Instrumental Artist’s Intensive

IAI Summer Piano

The IA Summer Piano includes incredible opportunities for chamber music, collaborative work, and solo performances, with regular private lessons and coachings throughout the program. This program gives students the chance to focus and vastly improve their technique and performance skills in a rigorous and nurturing environment.

During this two-week piano intensive, students will receive private lessons, performance opportunities in both recital and master class settings, piano ensemble repertoire and coaching, and class discussions on various piano-related topics. The daily schedule will be determined by class needs, your abilities, and your readiness to do the work. You must be self-motivated and prepared to practice individually 3-5 hours daily to master your assignments.

Plan to bring at least four previously learned pieces, including one that is at performance level. You must be playing repertoire with a level of difficulty comparable to any Prelude and Fugue from the Well-Tempered Clavier by J.S. Bach, any sonata by Mozart or Beethoven, or any nocturne, ballade or scherzo by Chopin.

The IAI Summer Chamber Music Program is open to Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass, and Piano and is integrated into both the Piano and Strings tracks. The curriculum will include performance techniques, highlighting on-stage interaction, body language and audience connection, and ensemble sight-reading. Students will work deeply with their coaches to develop the necessary skills to collaborate in a smaller ensemble, and understand the intricacies of rehearsing and performing together in this format.

The Collaborative Artist Program offers student pianists and string players the opportunity to hone their skills as collaborative partners, rehearsing and performing alongside other instrumentalists and receiving coaching specific to this uniquely challenging medium. Students are paired up according to ability and experience, and work individually and collectively with our seasoned piano faculty to understand how to rehearse and perform well with their partners in this more intimate setting. Repertoire varies depending on enrollment, but typically students will tackle sonatas, concertos, and other genres, and perform with instructor approval.

The IAI Summer Piano Program is truly an immersive experience with longer days focused on musical development. This gives students the opportunity to work intently with our distinguished faculty and implement the skills acquired in real time. The schedule is rigorous and fun, and is fosters an experimental, collaborative environment for the students. Students in the program will enjoy our wonderfully curated mix of solo repertoire, collaboration with others, chamber coachings, rehearsals, masterclasses, performances, and individual instruction.

IAI Summer Strings

The IAI Summer Strings program is made up of the IA Summer Chamber Music Program, the IAI Chamber Orchestra, Individual Performances in conjunction with their Collaborative Partners in the Piano Program, and Private Lessons.

The IAI Summer Chamber Music Program is open to Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass, and Piano and is integrated into both the Piano and Strings tracks. The curriculum will include performance techniques, highlighting on-stage interaction, body language and audience connection, and ensemble sight-reading. Students will work deeply with their coaches to develop the necessary skills to collaborate in a smaller ensemble, and understand the intricacies of rehearsing and performing together in this format.

The IAI Chamber Orchestra builds on the chamber music program and is a strings-only ensemble composed of violin, viola, cello, and bass. This group works alongside the Chamber Music Intensive to deepen the collaborative skills that every string player needs to excel in all levels of performance. Students will participate in a multitude of technique-building activities which include up to 2 daily full rehearsals, sectionals, and additional masterclasses in subjects like orchestral repertoire, conducting, and other topics.The first week culminates in a performance which may include the opportunity to perform as a full string ensemble without conductor to highlight and bring together everything that the students have learned in both chamber music and chamber orchestra over the first week. Students may also have the unique opportunity to play alongside seasoned professional orchestra musicians and faculty who will also serve as coaches throughout the week.

All of the artistic components within the IAI Summer Strings program focus on building the essential technical and musical skills specific to violin, viola, cello, and bass, that create a solid foundation for a lifetime of performance, and continue to build on the skills that the students are working on during the school year. The schedule is rigorous and fun, and is also designed to foster an experimental, collaborative environment for the students, with our curated mix of chamber coachings, rehearsals, masterclasses, performances and individual instruction.

This program is truly an immersive intensive with longer days focused on musical development. This gives students the opportunity to work intently with our distinguished faculty and implement the skills acquired in real time.

