☰
Donate Contact
Close

Orchestra

2024 Festival information coming soon.

2024 Festival Dates: June 16 – July 14, 2024

 

Orchestral performances form the heart of the MasterWorks Festival. This program is open to qualified students ages 14 to 26, with consideration on a case-by-case basis outside these parameters. Audition requirements are listed below.

Students of the orchestral program work side by side with artist faculty of the MasterWorks Festival. During the festival, students study standard orchestral literature and perform orchestral concerts. Past guest conductors include Ken-David Masur, David Bowden, Miriam Burns, Delta David Gier, Darryl One, Andrew Sewell, John Nelson, and Daniel Meyer.

Students also have opportunities to participate in chamber groups during the MasterWorks Festival.

Repertoire for 2023

Week 1
Delta David Gier, conductor
Wagner: Flying Dutchman
Mozart: Clarinet Concerto 
          with Ashley Leigh
Dvorak: Symphony No. 7

Week 2
Delta David Gier, conductor
Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto 
          with Nicholas Tavani
Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade, Op. 35

Week 3
Miriam Burns, conductor
Wagner: Lohengrin - Prelude to Act 3
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3 
          with Sean Kennard
Brahms: Symphony No. 1

Week 4
Robert Duerr, conductor
Bernstein, Overture to Candide
Student Concerto Winners
Hindemith: Symphonic Metamorphosis

Additional performance opportunities include

All students of the Orchestra Program:

  • Rehearse and perform in the Festival Orchestra
  • Study technique and/or solo literature
  • Receive one private lesson with a MasterWorks faculty member each week
  • Practice a minimum of 10 hours per week outside of rehearsals
  • Choose, in addition to the items above, to rehearse and perform in chamber music opportunities

Prayer before rehearsals and performances, mentorship by faculty, and numerous festival-wide spiritual activities nurture the faith and Christian lifestyle of the students. Please refer to the Spiritual Life page for more information.

Orchestra Program Audition Requirements

All applicants, including alumni, must submit:

  1. Completed Application & application fee
  2. Current résumé and/or list of musical experiences including repertoire studied/performed and ensemble experience.
  3. A video recording of highest quality containing:

Winds/Percussion

  • One movement of a standard concerto, sonata, or concert piece
  • Three standard orchestral excerpts
  • see this site for some guidance in choosing standard excerpts.

Strings

  • Two pieces of contrasting style, one of which is a concerto or a solo piece with orchestral accompaniment (no accompaniment is required for the recording).
  • Three standard orchestral excerpts  (Violinists, see this site for some guidance in choosing standard excerpts.)

Harp

  • Two solo pieces of contrasting style
  • Two standard orchestral excerpts
  • see this site for some guidance in choosing standard excerpts.

A note about excerpts:

The 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 their level of playing. MasterWorks also does not supply students with sheet music for these excerpts.  Students should consult music libraries, personal teachers, sheet music vendors, or the website imslp.org for appropriate excerpts.