by 1:00 a.m. There is no curfew for college students.
In June-July, the average high temperature during the day is 88-91, with a healthy dose of humidity. The average low temperature is 67-69.
Yes, you may still apply. But please contact Chip Hill (chip@christianperformingart.org) first to discuss your situation. On a case-by-case basis, MasterWorks considers admitting students who do not fall into the typical age bracket.
The MasterWorks Festival is an outreach of the Christian Performing Artists’ Fellowship (CPAF). The Festival began in the summer of 1997 with 55 students. In 2018, the Festival moved to Converse College in Spartanburg, SC. For more information regarding the history of CPAF, please visit our history page.
We are glad you asked! We rely on generous donors to make the Festival as affordable as possible. You can support the ministry in a number of ways. Please consider sponsoring a student, establishing a planned-giving fund, or setting up a scholarship fund. Please click here for more information.
Please visit our Faculty page for a complete list of our 2021 faculty. Past faculty members include Phil Smith, Miriam Burns, Mia Chung, Stephen Tavani, David Geir, Daniel Meyer, Andrew Sewell, and Luis Haza.
Students can apply for the festival online here. Before beginning the application process, please review audition requirements and expectations for each program and instrument.
MasterWorks places a high value on performance opportunities for students. During the first week of MasterWorks 2022, all students will participate in chamber music ensembles.
During the last three weeks, the orchestra will perform on Saturday nights. Typically an individual student will be selected to perform an interlude prior to intermission.
During weeks 2-4, piano, SISP, and GISP students will perform in studio classes, recitals, and masterclasses.
Students will be housed in Converse University’s residence halls.
Link to Converse Residence Halls
Most rooms have two to four beds and share common bathrooms. Dorm rooms have beds, desks, chairs, dressers, and large closets. All dorms are air-conditioned.
Students are responsible for bringing their own linens. Students can also rent linens from the Festival for $40.
Generally, dress is casual. The weather will be very warm and humid. The purpose of MasterWorks is to glorify God, which should be reflected in students’ dress at all times. Please abide by the following guidelines:
Please contact the MasterWorks Administrator, Sharalynn Hicks, at sharalynn@christianperformingart.org to discuss. While Converse can accommodate some dietary restrictions, all food is prepared in a common kitchen.
