Summer Music Festival: String Ensembles Institute

The String Ensembles Institute offers string players the opportunity to learn, rehearse, and perform challenging and fun music for 2 full weeks, guided by expert Faculty Artists. Students from across the Houston area attend, allowing students to meet their peers who love playing a string instrument as much as they do!

Each day begins with music theory, literature, and elective classes that add to students’ musical knowledge. Students then move on to a rotation of rehearsals: string orchestra (there are 4 levels of orchestra in this session) in preparation for a final performance, instrument sectionals to hone the details of the music within their section, and chamber music, which offers young musicians the unparalleled experience of rehearsing and performing in a small ensemble with customized guidance from a dedicated Faculty Artist.

Did you know? AFA offers tuition assistance for students who may not be able to afford the full amount; learn more here. Plus, students who attended the 2023 Summer Music Festival receive a discount of $25.00.

District Transportation Partnerships

Through partnership with AFA, select school district Fine Arts departments in the area will provide bus transportation between a central location in their respective districts and AFA for students enrolled in their districts.  April 1st update: Fort Bend, Humble, Klein, and Lamar Consolidated districts will offer transportation for their students during this session.

Extended Day Composition Club

String Ensembles Institute students also have the opportunity to stay a bit longer each day (until 4:30) and try their hand at writing music in the Extended Day Composition Club. This is great for any student who is curious about how to notate ideas they might have, how melody, harmony, and rhythm work together, and information about how to write for instruments other than their own. This option is an add-on to the regular session, with tuition set at $250.00 (tuition assistance is not applicable for this tuition fee). Enrollment in this option is first-come first-served as students are offered admission in their selected regular session.

Applications for the 2024 Summer Music Festival are open! Start Here.