FAQ

As always, contact the office at sharalynn@christianperformingart.org if you need more information!

By Plane

The nearest airports is Greenville-Spartanburg (GSP). Charlotte (CLT) and Asheville (AVL) are also nearby. MasterWorks runs shuttles from the GSP airport ONLY. Shuttle schedules and fees will be posted soon.  

Driving

  • From Charlotte -- I-85 South to exit 80 Gossett Rd. Go South 6 miles then turn right on E Main.
  • From Atlanta -- I-85 North to I-85 Business Loop N in Spartanburg. Take exit 5A for I-585/Pine Street. Follow to E Main and take a left.
  • From Columbia -- I-26 North to exit 28 US-221 N. Follow for 8.5 miles and turn right onto E St John. This will turn into E Main
  • From GSP -- I-85 North I-85 Business Loop N in Spartanburg. Take exit 5A for I-585/Pine Street. Follow to E Main and take a left.
  • From Asheville -- I-26 East to exit 15 US-176 E. US-176 eventually become Pine Street. Take this to E Main and turn left.
  If you have any extenuating travel circumstances, please contact the MasterWorks Administrator at todd@christianperformingart.org.
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 every program maintains, it is impossible for students to be involved with more than one program at a time. However, MasterWorks master classes 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. Theatre), provided no schedule conflicts occur with the student's program. It is possible for a student to attend more than one program during the summer if the programs do not overlap. Applications are accepted until each program has been filled.
If you are a MasterWorks alumnus and are interested in serving as a counselor at the festival, you must apply to your program first. Then, email the MasterWorks Festival Administrator at mwfadministrator@mwfestival.org for more information and for a counselor application. Completed counselor applications are to be submitted to the office by February 15.
  • English proficiency: All correspondence between a prospective student and the MasterWorks Festival office must be done in English. While at the festival, all lessons, MasterClasses, and rehearsals are conducted in English. Translation opportunities are very limited.
  • Payment of tuition and fees: All fees are to be paid in U.S. currency (USD). Money orders, checks from a U.S. bank account, and major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Discover) are accepted. Please email mwfadministrator@mwfestival.org if you are having difficulty making a payment.
  • Visa appointment: Please notify the office 14 business days before your scheduled visa appointment at the appropriate embassy/consulate. Within 14 business days, you'll receive a letter in the mail that must be brought to the appointment. While there, you must obtain a tourist visa. If you require more than a letter, email mwfadministrator@mwfestival.org. Failure to give the office ample notification may result in fees incurred at your expense.
If you have further questions, please email mwfadministrator@mwfestival.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.
  • Music you want to practice, perform, and work on in lessons
  • Chamber music you want to work on and perform
  • Folding music stand
  • Concert black
  • For our theatre students: bring appropriate attire and supplies for your classes and rehearsals
  • Outdoor clothes for those ultimate frisbee, soccer, and volleyball games, or impromptu biking trips
  • Clothes (dress code appropriate) for hot summer days and cooler evenings
  • Alarm clock (or your phone charger) so we can see your bright, smiling faces on time at rehearsal
  • Some spending money
  • Towels, sheets, a pillow, and blanket
  • Extra blanket if you get cold easily
  • Laundry detergent to do laundry (Laundry service on campus is free.)
  • Water bottle
  • Bug spray and sunscreen
  • Camera
  • Bible and journal for quiet times
  • A heart ready to seek God and encourage others this summer!
Converse College’s Gee Dining Hall provides three meals a day for all 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)

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. There are several hotels and B&Bs 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.
In June-July, average hi temp is 88-91 with a healthy dose of humidity and average low temp is 63-67.
Yes, you may still apply. But please contact the MasterWorks office 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). In the summer of 1997, a total of 55 students attended the first MasterWorks in Houghton, New York. The following year, attendance doubled. In 2002, the festival was moved to Winona Lake, Indiana. By the year 2005, over 200 students and 80 faculty members participated in the festival. In 2004, the first MasterWorks Festival Europe took place in London, England. MasterWorks has also held events in China and Hawaii. Plans for other locations are being made. For more information regarding the history of CPAF, please visit our history page.
We are glad you asked! In order to make the festival as affordable to students as possible, we rely on support from generous donors. You can support the ministry in a number of ways. Consider sponsoring a student, establishing a planned-giving fund, setting up a scholarship fund, or joining Friends of MasterWorks. Please click here for more information.
Students can apply for the festival online at masterworksfestival.org/2018-festival-application/. Before beginning the application process, please review audition requirements and expectations for each program and instrument.
Our international faculty includes some of the world’s finest performers and pedagogues. Past instructors include Midori, Christopher Parkening, Rachel Barton Pine, Rebecca Wright, Jeanette Clift George, John Dalley, Lawrence Dutton, John Kirby, Anne Martindale Williams, David Hardy, Doug Yeo, Hugh Sung, Steve Rooks, Jimmy Sites, Christina Smith, Steve Hendrickson, John Nelson, Phil Smith, Paula Robison, Stephen Clapp, the Ying String Quartet, and many others. See the Faculty Bios for more information.
See the Competitions page for information about the Concerto Competition as well as the Student Honor’s Recital.
MasterWorks places a high value on performance opportunities for students. There are a variety of ways students in all programs can perform. Specific opportunities are listed on the pages for each individual program.
Students will be housed in one of the dorms on Converse College's campus. 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.
Alumni, family, and community guests are encouraged to plan a visit to the festival. Guests are welcome to attend all concerts and MasterClasses as part of the audience. Orchestra rehearsals are also open to the public for all observers who are able to maintain silence while in the hall. We do not have any provisions in place for accommodating overnight guests. The Spartanburg Marriott and AC Hotel are nearby options. You are also welcome to join us at Converse's Dining Hall for on-campus meals at your own expense. If you have further questions please contact the MasterWorks Festival office by calling Festival Administrator – call Direct at: 864-431-3684