Summer Repertoire to include:
Serenade for Strings, P. Tchaikovsky
Divertimento in D, W. Mozart
“Summer” from the Four Seasons, A. Vivaldi/
Verano Porteño, A. Piazzolla

Piano: Two solos of your choice that demonstrate interpretative skills in both slow and fast passages. You must be playing repertoire with a level of difficulty comparable to any Prelude and Fugue from the Well-Tempered Clavier by J.S. Bach, any sonata by Mozart or Beethoven, or any nocturne, ballade or scherzo by Chopin.

If you would like to apply to play the continuo part in the Vivaldi, please include a selection from the Baroque piano repertoire (J. S. Bach, D. Scarlatti, etc.) and the continuo excerpt listed below:

Vivaldi: “Summer” from the Four Seasons
(note mvt 1 = pages 1-4, mvt 2 = pages 4/5, mvt 3 = pages 5-9)
I. mm. 1-20, mm. 31-39 at the marked tempos (mm. 1-20, eighth note = 80)
III. 1-38, 53-66 at the marked tempos

Strings: A piece or excerpt from your solo repertoire, not to exceed five minutes. Piano inclusion optional. All Tchaikovsky and Piazzolla excerpts as listed below for your instrument
OPTIONAL Solo Music for Concerto Competition Audition (Violins)

Complete orchestral parts and reference scores available here
All excerpts are from 1st parts, unless otherwise noted

VIOLINS
Tchaikovsky Serenade for Strings
Mvt. 1 – mm. 91-138
Mvt. 2 – mm. 1-51 downbeat; mm. 63-75; mm. 213 to END
Mvt. 3 – mm. 98-107
Mvt. 4 – mm. 44-75; mm. 105-144; mm. 235-272 downbeat

Verano Porteño
mm.119-128

Optional Concerto Competition Repertoire (deadline April 15, 2024)
A. Vivaldi: Summer from the Four Seasons
A. Piazzolla: Verano Porteño

VIOLAS
Tchaikovsky Serenade for Strings
Mvt. 1 – mm. 180-200 (start on 4th beat of m.180)
Mvt. 2 – mm. 42-50, mm. 114-134, mm. 176-181 downbeat
Mvt. 3 – mm. 65-78 downbeat
Mvt. 4 – mm. 108-124; mm. 243-256 downbeat

Verano Porteño
mm. 119-128

‘CELLI
Tchaikovsky Serenade for Strings
Mvt. 1 – mm.17-28 downbeat; mm.53-70; mm. 138-154
Mvt. 2 – mm. 53-73; mm. 90-110
Mvt. 3 – mm. 31-42 downbeat
Mvt. 4 – mm. 108-144; mm. 247-255

Veraño Porteno
mm. 64-79; mm. 121-128

BASSES
Tchaikovsky Serenade for Strings
Mvt. 1 – mm. 146-154; mm. 241-257 downbeat
Mvt. 2 – mm. 92-111; mm. 155-163
Mvt. 3 – mm. 117-137
Mvt. 4 – mm. 144-167; mm. 200-232; mm. 272-290

Veraño Porteno
mm. 116-130

Audition Instructions:
Complete an online Camper application through CampInTouch.

Once you have completed the Camper Application, your application will be reviewed within 5 days by a member of the Enrollment team. At this time, you will be charged the $50 application fee and receive an email with a link to the Submittable audition application for you to submit your audition. Complete the Submittable application and provide an email address for your teacher recommendation form within Submittable.

We use the platform Submittable to receive all auditions for the Summer Program (a universal platform utilized for exhibitions, contests and even university and job applications). It is very easy to use. You will be prompted to set up a free Submittable account with your email. This account can be used for any future open calls you apply to at Idyllwild Arts and beyond!

Acceptance after Feb.15 will be made on a rolling basis, so it’s a good idea to get auditions in early.

