For ages 12-18 / August 7th-11th, August 14th-19th
Live faculty-student collaboration performance of Paganini Duo by Dr. Sang Yhee (left) & Jizheng Fang (right), Porter Theatre
Westmont Academy for Young Artists is a two-week summer music program intended for talented music students ages 12-18 to improve their instrumental technique and musical artistry through lessons, workshops and chamber music. Directed by Dr. Han Kim, WAYA is founded and offered by Westmont College, a beautiful 111-acre campus with the all-Steinway music building located in Montecito, Santa Barbara. WAYA is thrilled to be part of Westmont’s multi-pronged partnership and collaboration with the Santa Barbara Symphony; focussing on bringing music enrichment to students and the community as a whole.
With artistic excellence in mind, students will work with Westmont College music professors and esteemed teaching artists from the Santa Barbara Symphony. Besides lessons and chamber music coachings on their primary instrument, students will also learn how to perform under pressure, practice efficiently, and prepare for auditions and colleges. Various merit-based and need-based scholarships are available, and students enrolled in the Santa Barbara Symphony’s Youth Ensembles program receive a tuition discount. Each student that successfully completes the program will receive an official certificate of achievement from WAYA.
For strings, winds/brass, piano / Ages 12-18
Lessons/Masterclasses
Chamber Music
Musicianship/Aural skills Workshop
Practice Technique Workshop
College Preparation Workshop
Performance/Audition Preparation Workshop
Student Concert
Chamber Music
Chamber music brings intimacy, democracy and creativity. It's a fun way to interact with other musicians to work in harmony. WAYA is a unique place to experience chamber music in depth, rehearsing everyday and playing for your coaches over the entire week getting lots of feedback and learning to be a soloist within a group.
Students will be placed in chamber groups depending on their instrument and level. All chamber groups will perform in the Student Concert.
Lessons & Masterclasses
Students will receive private lessons, and participate in Masterclasses and group lessons conducted by WAYA faculty and guest artists.
Please click on "Instructors" to see the list of our faculty.
Workshops
Workshops/Lectures
Practicing is one of the most important elements of becoming a successful musician. Learning practice efficiency and productivity would therefore be extremely crucial. Han Kim leads this class covering topics such as smart practice methods, memorization, repetition, time management, and mental practicing.
Performance preparation class focusses on anxiety, psychological preparation, controlling the mind, and conditioning. This is an important class especially because the students perform at the end of the academy and this will help calm their nerves!
Musicianship/Aural Skills
Laura Walter leads a fun class introducing pitch, rhythm, interval, melody in a whole new way involving games, singing, clapping and acting!
Performance Opportunities
Performance opportunities are everywhere whether students are playing for their peers in a Cello Practice Workshop, an instructor in a Violin Masterclass, in an Audition Preparation class, or on stage in one of our concerts. Surrounded by an encouraged setting of passionate students and nurturing instructors, students are constantly in the mix of performing for one another, gaining performance experience and maturing musical artistry.
Our concerts:
Solo & Chamber Music concert TBA
Porter Theatre, Westmont College
WAYA Faculty concert TBA
Deane Chapel, Westmont College
General WAYA schedule:
Monday-Friday:
9:30-10am Check-in/practice
10am-12pm Workshops/Lessons/rehearsals
12-1pm Lunch at Westmont college cafeteria
1:10-2pm Practice
2-2:50 Lessons/Chamber music coaching/rehearsals
3-3:50pm Chamber music coaching/rehearsals
*schedule subject to change
Saturday, August 19 (Concert day)
schedule TBD