Summer Music Festival: String Institute

The String Institute offers string players the opportunity to learn, rehearse, and perform challenging and fun music for 2 full weeks, guided by expert Conductors and Teaching 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 string 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 Teaching Artist.

Did you know? AFA offers tuition assistance for students who may not be able to afford the full amount; learn more here. Additional tuition discounts will be available for returning students and early bird applications.

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. Check back here for updates about 2025 partnerships.

Applications for the 2025 Summer Music Festival will open February 1st; subscribe to our email list to be reminded! Click Here for details about the application process.

Extended Day Composition Club

String 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.