Curriculum
The Sewanee Summer Music Festival offers a carefully organized program of study for instrumentalists.
All students are expected to attend the full five-week session. Practice, study, rehearsal, and performance are four essentials to musical development that are carefully balanced at the Music Festival for maximum effect and progress.
Elective Study
Conducting Seminars - Seminars will be presented by Artistic Director James Paul as well as visiting conductors discussing various topics related to the conductor's art as well as working with SSMF students on technical issues. These sessions are also open to the SSMF community. The informal setting and lively discussion provide a wonderful opportunity to interact with guest conductors as well as learning valuable insight into preparation and leadership..
Guest Artist Presentations - Special guest presentations by visiting artists are also available to all students at no extra cost. Presentations include master classes and workshops to lectures on composers and masterworks.
Major Study
Each student enrolled in the SSMF is expected to study one of the orchestral instruments or piano, and to receive private instruction on this instrument with a member of the artistic faculty. The cost of private instruction is included in the tuition fee.
Instrumental
Chamber music is at the heart of the Sewanee experience. The Festival is abuzz with activity at concert time as students prepare to present their works in either Guerry Hall or St. Luke's Chapel or other venues on campus. On Friday evening, the most successful ensembles - as determined and selected by a panel of student adjuducators - play for the public in Guerry Garth, a leafy courtyard adjacent to the college quadrangle, and in Monteagle, TN, a nearby community. All students thus participate in a minimum of five different chamber ensembles during the summer, all of which culminate in actual "on stage" performances. Faculty members coach all ensembles.
Musicianship classes are presented during the Festival and cover a wide range of topics from music history, professional attitude, to instrument maintenance and "audition nerves". All students are encouraged to attend these classes. Presenters include faculty, staff, Guest Conductors, and Visiting Artists.
Orchestral training at Sewanee is an intensive program of rehearsal and study, the focal point of which is performance. All students are required to participate in an orchestra and ensemble as assigned. Assignments are made on the basis of competitive auditions held upon arrival at the Music Festival. The two student orchestras rehearse daily, culminating in the performance of a concert at the end of the week on Sunday afaternoon. Each rehearsal is intended to introduce the student to the real world of orchestra performance, and is conducted in accordance with professional standards. The student orchestras present five full concerts in five weeks. The repertoire is carefully selected to provide the students a chance to perform a high caliber of music that they may not have previously played. Wind, brass, percussion and harp orchestral part assignments are made weekly. The rotating seating in all sections underscores the importance of every student.
All students receive a weekly 45-minute lesson with a faculty member which is included in the tuition. The Music Festival has taken pride in a tradition of a close working relationship between teachers and students. Teacher assignments are made based on a student's request, audition, background, and needs. Requests for specific teachers will be considered and must be made well in advance. Weekly master classes are presented by members of the studio faculty and guest artists and are open to the SSMF community.
Sectionals and private practice contribute to the orchestras' ability to present mature performances of difficult and challenging works. All students attend weekly faculty-led sectional rehearsals for their orchestra section as well as any additional sectionals as needed.
Piano Program
In addition to the weekly lessons, pianists are assigned to weekly chamber music groups whose repertoire ranges from piano duos to chamber orchestral accompaniment to more intimate string and wind combinations. Piano majors will also be assigned to an orchestral part in student orchestras. The program is ideal for highly motivated students seeking time to devote to individual practice. Recital opportunities are available to selected advanced students.
Conducting Seminars
Conducting Seminars will be presented during the Festival allowing SSMF students and community members to meet face-to-face with Artistic Director James Paul as well as distinguished Guest Conductors. Discussions will include ways to develop the skills of young conductors, technical issues, and methods of preparation. These lively sessions often include conducting of ensembles and class instruction addressing baton technique.
Preparation is not required, but helpful for those wishing to work with any ensemble. The class is open to all levels of conductors and to those just interested in the conducting art itself. Repertoire to be discussed will be available to participants for each session.
