Hot Springs Music Festival
The Hot Springs Music Festival is a not-for-profit educational music festival held in Hot Springs, Arkansas. During the first two weeks of June, "pre-professional" musicians join professional mentor musicians in performance of concert music. There are approximately 4 orchestral concerts and numerous chamber music concerts. Venues include the Oaklawn Performing Arts School and various churches in the city. All rehearsals are open to the public.
The Festival staff is Executive Director Suzanne Davidson, Executive Assistant Mara Magdalene, Festival Chorus Director Lynn Payette and Librarian Brittany Osman. Founder Laura S. Rosenberg continues to serve as Operations Manager and Arts Administration Mentor. The Festival Symphony Orchestra is conducted by Peter Bay, who also serves as Music Advisor.
Since its inaugural season in 1996, the Hot Springs Music Festival has mentored more than 1600 apprentices. The Festival offers apprenticeships in each of the orchestral instruments as well as collaborative piano, voice, conducting, production, recording engineering, and arts administration. Festival apprentices come from all over the world and are evaluated competitively against other applicants. Each accepted apprentice receives a full scholarship and housing for the two-week festival.
The Hot Springs Music Festival Symphony Orchestra has recorded six discs on the Naxos Records label. They also appear on four additional compilation discs, also on the Naxos label.
The dates for the 2015 season are 31 May to13 June.