Thank you for all your comments on the forum, I find them very helpful! Based on your experience, how would Bowdoin compare to Encore for violin?
Exact same choice last year. We chose Green Mountain! Please feel free to send a direct message to me.
At Heifetz Jr s/he would be on the older side for the Junior camp and at Green Mountain s/he would be one of the youngest ones. Green Mountain has much better chamber music experience. Heifetz gives everyone the opportunity to perform a solo piece at one of the concerts. Green Mountain will only have select individuals perform solos. Food is better at Green Mountain. Green Mountain has organized social activities and Heifetz has almost none. Last year, Heifetz decided to disallow phones/screens during the day due to some kind of bullying incident the summer prior but they do give them back after evening concerts for a couple hours. Green Mountain checks in phones for the morning bc that is when students are expected to get in most of their practice time but they give them back around lunch time.
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Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival 2026 Senior Program (ages 14-28 but ages 14-17 separate in ways). Last year, 2025, it was called the Regular Program. 2025 was the first year of Junior Program (ages 9-13). My rising 9th grader child’s (violin/turned 14 three months before start of program) solo experience: performed a concerto movement in two of four weekly studio classes then performed it in a solo concert in the main concert hall at the suggestion of private teacher. String quartet’s experience (performed at least four times): prelude concert for artist faculty series at the end of the second week (one mvt) in an off-location concert hall, at a local place of worship (two mvts) two days later, at a local library (two or three mvts? will confirm) mid-3rd week, and in the last main student series concert on the last day (complete - 4 mvts) in the main concert hall. The group also enjoyed a coaching by a guest quartet member (violin) toward the end of the first week. Whenever you are ready, a performance opportunity (solo and chamber) is available to you or provided for you (community outreach) at the suggestion of the private teacher/coach/director.
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I believe the recently updated (Mar 2, 2026) info provided on the website [Student Info > Frequently Asked Questions and > Student Life] does not indicate that phones will be collected prior to practice/picked up after practice this year.
That’s too bad - for me at least. I liked that they had a few hours offline each day. Did your child get to perform a single movement from a concerto in the main hall? I was under the impression that the Emerging Artist solo concerts required a full work to be performed, but if it is possible to perform just one movement, that would be easier for my kid.
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Yes, my child performed the first movement of a concerto (started it during the spring semester and played part of it - panel asked for exposition only - for end of May local youth orchestra audition) in the Mansfield Solo Concert Series (main concert hall / recital program / professional video), the series for which students can work and get approval to perform a movement while at the program. After performing the concerto mvt in two studio classes (during which my child received helpful, encouraging, supportive feedback from the teacher and from students who had either played the piece or were playing the piece) which provided valuable preparation and experience, my child’s private teacher suggested to submit a form to perform in the next Mansfield Solo Concert with an open slot. For my child, it was a big accomplishment as it was definitely a next-level concerto compared to the repertoire submitted for the Jan video audition. It was an excellent jump-starter and certainly set the stage for the current year in terms of local competition experience and moving forward in all ways.
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Bowdoin and Encore are really different programs.
At Bowdoin, there is more of an emphasis on chamber music, and everybody will play in a chamber group. You will be with one teacher only (or one per session) for lessons and studio class. Most of your time is unstructured and will be spent practicing. For some younger kids, this is problematic – you definitely need to be mature enough to create your own practice schedule and keep yourself on task. There are performance opportunities for both solo and chamber for almost all students if desired.
Encore is much more focused on the solo experience and exploring different teachers. You will have lessons with lots of teachers and are guaranteed a masterclass. There is no chamber music unless you come with a preformed chamber group. There are also theory classes and some chamber orchestra. My child who attended struggled with finding enough practice time, as there was a strict evening practice curfew (he is a night practicer and not a morning person). He also struggled with the weekends, when they are bussed around the state to watch the faculty perform in various venues, because he could not practice. There are not performance opportunities in most cases, with the exception of the masterclass and a final chamber orchestra concert.
Both have their pros and cons. I would look at the teachers and consider that strongly when making your decision.
It just occurred to me that if the participants have frequent opportunities to play (6 private lessons mainly for solo repertoire if you choose, daily rehearsals with string quartet, twice-weekly quartet coachings - 2 with coach, 2 with fellow coach for 14-17 yr olds to prepare complete quartet performance during last week, weekly studio classes for solo repertoire, possible performance opportunities for their string quartet to perform a movement or two at outreach events, they will use that 4-hour morning period to practice, which means there is not much leisure time to use a phone. Also, staff encouraged kids to communicate via email with teachers and staff, including pianist to confirm meeting times. Group texting was a good thing to be able to do with the quartet. Best thing according to child was receiving emails from staff offering after-concert game night, movie night, or late-night sightreading (with guest quartet) when it seemed to be a good night for downtime for all involved, any curfew reminders or modifications (11pm instead of 10:30pm to attend sightreading session, for example).
Re Emerging Artists Series, yes, students are required to submit a video prior for approval to perform an entire work in an Emerging Artists Series during the first week. For the Mansfield Solo Concert series, approval from teacher during the program to perform one movement is required.
I recall my child not having much downtime to talk on the phone with me for more than a few minutes Mon - Sat!
Breakfast at 7
Practice 8-12
Lunch 12-1
Quartet Rehearsal / Coaching 1:15-2:15
Free hour or so
3:30 or 4:00 Talks or Presentations for all in main hall/ Mansfield Solo Concert series in main hall or other hall
Dinner 5:30-6 or so
Downtime or catch bus to attend Prelude Concert/Artist Faculty Series concert off main location
7:30 Emerging Artist Concert or Artist Faculty Concert
9:30 Game / Cards night
I’m wondering the same thing although not hopeful. Last year they told me that they give the vast majority of the cello senior spots to conservatory and older students. I heard that there was a mangement change this year although I’m not sure what that means.
Thanks so much for your insights, this is very helpful.
Just got an email from Heifetz Senior (cello)
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Congratulations! We are still waiting for news for Heifetz Senior Violin. Likely a no go and might be change to waitlisted next week.
Thanks for all the details on Green Mountain! This is the festival my son is leaning towards this year, as we received a no thank you (2nd year in a row) from Bowdoin. Kinhaven and Greenwood sound fun, but the rustic vibe isn’t really my son’s cup of tea. And the Juilliard program doesn’t seem like it will give him enough time for solo practice. We’re somewhat limited in our choices because so many of these programs start before the end of our school year in NY. We’re hoping Green Mountain gives him time for focused practice on his college audition repertoire and can help him level up his skills going into his senior year. For anyone considering the NEC orchestra, he had a great experience there last year!
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Do you think the professors at Heifetz choose the students? In the cello studios, there are 4 professors for 6 weeks, so I would think each professor only is present for a week or two and that they also go to a number of other summer festivals, so I wonder why or how they would choose students. I always thought that the regular faculty at Heifetz was doing all the selections.
Has anyone heard anything from brevard yet?
I guess if the studio not picking then there’s really no need to do 2 rounds.
Just put the kids on rejected, acceptance, or wait listed.
Yes, my son was waitlisted this past Sunday for bassoon. I called them and got the impression that results for different instruments/disciplines will be released at different times.
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