Birch Creek Summer Music Academy

Symphony

Symphony Academy Session

June 29 - July 12, 2025 | Tuition: $2,400

A two-week session for students entering grade seven through graduating grade 12. Tuition includes room and board.
Need-based and merit scholarships are available.

Registration opens December 1.

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Birch Creek’s program is unique in symphony and chamber music education in that it incorporates a student/mentor approach in virtually every aspect of training. Students rehearse and perform alongside their teachers, receiving an abundance of personal attention. In such a nurturing environment, students develop excellent practice habits, rehearsal skills and progress at an amazing rate. Seven public performances of four different orchestral programs are given over the two-week session.

Areas of Study

Repertoire Standard orchestral literature is rehearsed and performed during the two-week session. 2024 repertoire will be posted below when confirmed. Please review application instructions for suggested audition repertoire levels.

Orchestra Rehearsals Two to four hours daily depending on performance schedule and repertoire.

Sectionals One hour of rehearsal by section every day. Students work with experienced faculty preparing the repertoire for general rehearsals.

Chamber Ensembles One hour every day. Students read and rehearse chamber music under the guidance of a coach. The product of these chamber music rehearsals is performed during Prelude Concert (before the Orchestra Concert) and during intermission.

Piano and harp students experience concert performance with a full symphony orchestra, in addition to performing in pre-concert several times a week for solo, duet, accompanying, and chamber music. Working closely together, piano and harp students gain experience with piano & harp repertoire as well as string and piano chamber music. There is also an opportunity for pianists and harpists to participate in the annual concerto competition.

Techniques One hour every day. Classes of like instruments meet once a day for instruction on instrument specific technical and musical aspects.

Seminars Two or three seminars, on topics pertinent to the music profession, are presented to the students every summer. Past topics included preparing for auditions, careers in music and avoiding injuries.

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Symphony Concert Repertoire

2024 Repertoire: Sibelius, "Violin Concerto," Hüe, "Fantasie for Flute and Orchestra,” Cesár Franck, "Symphony in D Minor," Leonard Bernstein, Overture to "Candide," George Gershwin, "Piano Concerto in F," Jodie DeSalvo, Piano Faculty, Verdi, Overture to "La Forza del Destino," Rachmaninoff, "Symphony No. 2 in E Minor," Beethoven, "Symphony No. 6 'Pastorale,'" Vaughan Williams, "The Lark Ascending," Elizabeth York, Violin Faculty, Smetana, “The Moldau,” Delibes, Music from the Ballet "Coppélia"

Nimrod Variation from Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36

Composer: Sir Edward Elgar Conductor: Brian Groner Play length: 3:53

At Birch Creek, students combine with the faculty to form the 80 member Birch Creek Symphony Orchestra. They perform 6 concerts (4 entirely different programs) during their 2-week residency, plus have numerous opportunities to perform in their chamber ensembles.