Hello! Does anyone know of orchestra festivals for freshmen that aren’t extremely competitive? It’s a bit difficult for an 18-year-old to compete with musicians who are 27, so I’m looking for programs that are more age-appropriate
Thank you!
BUTI is for high school students.
Eastern Music Festival, I believe…20 or under.
Brevard is mostly high school students.
Your private instrument teacher probably has suggestions. Keep an eye out for application deadlines…
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I have a list of summer programs in the arts. What area of the country are you interested in? Do you have a price point or length of program you’re trying to aim for? I’m happy to give suggestions with those parameters.
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I’m interested in any program that would be a good fit for me. It doesn’t matter what country it’s in, but I especially i like to go to the United States!
please
NSO Summer Music Institute (ages 15-20)
National Repertory Orchestra
National Orchestra Institute
Aspen
Tanglewood
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Here are some I recommend to my orchestra students:
Tanglewood Institute (Boston, MA)- ages 13-19
Brevard Music Center Summer Institute (Brevard, NC)- ages 14-18
Summer Music Academy (Ithaca, NY)- ages 14-18
MPulse Summer Performing Arts Institute (Ann Arbor, MI)- ages vary
Summer Intensives at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (these vary by instrument, so check their website)
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Also check out NYO, it’s super competitive.
EMF announced in October that they have ceased operations.
Oh no! 
Sewannee has a program to add to the list
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It’s scandalous. They had skipped a season and then decided to shut when faculty and the Board couldn’t come to an agreement. Very sad. A US music festival shuts down after 64 years - Slippedisc
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Brevard has a college program College
Walden School in Dublin NH, a 6 week program during which each student composes a 10-15 minute piece, is open for applications. Winter deadline is Feb. 2. They welcome instrumentalists, creative kids who have never composed, and experienced composers in different genres. What Makes Walden Special? | The Walden School
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My son went to Brevard Music Center last summer and had the most amazing experience. He went as a rising HS senior and participated in their High School Orchestral Institute for 6.5 weeks. There is a college-aged version as well with its own orchestra. They get private lessons, studio classes (HS and college together per instrument), ensemble rehearsals that are HS only or college only, and then also master classes and music history and theory classes. Plus amazing concerts almost every night. My son grew so much, and it was incredibly well run.
Their deadline is a little later than some, and we lucked out with them taking a late application last year. It’s worth calling them if you are curious! They have some shorter programs as well.