Curriculum

 The Academy is a core program of the Music Institute of Chicago, a national leader in music education for more than 80 years.  The Academy program, for highly gifted string and piano students, is designed to be the primary musical experience in a students’ life.

Accepted students participate in all aspects of the curriculum including private lessons with The Academy artist faculty, chamber music, chamber orchestra, and accelerated theory classes. Pianists additionally study keyboard history, literature and skills, and keyboard improvisation in an intimate group setting.

Components Include

Private Instruction

The heart of an Academy education. Students study with MIC’s renowned artist faculty, the equal of any conservatory in the world.

Chamber Music

Weekly coachings with artist faculty, scheduled rehearsal time,  performance classes, and regular ensemble concerts make up the robust program.

Enrichment

The only program of its kind to offer regular master classes, discussion panels, lectures, and workshops with professional experts and masterful pedagogues who provide the Academy student with a broad view of the world of music.

Chamber Orchestra

Performance opportunities, tours, and a challenging repertoire, in an intimate ensemble, is offered to violinists, violists, cellists and bass students.

Concerto Competition

Strings winners perform with Lake Forest Symphony and the Ars Viva Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Alan Heatherington.

Career Development

Guidance on competitions, auditions, summer programs, and college/conservatory applications is a core part of the program.

Performances

Philanthropic, civic, educational, and outreach opportunities, as well as paid engagements, are provided to Academy students in settings throughout the Chicagoland area.

Music Theory & History

Academy students all study music theory and history at a level appropriate to their level of advancement.

Networking

The Academy offers students ppportunities to connect with peers, alums, teachers, conservatory professors, conductors, and managers.

 The Academy Program

Daily Curriculum - Strings and piano  Ages 10 – 19 (senior year in high school) -  $7500
Classes begin mid-September and run through May

Saturdays 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM

(Select technique and performance classes may run at 8AM and 9AM)

All components of the comprehensive curriculum are mandatory.

Students are expected to be available for the entire day on Saturday; three dress rehearsals will occur on a weeknight and seven concerts will occur on Saturday evenings.

One-hour private lesson (students living closer than 50 miles to the Academy should expect to have their lessons on a day other than Saturday)

One-hour chamber music coaching (weeknight or Saturday)

One-hour chamber music rehearsal

Two-hour chamber orchestra rehearsal

Musicianship class

Piano literature/improvisation/keyboard skills class (pianists only)

Enrichment/Master classes

Other Program Components:

Audition and competition preparation

Performance opportunities

College audition, summer program and career counseling

Concerto competition

Fellowship Program

In 2011, the Music Institute of Chicago announced a Fellowship program designed to recognize and support extraordinarily talented pre-college musicians as they prepare for careers in music.

Audition repertoire is considerably more difficult than the minimum repertoire suggested for an Academy audition.

Chosen from a field of 14 young students who auditioned before a distinguished panel of internationally recognized music educators, six recipients were selected in the inaugural year. The prestigious Fellowships are named for the generous benefactors who have provided full underwriting for the new program. In addition to 95% tuition support, students receive a generous stipend for recording services and accompanist fees.

Academy classes begin mid-September and run through mid-May. Participation in Academy classes, rehearsals, lessons, master classes and performances, as well as attendance at selected concerts, is required. Students are expected to be available for the entire day, and on weekend evenings for concerts and dress rehearsals that occur throughout the year.

Unexcused absences may be grounds for program dismissal. Excused absences include illness or family emergency,  school concerts, competitions, conservatory and college auditions and significant performance opportunities.