More than 20 local high school students with experience playing string instruments will visit Grand Valley State University for the opportunity to learn from and perform with Grand Valley students, faculty and industry professionals during String Leadership Camp.
The camp will take place August 14-16 on the Allendale Campus.
“High school students are generally limited to playing in their school’s orchestra and do not get experience with chamber music,” said Henry Duitman, GVSU Symphony Orchestra director and String Leadership Camp coordinator. “String Leadership Camp equips these students with greater independence in their playing, and builds the confidence which comes from working in a small ensemble.”
A series of recitals, which are all free and open to the public, will take place in conjunction with the camp in the Cook-DeWitt Center.
The award-winning Avalon Quartet will perform August 14 at 1 p.m. The ensemble is currently the quartet-in-residence at Northern Illinois University. The Avalon Quartet has been heard in West Michigan during the Saugatuck Chamber Music Festival and the White Lake Chamber Music Festival.
A collective of Grand Valley music faculty will then perform a recital on August 15 at 1 p.m. Faculty performers will include Paul Swantek (viola), Pablo Mahave-Veglia (cello) and Michael Hovnanian (bass). The ensemble will also be joined by Grand Rapids Symphony violinists James and Megan Crawford.
A final recital featuring the 28 students participating in String Leadership Camp will take place August 16 at 7 p.m. The students will perform in a mixture of trios, quartets and quintets, and will also perform alongside Grand Valley’s Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Duitman.
For more information, contact Duitman at [email protected], or visit gvsu.edu/orchestra.
