Transforming Young Musicians

Summer study is an essential experience in musical development. In intensive, immersive environments, young musicians are surrounded by new experiences, teachers, and peers, which will hugely impact their futures.

Common Application for Summer Study

Equity Arc has partnered with some of the finest summer programs to develop the Common Application for Summer Study. In this revolutionary initiative, young musicians may apply to any partner programs for which they are eligible through a streamlined application and audition.

Each partner program has committed at least one full-tuition fellowship for a student applying through the Equity Arc Common Application, with additional financial support as resources allow.

Each partner has their own deadlines and serves different age ranges, as noted below. On the application form, each partner is listed as a separate program – once you fill out one application, your answers can be autofilled for any other program for which you are eligible.

Equity Arc covers the application fee for every eligible student. The application is hosted on Acceptd.

Learn more about our Common Application Partners at the Virtual Summer Study Fair on November 20 from 6:30-9pm ET.

Eligibility

To be eligible to use the Common Application, students must identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color). 

Our Partners

Each partner has their own deadlines and serves different age ranges, as noted below. You may apply to each program separately at their application deadlines. The answers you provide in your first application will autofill for each additional application. See Audition Requirements below for details.

PartnerLocationAgesApplication DeadlineAudition Requirements
Boston University Tanglewood InstituteLenox, MA14-201/17/2025List 1 (Winds/Brass/Percussion) List 2 (Strings)
Ascent Cello, Viola & Chamber Music FestivalsHudson OH13-202/1/2025List 2
Brevard Music Center Summer Institute and FestivalNorth Carolina14-292/15/2025List 1 (College Division, ages 18-29) List 2 (High School Division, ages 14-18)
The Chamber Music Intensive at the Cleveland Institute of MusicCleveland, OH14-262/1/2025List 2
Credo Festival OrchestraChicago, IL18-262/10/2025List 1
Green Mountain Chamber Music FestivalVermont14-302/1/2025List 2
Greenwood Music Camp - Senior CampCummington, MA14-182/1/2025List 2
Greenwood Music Camp - Junior CampCummington, MA10-131/15/2025List 2
Heifetz International Music InstituteVirginia8-302/2/2025Individual List
Interlochen Arts CampMichigan8-181/15/2025List 2
Kinhaven Music School - Junior SessionVermont9-134/1/2025List 2
Kinhaven Music School - Senior SessionVermont13-183/1/2025List 2
Kinhaven Music School - Young Artist SeminarVermont18-282/1/2025List 2
Luzerne Music CenterUpstate New York9-183/15/2025List 2
Madeline Island Chamber MusicLa Pointe, WI14-242/10/2025List 2
Meadowmount School of MusicNorthern New York10-301/15/2025Individual List
National Orchestral Institute + FestivalMaryland18-302/4/2025List 1
National Repertory OrchestraColorado18-291/24/2025List 1
National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music InstituteWashington, DC15-201/20/2025List 1
National Youth Orchestra of the United States of AmericaPurchase, NY + Tour16-1912/20/2024List 1
NYO2Purchase, NY + Tour14-1712/20/2024List 1
New England Conservatory Summer Orchestra InstituteBoston, MA13-181/17/2025List 1
New England Music CampSidney, Maine9-18RollingList 2
New England Music Camp - Chamber Music IntensiveSidney, Maine14-194/1/2025List 2
Ravinia Steans Music InstituteHighland Park, IL18-301/15/2025Individual List
Sewanee Summer Music FestivalSewanee, TN14-282/15/2025 (priority)List 2
VIA AcademyVirtual + Miami14-183/1/2025List 2
Sphinx Performance AcademyBoulder, CO11-172/16/2025Individual List
Summer@SFCM Harp ImmersiveSan Francisco, CA12-1904/01/2025List 2

Audition Requirements

Based on the requirements of each program, applicants should submit repertoire from List 1, List 2, or an Individual List. View requirements for each program below.

You may use the same solo repertoire for each list and will be able to upload an additional selection in case any additional minutes are needed.

View our suggested excerpt list.

List 1

Audition requirements:

  • Two contrasting solo works of 3-7 minutes – please note one selection should be the exposition from a standard concerto.
  • Three orchestral excerpts from our suggested excerpt list.

Programs:

  • Boston University Tanglewood Institute (Winds/Brass/Percussion)
  • Brevard Music Center College Division
  • Credo Music
  • National Orchestral Institute + Festival
  • National Repertory Orchestra
  • National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Institute
  • National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO)
  • New England Conservatory Summer Orchestra Institute
  • NYO2

 

List 2

Audition requirements:

  • Contrasting solo materials of 6-20 minutes.
  • If you are also applying to programs from List 1, please ensure that one of your selections is the exposition of a major concerto.

