1.     What is a “postmark deadline”?

2.     For the audition recording, do my two contrasting pieces have to be entire works or can they be single movements?

3.     May I apply for both a merit-based and a need-based scholarship?

4.     Can my letters of recommendation be sent by email?

5.     If I attended the Festival last year, do I still need to send in an audition recording?

6.     Will the Festival let me know when my application is received?

7.     Will I be sent a letter of acceptance and, if so, when will I receive it?

8.     Who attends the Festival?

9.     How old are most of the participants?

10.   Can the Festival help me with my travel arrangements?

11.   What should I do about a visa application?

12.   When should I arrive at the Festival?

13.   When should I depart from the Festival?

14.   May I arrive early or depart late from the Festival?

15.   May I arrive late or depart early from the Festival?

16.   Where will I be staying?

17.   What is the Westmont College campus like?

18.   What is the weather like in Santa Barbara in July and August?

19.   May I choose my roommate?

20.   Do I need to bring sheets and towels?

21.   How will younger participants be supervised?

22.   Are laundry facilities available?

23.   Will participants have internet access?

24.   What kind of activities will be available?

25.   What if I forget my toothbrush or other personal items?

26.   What if something happens to my instrument?

27.   Do I need instrument insurance?

28.   What should I bring to the Festival?

29.   What kind of performance clothes should I bring?

30.   What chamber music will I play and when can I start working on it?

31.   Do I really have to bring a music stand?

32.   Where can I store my instrument?

33.   What is a"Stretch & Breathe" class, who attends, and what do I need?

34.   May my parents come to hear me perform?

35.   Are parent accommodations available at the Festival?

Q:  What is a “postmark deadline”?
A:  The postmark deadline for applications means that your application materials must be mailed and postmarked by the deadline date.  You are only responsible for sending it by that date.  You do not need to be concerned that it is received by that date.

Q:  For the audition recording, do my two contrasting pieces have to be entire works or can they be single movements?
A:  The audition recording may consist of two contrasting pieces or movements of any length, as long as they are entire movements.  If two movements are used, they should not be from the same work.

Q:  May I apply for both a merit-based and a need-based scholarship?
A:  Yes.  You may apply for both kinds of scholarship at the same time.  Be sure to fulfill the requirements of both scholarships, including application form, recording, letters of recommendation, documentation of income and application fee.

Q:  Can my letters of recommendation be sent by email?
A:  Yes.  Letters of recommendation may be sent by email as long as they are sent directly from the writer of the recommendation.  They can be sent to fsuh@MontecitoMusicFestival.com.

Q:  If I attended the Festival last year, do I still need to send in an audition recording?
A:  Yes.  Besides being used to determine acceptance and scholarship awards, your audition recording helps us place you in an appropriate chamber ensemble.  If you attended the Festival in a previous year, we would like to see how your playing has improved since then.

Q:  Will the Festival let me know when my application is received?
A:  Yes.  You will receive an email approximately 7-10 days after your application is received and processed.  Be sure to check your spam folder as well as your email inbox for communications from the Festival.  For best results, please add fsuh@MontecitoMusicFestival.com to your address book, since most Festival communications will be sent from this address.

Q:  Will I be sent a letter of acceptance and, if so, when will I receive it?
A:  Most applicants will receive the results of their applications around April 5.  This notification will come in the form of an email to the address given on your application form, and no formal letter will be sent by standard mail.  Please let us know if your email address changes, because our primary form of communication with you will be by email.

Q:  Who attends the Festival?
A:  For the 2011 season, 130 participants came from 12 different countries.

Q:  How old are most of the participants?
A:  The Festival is designed for ages 13 and up, and last year’s participants ranged up to age 36.  Seventeen-year-olds represented the largest single age group, but several participants were in their lower teens and many were in their twenties.

Q:  Can the Festival help me with my travel arrangements?
A:  No.  All participants are required to make their own travel arrangements to and from the site of the Festival on the campus of Westmont College, 955 La Paz Road, Santa Barbara, California, USA.  For directions to Westmont College and information about ground transportation from Los Angeles International Airport to Santa Barbara, please visit the Transportation page of the Festival website here.

Q:  What should I do about a visa application?
A:  If you are not a U.S. resident and you do not have a U. S. visa, you must apply for a visa immediately.  The Festival cannot help with the visa process, but some helpful information about obtaining a visa is available, on the Admission page.

