Join us for our virtual festival, June 8-July 1, 2021, with great guest artists, masterclasses, workshops and virtual collaborations, including our Composer/Choreographer Workshop with S. Ama Wray and Derek Bermel.

Guest artists include: cellist Seth Parker Woods (University of Chicago), composer Gabriela Lena Frank (Gabriela Lena Frank Creative Arts Academy), violinist Kelly Hall-Tompkins (Music Kitchen), composer/violist Jessica Meyer, violist Ashleigh Gordon (Castle of Our Skins), Aizuri Quartet, violinist David Radzynski (Concertmaster, Israel Philharmonic), hornist Jeff Scott (Imani Winds, Oberlin Conservatory), electroacoustic violist/composer Trevor New, conductor Lina Gonzalez-Granados (Unitas Ensemble), pianist Donna Weng Friedman (Heritage And Harmony), director/designer Karin Fong (Imaginary Forces), composer Derek Bermel (American Composers Orchestra), choreographer S. Ama Wray (UC Irvine), Jonathan Alsberry (Hubbard Street Dance Chicago), dancer/choreographer Darshan Singh Bhuller, social media/marketing consultant Jamie Benson, composer Aaron Jay Kernis, conductor/composer Peter Askim (Next Festival’s Artistic Director), arts attorney Brian Goldstein, and Center for Artistic Activism. Additional artists offering mentorship and project guidance include percussionist Ross Karre (Artistic Director, International Contemporary Ensemble) and Elaine Grogan Luttrull (Minerva Financial Arts).

The festival schedule is organized by themed sections, including Business & Entrepreneurship, Social Justice & Activism, Artistry & Musicality, and Multidisciplinary Collaboration. Events will be held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, with opportunities for performance, collaborations and interaction with our guest artists.

Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and evenings: guest artists, workshops, masterclasses, and virtual collaboration opportunities.
Wednesdays (events for Festival Fellows only): Composer/Choreographer Workshop, with faculty Derek Bermel and S. Ama Wray.

We invite instrumentalists, ages 20-30, on any instrument, to apply. As in 2020, we will not be charging tuition, but relying on the generosity of donors to underwrite the festival expenses. Now accepting applications for a limited number of spots – apply here.

Festival Calendar – June 8-July 1

Click events below to register. Registration for each day enables you to attend any or all of the day’s events. Zoom instructions, including one Zoom meeting link for the day, will be included with your registration confirmation email.

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With Gracious Support From

The ASCAP Foundation Bart Howard Fund   •   The Amphion Foundation   •   The Williamson Foundation • The Heineman Foundation