Westmont Academy for Young Artists
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 music program intended for talented music students to improve their instrumental technique and musical artistry through lessons, workshops and chamber music performance. WAYA is founded and offered by Westmont College, a beautiful 111 acre campus located in Montecito, Santa Barbara. Students will be using a number of our campus buildings including the all-Steinway music building. Directed by Dr. Han Kim, Westmont College Head of Strings, this will be the 6th summer of WAYA. With artistic excellence in mind, our teaching faculty consist of acclaimed performers and teachers.
Besides lessons on their primary instrument, students will also learn preparing to perform under pressure, practice techniques, preparation for auditions and colleges. Each student will receive opportunities to perform in front of their peers as well as participate in workshops. Various amounts of merit-based scholarship are available for those students who show musical talent in their auditions. Each student that successfully completes the program will receive an official certificate of achievement from Westmont College.
For all orchestral instruments & 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