Q:  When should I arrive at the Festival?
A:  Please plan to arrive at Westmont College between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Monday, July 16, 2012. The first meal served will be dinner Monday evening.

Q:  When should I depart from the Festival?
A:  The Festival officially concludes after breakfast on Saturday, August, at approximately 9:00 a.m. Participants should leave by 12:00 noon on Saturday August 4, 2012. However, Festival participants may depart from the Festival immediately following the final concert at 10:00 p.m. on Friday, August 3, 2012, if required by their travel itinerary.

Q:  May I arrive early or depart late from the Festival?
A:  You may arrive as early as noon on Monday, July 16, or depart as late as noon on Saturday, August 4, if it is absolutely unavoidable because of travel schedules.  However, there will be an additional charge of $60 per night, and food may not be available on campus for any meals outside of those scheduled as part of the Festival.  Any early arrivals or late departure must be approved in advance (by July14, 2012) by contacting Francis Suh at FSuh@MontecitoMusicFestival.com.

Q:  May I arrive late or depart early from the Festival?
A:  If you intend to participate in the Festival at all, we feel it is important for you to be present for the whole event.  If you will need to miss a significant portion at either the beginning or the end, it might be better to reconsider your participation.  If arriving a few hours late or leaving slightly early is absolutely unavoidable, you must inform the Festival by July 14, 2012, of your arrival/departure time.  No reimbursements will be made for missed portions of the Festival.

Q:  Where will I be staying?
A:  The Festival takes place on the campus of Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California.  All dormitory rooms used by the Festival are designed for either two or three occupants per room and are furnished with a bed, a desk, a chair, a chest of drawers and closet space for each occupant.  Festival participants will be housed primarily in Page Hall, with girls on the second floor and boys on the third floor.  Some of the older participants will be housed in Emerson or Clark Halls (refer to www.Westmont.edu and click on “Visitors” for a campus map).  Public bathrooms with showers are located on each floor.  Roommates will be assigned according to age and gender.

Q:  What is the Westmont College campus like?
A:  Westmont College is located in a beautiful wooded hilly area overlooking Santa Barbara.  Although the distances on campus are not great, participants and visitors should be prepared to walk up and down very steep inclines between buildings and activities on campus.

Q:  What is the weather like in Santa Barbara in July and August?
A:  Santa Barbara has idyllic summer weather with daytime highs in the 70’s and 80’s and lows in the 50’s and 60’s.  Mornings and evenings can feel quite cool, especially with the frequent morning mist and ocean breezes, but afternoons are usually comfortably warm and sunny.

Q:  May I choose my roommate?
A:  Yes.  If there is someone who is also registered for the Festival with whom you would like to share a room, please let us know by July 1, 2012, and we will do our best to accommodate you.  Otherwise, we will assign roommates based on gender and age.

Q:  Do I need to bring sheets and towels?
A:  No.  Each participant will be furnished with sheets, towels, a pillow and a blanket.  There will be an opportunity to exchange soiled linens for clean ones midway through the Festival.  Each participant is responsible to keep track of the linens issued to them and may be charged an additional fee if linens are lost or damaged.  We encourage you to bring your own pillow (if it is important to you) and a mattress pad if you can, but these are optional.  A beach or swim towel may also be useful.

Q:  How will younger participants be supervised?
A:  Resident counselors will be available in all residence areas.  All participants under the age of 18 will be assigned to a chaperone or resident counselor.  The resident counselors will verify that participants are attending the required sessions and using practice times appropriately.  Participants under 18 will not be permitted to leave the Westmont College campus unless they are accompanied by an approved chaperone.

Q:  Are laundry facilities available?
A:  Yes.  Washing machines and dryers are available in the dorm buildings and are operated by a card system.  Laundry cards are available for purchase for $5 in the college student center.

Q:  Will participants have internet access?
A:  Yes.  Westmont College has wireless internet access throughout the campus.  Participants will have access to a computer lab in the college library.

Q:  What kind of activities will be available?
A:  Besides the full schedule of lessons, chamber music coaching sessions, master classes, recitals, concerts, rehearsals and practicing that are part of the Festival itself, swimming, Stretch & Breathe warm-up classes, hiking trails and tennis are all available on the Westmont College campus during individual free time.  Participants may also have the opportunity to take trips to the beach, shop in downtown Santa Barbara, visit the historic Santa Barbara Mission and attend concerts in the Santa Barbara area.

