curriculum & Facilities

Students will enjoy three weeks of intense musical training at Westmont College's beautiful campus in Santa Barbara, California, located approximately 95 miles north of Los Angeles.

Please visit our transportation page located here for directions to Westmont College.

Each student will receive two private lessons and two chamber music coachings per week.  If a student is selected to play in their teacher's studio class, that class may count as one of their lessons.  Selected students will also play in master classes and may compete for the opportunity to perform a concerto with a chamber orchestra.  All string players will be placed in chamber ensembles, and the most advanced players will be placed in chamber ensembles alongside faculty members.  Pianists will have the opportunity to choose an all-solo schedule or may request to be considered for placement in a chamber ensemble.

The three weeks students spend at Montecito Summer Music Festival are generally structured into these typical days:

Sample Day 1
7:00 - 8:00 AM: Breakfast
8:15 - 9:00 AM - Exercise (Walk, Running, Meditation, Yoga, etc.)
9:00 - 11:00 AM - Individual Practice
11:00 - 12:30 PM - Private Lesson
12:45 - 2:00 PM - Lunch
2:00 - 4:30 PM - Master Class / Chamber Music Coaching / Guest Lecturers
4:30 - 5:30 PM - Individual Practice / Concert / Master Class
5:30 - 6:45 - Dinner
7:00 - 11:00 - Individual Practice / Concert / Master Class

Sample Day 2
8:15 AM - 4:30 PM - Field Trip / Community Outreach / Miscellaneous Concerts
4:30 - 5:30 PM - Individual Practice
7:00 - 11:00 PM - Individual Practice / Guest Artist / Master Class / Entertainment: Documentaries/Movies pertaining to music.

Participants will have access to practice rooms 24 hours a day. Some practice rooms are equipped with Steinway pianos.

Pianists will have the opportunity to participate in a concerto competition.  Repertoire should be selected from concertos for piano and string orchestra only.

 

 

Students will have the opportunity to relax on the beautiful Westmont campus and are encouraged to participate in healthy activities.

 

Students will enjoy fully furnished dormitories and have full access to amenities including Olympic-sized swimming pools, tennis courts, etc.

 

Master classes and recitals will be held at beautiful locations on campus where students and instructors will exchange musical ideas and knowledge: