Eastern Music Festival
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Eastern Music Festival and School, founded in 1962 in Greensboro, North Carolina, is a nationally renowned classical music festival of the performing arts and institute for young musicians that runs for five weeks, from late June through the last week of July. The institute accepts gifted students of ages 14 through 20 at an exclusive enrollment of 200. In 2006, there were over 800 applicants from around the world for the 200 spots. The faculty consists of outstanding musicians selected from leading orchestras and music schools with world-class performing artists serving as both faculty instructors and performers. The principal conductor for the Festival is Gerard Schwarz, who also serves as music director of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra.
The music festival comprises a performing arts series that attracts over 50,000 audience members to a total of 100 events. [1] Participating artists for the 2007 season include Sir James Galway, Hilary Hahn, Sarah Chang, Bruce Hornsby, Dame Evelyn Glennie, Lynn Harrell, Vladimir Feltsman, Julia Fischer, Josh Ritter, Anonymous 4, and Barry Douglas, among others. These renowned artists are accompanied by the Eastern Music Festival Orchestra, which is comprised of faculty members of the school who originate from many of the top music institutions and orchestras around the country.
For music students, the five-week program provides a combination of classroom and performance experiences. A broad curriculum includes playing in an orchestra, individual lessons, master classes, and recitals. Guest artists in residence teach two master classes each week. Students have many performance opportunities in orchestra and chamber concerts, alongside faculty, and in piano recitals.
Alumni of the EMF include many notable musicians from around the country, including Wynton Marsalis, who refers to his studies there as "one of the greatest musical experiences of my life." [2].
