Young Artist Program

The Young Artists program is designed for the advancing teenage musician who would like an intensive experience with a combination of solo performance, chamber experience and musical enrichment.

Violin Book 6+
Viola & Cello Book 4+

Must be matriculating into 8th grade and at least 13 years old by September 1st. Students studying instruments other than violin, viola, or cello may be eligible to attend, please contact the director before registering.

Spreading their Wings

The Young Artists program is designed for the advancing teenage musician who would like an intensive experience with a combination of solo performance, chamber experience and musical enrichment. Students must be matriculating into 8th grade and at least 13 years old by September 1st. Students studying instruments other than violin, viola, or cello may be eligible to attend, please contact the director before registering.

Jump To:

Curriculum
Program Specifics
Sample Schedule
Teen Dorm
Non-Suzuki Students
2024 Guest Artist
Important Dates

Young Artist students with violinist William Hagen

Young Artist Curriculum: 

Please visit our Price List for tuition and Teen Dorm info for accommodations and meals. Lunch is included in the Young Artist tuition. Young Artist students have a rigorous class schedule focused around Chamber Music.

  • Chamber Ensemble: Each Young Artist student is assigned a chamber music group which meets for a coaching and guided practice session every day.

  • Studio Class: A group class that focuses on chamber performance skills led by Chamber Coordinator Dr. Adam Cordle.

  • Repertoire Class: An instrument-specific group class where students learn supplementary repertoire together. The focus is on expanding student repertoire. Repertoire selections will be sent out by May 15th, along with Chamber Music.

  • YAP Orchestra: A conductor-less chamber orchestra led by orchestra faculty member Dr. Bruce Walker.

Students will also have the opportunity to participate in the following:

  • Chamber coaching with our Guest Artist.

  • Performances in concerts on Friday.

  • Scheduled practice in the evenings.

  • Attendance at various concerts and recitals, such as the Faculty Recital, Guest Artist Recital, Honors Recital, Informal Recitals, and Fun Night.

  • Students staying in the Teen Dorm will participate in evening events geared toward building friendships and community.

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Making life-long friends
String trio at dress rehearsal.

Young Artist Program Specifics

  • Students must be matriculating into 8th grade and at least 13 years old by September 1st. Students studying instruments other than violin, viola, or cello may be eligible to attend, please contact the director before registering.

  • We highly recommend Young Artist students stay in the Teen Dorm for the best experience. Teen Dorm students spend the entire day together in class, eating meals as a group at the cafeteria, and enjoy evening programming with the Teen Dorm Monitors. Our goal is for every student to feel welcome and have fun!

  • A Placement Video is required for chamber ensemble placement due by April 15th. One or two selections that would demonstrate fast, technical playing as well as slow, lyrical playing. Piano accompaniment is recommended, but not required. Please make sure that the camera is placed far enough away that your whole body is in the shot. Landscape camera placement is required. Only submit the best examples of your playing and only solo performances - no orchestra or chamber performance submissions. Upload your videos here by April 15th.

  • Ensemble and Repertoire Class music will be available beginning May 15.

  • The Young Artists program is open to Suzuki and traditionally trained students.

  • Minimum performance levels for participants are:

    • Violin: La Folia (Book 6)

    • Viola: Concerto in G Major by Telemann (Book 4)

    • Cello: Danse Rustique by Squire (Book 5)

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Young Artist Sample Schedule

Sunday Schedule

4:00PM Check-in
4:30PM
Young Artist / Teen Dorm Student Welcome
5:00PM
Dorm Check-in
5:30PM Dinner
6:30PM Evening Activities

Monday through Thursday Schedule

8:00AM Breakfast
9:00AM Class Period 1: Chamber Coaching
10:00AM Class Period 2: Chamber Guided Rehearsal
11:00AM Class Period 3: YAP Orchestra
12:00AM Lunch Break
1:30PM Daily Concert Hour
2:30PM Class Period 4: Repertoire Class
3:30PM Class Period 5: Studio Class (2 Hours)
5:30PM Dinner

Friday Schedule

9:00AM Class Period 1: Studio Class (2 Hours)
All student classes end at 11AM.
11:00AM Orchestra Concert
12:00PM Lunch Break
1:30PM
Chamber Ensemble Concerts
All YAP concerts end by 3:30PM PDT

Schedule is subject to change.

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Can traditional students join YAP?

Suzuki and traditional students will feel equally welcome in the Young Artist program. The program aims to enrich instrument mastery, focusing more on ensemble playing and is welcome to all students who meet the Program Specifics. Please discuss with your home private teacher to see if your student qualifies for the Young Artist program before applying. If you still aren’t sure, you can always Contact Us for more guidance.

These repertoire lists are common pieces for traditional students listed by their Suzuki Book Level:

2024 Guest Artist • Juliet White-Smith

Juliet White-Smith is an accomplished violist, an engaging and dynamic teacher, and an expert string pedagogue. With performing and professional teaching careers spanning over three and a half decades, she has performed in solo, chamber, and orchestral settings throughout the United States and in Europe, Asia, and Africa. She has performed as a member of the Texas Chamber Orchestra, with the Houston Grand Opera, Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra, and the Rochester Philharmonic. She is regularly engaged as an invited presenter for music organizations around the country and across the globe including as a featured presenter and master class clinician at the American String Teachers Association annual conference, for the 75th Anniversary Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, and as a recitalist and presenter for conferences of the American Viola Society and at International Viola Congresses. She has served as adjudicator for prominent career-advancing competitions including the William Primrose International Viola Competition and the Yellow Spring Chamber Music Competition.

Her views on pedagogy, talent, and effective practice have been featured in The StradStrings Magazine, Journal of the American Viola Society, and American String Teacher. She has appeared in interviews in the Boston Globe and on WBUR Boston. She served as President of the American Viola Society from 2008-2011 and was on the Artist-Faculty at the Brevard Music Festival 2018-23. Her 2009 album Fashionably Late: Juliet White-Smith Debuts! features the premiere recording of Pulitzer Prize winner George Walker’s Viola Sonata (1989) and is available on the Centaur Records label (CRC 2982).

White-Smith is passionate about the health and wellness of musicians. She is a certified yoga instructor (RYT 200) and is also licensure trainee to become a Body Mapping Educator. She also enjoys cycling whether it is on bike paths in Ohio or Colorado or virtually around the globe.

A native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, White-Smith joined the faculty at The Ohio State University School of Music in 2012 having previously held positions at the University of Northern Colorado and Western Michigan University.

White-Smith earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the Eastman School of Music and is a graduate of the University of Houston (MM) and Louisiana State University (BM in violin).

Young Artist Important Dates

Register and submit Placement Video by April 15TH.

Music will be available beginning May 15TH.

Arrival and welcome on Sunday, June 16th at 4:30PM

Classes begin in the morning on Monday, June 17th at 9:00AM.

Final Concerts on Friday, June 21st time TBD.

Before YAP: PREP Program

Our PREP Program is meant for intermediate students who have completed the early Suzuki books and are on their way to becoming Young Artists.

Violin Books 4+
Viola & Cello Books 3+