Programs:

  • Ascent Cello, Viola & Chamber Music Festivals
  • Boston University Tanglewood Institute (Strings)
  • Brevard Music Center High School Division
  • The Chamber Music Intensive at the Cleveland Institute of Music
  • Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival
  • Greenwood Music Camp
  • Interlochen Center for the Arts
  • Kinhaven Music School
  • Luzerne Music Center
  • Madeline Island Chamber Music
  • New England Music Camp
  • Sewanee Summer Music Festival
  • Summer@SFCM Harp Immersive
  • VIA Academy

 

Individual Lists

Heifetz International Music Institute

Senior Session 
  • Ages 14-30:
    • Violin
      1. One movement of Bach from the Sonatas and Partitas or the Cello Suites BWV 1001-1012. (Playing the Fugue of BWV 1001 and 1003 or Ciaconna of BWV 1004 is encouraged but not required. The Ciaconna can be either the first Minore section (m. 1 – 128) or the Maggiore and final Minore combined (m. 129 – 248).
      2. One virtuoso work for solo instrument OR with piano accompaniment (some Sonatas can fulfill this requirement)*
      3. One significant Concerto movement
    • Viola:
      1. One movement of Bach from the Sonatas and Partitas or the Cello Suites BWV 1001-1012
      2. One virtuoso work for solo instrument OR with piano accompaniment (some Sonatas can fulfill this requirement)*
      3. One significant Concerto movement
    • Cello:
      1. One movement of Bach from the Sonatas and Partitas or the Cello Suites BWV 1001-1012
      2. One virtuoso work for solo instrument OR with piano accompaniment (some Sonatas can fulfill this requirement)*
      3. One significant Concerto movement
  • ONLY ages 16+:
    • String Scholar Fellowship: All Sr. Div. Requirements + a work reflecting some important part of the applicant’s identity as an artist. This could be a work by a traditional composer who occupies a particularly important part of the applicant’s artistic identity, or might be a work by a lesser-known or less-represented composer that has been important to the applicant’s artistry. As part of this video requirement, please include at the beginning a brief introduction (no more than 2 minutes long) explaining why you selected this piece and how it represents your artistic identity.
    • Chamber Music Fellowship: All Sr. Div. Requirements + a work reflecting some important part of the applicant’s identity as a chamber music artist (note -this may or may not be chamber music). This could be a work by a traditional composer who occupies a particularly important part of the applicant’s artistic identity, or might be a work by a lesser-known or less-represented composer that has been important to the applicant’s artistry. These recordings can include chamber music collaborators, but the applicant does not have to submit a chamber music recording; merely something that shows the applicant’s aptitude related to chamber music. As part of this video requirement, please include at the beginning a brief introduction (no more than 2 minutes long) explaining why you selected this piece and how it represents your artistic identity.

Junior Session 

  • 14 and under (Please note that artists under 10 will be required to live off campus)
    1. One movement of Bach from the Sonatas and Partitas or the Cello Suites BWV 1001-1012. Suzuki transcriptions of Bach works are also accepted.
    2. One virtuoso work for solo instrument OR with piano accompaniment (some Sonatas can fulfill this requirement) OR one significant Concerto movement*

 

Meadowmount School of Music

List 2 repertoire with a minimum of 15 minutes of music included and 3 chamber music excerpts:

Ravinia Steans Institute

  • Violin, viola, and cello applicants only
  •  Be sure to offer selections of contrasting character. No chamber music, concertos, or other works with orchestra will be accepted except as noted. Unaccompanied recordings will not be accepted unless the piece was written to be unaccompanied. 
  • Violin:
    1. Two (2) contrasting movements of a work from the Classical era. Contrasting movements from a concerto by Mozart or Beethoven, preferably performed with orchestra, will be accepted.
    2. Two (2) contrasting movements of a work from the Romantic era. No concerto excerpts will be accepted for this requirement.
    3. A piece of your choice. A movement of a chamber work will be accepted only if you are playing first violin.
  • Viola:
    1. Two (2) contrasting movements of a work from the Classical or Baroque era, or a suitable substitute. Concertos by Stamitz, Telemann, or Hoffmeister will be accepted.
    2. Two (2) contrasting movements of a work from the Romantic era
    3. A piece of your choice
  • Cello:
    1. Two (2) contrasting movements of a work from the Classical era. Movements from a Haydn concerto will be accepted.
    2. Two (2) contrasting movements of a work from the Romantic era
    3. A piece of your choice

Steans offers an additional project opportunity as well: Proposed Recital Program

As part of the 2025 summer, two (2) accepted fellows will be selected to perform on Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts, presented by Classical Music Chicago (CMC). This is a paid performance opportunity, broadcast live to WFMT, Chicagoland’s classical music radio station.

Submit a proposed recital program for a Dame Myra Hess Concert based on the guidelines below.  We highly encourage programs based on a theme of current social relevance (e.g. climate, social justice, etc.)

Programs will be reviewed by RSMI and CMC after fellows are selected for the 2025 RSMI summer program. Note that while the proposed recital program is a required part of your application, the contents will not impact admissions decisions.

Repertoire and Program Guidelines:

  • Include a brief description (3 – 5 sentences) of the recital theme.
  • WFMT asks that artists consider works that are slightly more approachable for radio listeners, avoiding overly atonal music or extreme extended techniques.
  • Program may be up to 40 minutes in length, but may not exceed 40 minutes due to the WFMT broadcast requirements. Please include accurate timings for your proposed pieces.
  • Do not include individual movements of sonatas or unaccompanied works, except those written for solo piano. Collaborative Pianists may propose no more than one (1) solo piano work as part of the proposed program.
  • Consider works by underrepresented composers (women, BIPOC)

Sphinx Performance Academy

3 octave scale in any key, in addition to the List 2 repertoire