Academy Master Classes & Enrichment Offerings

Founded in 2006, the Academy Chamber Orchestra is comprised of violin, viola, cello and bass students who rehearse and perform under the baton of Academy Director and Conductor James Setapen. The ensemble toured to Turin, Italy with Orchestra Founder and Conductor Roland Vamos and has been featured at Millennium Park, Ganz Hall at Roosevelt University, and at the Music Institute of Chicago’s 81st Gala where the students performed in tribute to CSO Music Director, Maestro Riccardo Muti. Members of the orchestra perform in competitions, festivals and summer programs across the globe.

The Junior Academy String Orchestra was initially developed as a training program for younger students. The orchestra, under the baton of  Conductor Jim Setapen, ran from 2007 through May 2012. In the fall of 2012, the junior orchestra combined with the senior strings, under the direction of Roland Vamos and Jim Setapen. Here is the list of works the Academy Strings performed during its time.

Academy Strings Repertoire (Complete - 2007 to 2011)

  • Adler, Samuel - Concertino #1
  • Bach, J.C. / Casadesus - Viola Concerto in c minor, first and third movements
  • Bach, J.S.
    • Violin Concerto #1 in a minor
    • Concerto for Two Violins in d minor, first movement
  • Badelt, Klaus - Pirates of the Caribbean medley
  • Bizet - Adagietto from L'Arlesienne Suite #1
  • Bloch - Concerto Grosso #1
  • Boccherini - Minuet from Quintet opus 11, #5
  • Copland
    • Hoedown from Rodeo
    • Red Pony Suite
  • Corigliano, John - Voyage for Strings
  • Davidson, Harold - Concert Square Dance
  • Dowland, John - Come Again, Sweet Love Doth Now Invite
  • Fried, Ben - Rambunctious Rabbit
  • Grainger, Percy - Molly on the Shore
  • Grieg
    • Holberg Suite
    • Peer Gynt Suite #1 - Death of Ase
    • "The Last Spring" from Two Elegiac Melodies
  • Handel - Concerto Grosso, opus 6, #1
  • Hanford, Greg - Uncertainty
  • Haydn
    • Violin Concerto in C Major
    • Violin Concerto in  G Major, first movement
    • Symphony #88, finale (arranged by Merle J. Isaac)
  • Hindemith - Trauermusik
  • Holst - Saint Paul's Suite
  • Jones, Samuel - Elegy for Strings
  • Lauridsen/ arranged by Dackow - O Magnum Mysterium
  • Mendelssohn - Symphony for Strings #10 in b minor
  • Mozart
    • Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, movements one and three
    • Piano Concerto in Eb Major, K. 449, movement three
    • Serenata Notturna
  • Purcell - Chacony for Strings
  • Schumann, arranged by Herbeck/Setapen - Traumerei
  • Sibelius
    • Andante Festivo
    • Romance for Strings
  • Strauss, Johann and Josef - Pizzicato Polka
  • Tartini - Violin Concerto in d minor, first movement
  • Tchaikovsky - Andante Cantabile: versions for string orchestra and for solo cello
  • Vivaldi
    • Concerto for four violins in b minor
    • Winter, first movement from The Four Seasons
  • Walton - Two Pieces from Incidental Music for Henry V
  • Warlock - Capriol Suite

Academy Chamber Orchestra (2007-2011)

  • Bach, J. S. - Brandenburg Concerto #3
  • Barber, Samuel - Adagio for Strings
  • Bartok - Divertimento for Strings
  • Beethoven
    • String Quartet #9 in C Major, opus 59, #3 - finale
    • String Quartet #11 in f minor, opus 95
    • String Quartet #16 in F Major, opus 135
  • Britten - Simple Symphony
  • Copland
    • Clarinet Concerto
    • Hoedown from Rodeo
  • Dvorak - Serenade for Strings
  • Elgar - Serenade for Strings
  • Grieg - Holberg Suite
  • Herbert, Victor - Serenade, opus 12
  • Liszt - Angelus
  • Mahler - Adagietto from Symphony #5
  • McLean, Michael - "Fire" from Elements for Violin and Orchestra
  • Mozart
    • Divertimento in D Major, K. 136
    • Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, K. 525
    • Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola, K. 364
  • Rachmaninoff - Romance and Scherzo
  • Rota, Nino - Concerto for Strings
  • Schoenberg - Transfigured Night
  • Shostakovich
    • Chamber Symphony in c minor, opus 110a
    • String Quartet #1 in C Major, opus 49
  • Stravinsky - Concerto in D for String Orchestra
  • Tchaikovsky - Serenade for Strings
  • Telemann - Sonata a Quattro
  • Turina, Joachin - L'Oracion del Torero (The Bullfighter's Prayer)
  • Vivaldi
    • Concerto for Two Cellos in g minor
    • Concerto for Four Violins in b minor
    • Concerto Grosso, opus 3, #2
    • Spring from The Four Seasons
  • Walker, George - Lyric for Strings
  • Wiren, Dag - Serenade for String Orchestra, opus 11