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Orchestral Program
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Orchestral Program
2008 Repertoire Highlights
Chamber Music at EMF
Private Study
Master Classes
Solo Opportunities for Students
Academic Classes
String Fellowship Program (NEW to 2008!)
Faculty
Orchestral Program
The School of the Eastern Music Festival features two student orchestras each summer. Both rehearse six times a week, and each presents a full-length concert of standard orchestral repertoire on a weekly series open to the public. The two orchestras are of equal ability. Seating assignments change weekly, and students generally perform with both orchestras during the course of the Festival. Rehearsals are conducted in accordance with professional standards for performance, attendance, punctuality, etc. Both orchestras will typically perform with faculty soloists, visiting artists, and the winners of the Concerto Competition.
Section Coachings
Sectional rehearsals are held weekly for in-depth study of difficult and challenging works. Faculty members assist in working through challenging passages and solving performance problems specific to each section. Sectionals supplement individual preparation and develop unity of performance.
World Class Guest Artists
From the beginning, the Eastern Music Festival has featured the world's most sought after artists and teachers, who work closely with its students and perform as part of its acclaimed concert series.Past seasons have included regular participation from musical legends like violinist Joshua Bell, cellist Lynn Harrell, and the Canadian Brass, as well as visits from superstar alumni like Wynton and Branford Marsalis.
Chamber Music at EMF
All orchestral students participate in the Festival's chamber music program. Assignments are made by faculty at the beginning of the summer. Each ensemble rehearses four times a week. Two of the rehearsals are coached by a member of the faculty. Student chamber ensembles are often invited to perform on the Chamber Music Recital Series.
Private Study
As part of the core curriculum, each orchestral student receives one hour of individual instruction weekly from a faculty member. The one-on-one work with an individual teacher throughout the summer allows students to make rapid progress in solving technical problems and learning new repertoire. Teacher assignments are made at the beginning of the Festival.
Master Classes
Many visiting artists give master classes as part of their residency. Several students will be invited by the faculty to perform in these classes, with consideration given to a student's preparation and repertoire. These master classes are open to the public, and students are encouraged to attend. In addition, faculty members offer weekly master classes, which students are required to attend.
2008 Repertoire Highlights
Click here for season schedule.
Solo Opportunities for Students
Each year, the School sponsors a Concerto Competition which is open to all students. Preliminaries are held on the second Sunday of the Festival; finals are held on the third Sunday. Contestants may perform any solo work with orchestral accompaniment that was originally composed for their instrument and that does not exceed 18 minutes in length. Only one movement of a multi-movement work may be selected. Students wishing to participate in the Competition must submit repertoire selections by June 1st for approval. Approval is based upon the degree of difficulty of the orchestral score, due to the limited rehearsal time, and the availability of parts. Memorization is required for the final round and the performance.
2007 Concerto Competition Winners
Michael Zuber, bassoon
Isaac Washam, trombone
Oh-Nul Kim, piano
Hunter Noack, piano
Harold Reeves, violin
Fang-Wei Hsu
, piano
Academic Classes
The School of the Eastern Music Festival offers classroom instruction in several areas related to the performance and business of music. In order to preserve valuable time for personal practice on one's instrument, students are limited to taking one academic class as part of their program. Since a number of classes have limited enrollment, registered students are urged to return class election forms early in order to maximize their chances of being assigned to their preferred class.
Alexander Technique
Certified Alexander Technique instructors offer weekly classes for students helping enhance instrumental performance by improving freedom of movement, balance, flexibility, and coordination. The fee for this course is $150, which includes four group sessions, and two 30-minute private lessons, but enrollment is limited. Students may schedule private Alexander Technique lessons outside of the class for $50 per hour; these private lessons are available to all students, whether or not they are enrolled in the class.
Fundamentals of Music Theory
This class outlines principles of music theory for students who have not yet studied college level theory. Topics include key signatures, meters, major and minor chord forms, scales, and dictation.
Secondary Instrument Lessons
In addition to an academic class, students may elect to take lessons on a secondary instrument during the Festival for an additional fee. All students wishing to do so must audition for the faculty of their secondary instrument at the beginning of the Festival for teacher assignment.