Q:  What if I forget my toothbrush or other personal items?
A:  The Westmont College store has a small selection of personal items for sale.  The campus store accepts cash and credit cards.

Q:  What if something happens to my instrument?
A:  Please notify a Festival faculty or staff member if you have a problem with your instrument.  We can arrange for a qualified instrument repair professional to help with instrument emergencies.

Q:  Do I need instrument insurance?
A:  Yes.  Participants are encouraged to purchase insurance for their instruments to be in effect during the Festival and during any travel to or from the Festival.  The Festival cannot be responsible for damage to instruments.

Q:  What should I bring to the Festival?
A:  Items to bring with you should include but are not limited to:

Instrument and instrument supplies, (strings, rosin, etc.)
Folding or collapsible music stand – VERY IMPORTANT – Music stands will not be provided!
Chamber music repertoire – anything you have played or would like to play
Solo repertoire – anything you are working on or would like to work on
Metronome/tuner, pencil/eraser
Clear tape for taping ensemble music pages together
Comfortable clothing for warm weather
Sweater or jacket for cool evenings and air conditioning
Comfortable shoes for walking and/or hiking
Dressy, modest clothing/shoes for concerts and performances
Swimming attire, sunscreen, sunglasses, sun hat, beach/pool towel
Exercise clothing and optional yoga mat for "Stretch & Breathe" classes
Flashlight
Laundry detergent
Coat hangers
Toiletries and personal care items
Money for laundry, souvenirs and incidental expenses

If you live within driving distance of Santa Barbara, or if you have room in your luggage, feel free to bring a mattress pad and your favorite pillow.

Q:  What kind of performance clothes should I bring?
A:  Although there is no required performance attire, we suggest that everyone bring the following:

For ensembles
For women, either a black skirt (knee length or longer) or pants, along with both a black top and a white top, black shoes, black stockings.
For men, black slacks and both a button-front black shirt and a button-front white shirt, black shoes, black socks.

For solo performances
For women, a dress or nice skirt (knee length or longer) or pants with a nice top of your choice.  Formal wear is not required.
For men, nice slacks and a button-front shirt of any color.

Jeans (even black ones) are not considered appropriate performance clothing.

Q:  What chamber music will I play and when can I start working on it?
A.  Chamber music assignments will be made in advance of the Festival and you will receive information about it at that time.  Be sure to check your email for this information.

 Q:  Do I really have to bring a music stand?
A:  Yes.  Unless you are a pianist, you must bring a folding or collapsible music stand clearly labeled with your name.  Westmont College does not supply music stands and you will need one for your own practice time as well as your chamber ensemble sessions.

Q:  Where can I store my instrument?
A:  Westmont College does not have any instrument lockers or storage facilities.  Your instrument will need to be either locked in your dorm room or with you at all times.  No instruments may be left unattended in practice rooms, common areas, teaching rooms or performance spaces.

Q:  What is a "Stretch & Breathe" class, who attends, and what do I need?
A: Stretch & Breathe classes are half-hour sessions in which you will learn basic exercises for the parts of the body used most in playing musical instruments – the neck, shoulders, arms, wrists, hands, fingers, back and hips during the Festival.  All students are encouraged to attend to help the body stay healthy, relaxed and injury-free.  If you have a yoga mat, you may bring it to the class, though one is not required to attend as most exercises are performed standing.  Plan to wear clothes in which you can stretch and move (for example, sweats and a fitted T-shirt).

Q:  May my parents come to hear me perform?
A:  Yes.  Parents and friends are welcome to come to any of our concerts, recitals and master classes.  Participants are encouraged to invite parents and friends as soon as they know when they will be performing, usually a day or two in advance of the recital.  Our final concert will take place at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, August 5, in Porter Hall on the Westmont College campus.  Although not everyone will get to perform in the final concert, it will be a festive occasion with wonderful music, and everyone is welcome.

Q:  Are parent accommodations available at the Festival?
A:  No.  The Festival cannot accommodate parents for overnight stay.  Parents are welcome to join us for concerts, recitals and master classes, and meals may be available with advance purchase through the Festival.  Parents should make their own arrangements for overnight accommodations at local hotels in the Santa Barbara area. Make reservations early to avoid conflict with local summer events.