We ask that all students submit an audition video, regardless of participation in past programs. The video helps our faculty and staff plan and prepare for group assignments, class schedules, private lesson schedules and much more for the music programs.

Priority Audition Deadline: February 15, 2025
First round evaluation will take place shortly after this date. You will be notified of acceptance as soon as evaluations are complete. Auditions will be reviewed on a rolling basis after February 15. Please allow up to two weeks for a response to allow time for faculty evaluation.

Concerto Audition Deadline: April 15, 2025
Violinists and Pianists who choose to participate in the optional concerto competition must upload a video of their concerto audition materials by April 15, 2025. Results will be shared by June 1, 2025.

Idyllwild Arts cannot provide individual instruments or personal equipment with the exception of pianos/keyboards. Please be sure to bring:

Your personal instrument
Extra strings, rosin, and other necessary accessories for your instrument
Metronome
Blank music staff paper
Pencil
(Hardcopies of music will be provided when you arrive)

Concert dress code is a black top and black bottom with black shoes/socks. Students can mix and match from this list as desired:

Black button-down shirt, blouse, or all black formal shirt (no sleeveless tops)
Black pants, or black skirt (below the knees)
Black dress shoes and socks
No ties, bowties, or suit jackets

Music in all of its various shapes, sounds, and forms has forever been a central force in the life of Kai Potts Smith, beginning with absorbing piano by ear from her mother, singing in choirs, and taking flute lessons in elementary school. And at age 11, she picked up the viola, fell in love, and never looked back.

A native of California and raised in Las Vegas, NV, she swiftly excelled as a violist under the watchful eyes of John Sullivan and was accepted into the Las Vegas Academy of International Studies, Performing and Visual Arts. She then added violin to her studies under Rebecca Sabine and went on to win multiple command performances, international competitions, and began her work performing on stage with iconic mainstream recording artists in Las Vegas at age 15. Since then she has appeared as a violist on multiple albums with artists including Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson, and Celine Dion, had a six year residency with Celine Dion in Las Vegas, and continues to work with musicians such as Lady Gaga and Billie Eilish to this day. She has appeared as soloist and featured artist with orchestras across the US and abroad, including the Cleveland Orchestra, London Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Symphony, Puerto Rico Symphony, New Jersey Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, and the Atlanta Symphony, among others. Mrs. Potts earned her B.M. in Viola and Violin Performance with a minor in Judaic studies from the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati, and a M.M. in Viola Performance and Performance Certificate from the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music.

Daniel Bassin is an active and experienced conductor, composer/improviser, trumpeter and educator. Hailing from Long Island, NY, and with musical roots in New York City, Boston, MA, and Buffalo, NY, Dr. Bassin is excited to begin his tenure as Director of Orchestras at Idyllwild Arts, beginning the 2022-2023 school year. Having previously served in orchestral conducting faculty positions at the State University of New York campuses of the University at Buffalo (UB) and Buffalo State College, Dr. Bassin has also had extensive experience working with choruses.
A passionate advocate of both the music of our time and neglected masterworks, Dr. Daniel Bassin has world-premiered more than 100 new compositions in concert and has presented over 50 rare classics in their regional first hearings. His performances have taken him to 38 countries and 42 American states. Featured numerous times in Buffalo’s ArtVoice Classical Music Notes column, reviewer Jan Jezioro writes Daniel “consistently programs some of the most innovative classical music in Western New York.” He received his initial training in Long Island public schools and at the Juilliard School’s Pre-College, followed by the New England Conservatory (B.M. with Honors in Composition), Bard College (M.F.A. in Orchestral Conducting), and in the spring of 2014 he was awarded the Ph.D. in Composition from the University at Buffalo.

Pianist Douglas Ashcraft has performed to acclaim in recitals and concerts throughout the United States and in Europe. A winner of prizes in many competitions, he began his formal training as a student of AldoMancinelli. Masters and doctoral degrees followed at the University of Southern California where he worked with pianist John Perry. During those summers he participated in classes at the Aspen Music Festival and the Holland Music Sessions in Alkmaar, Netherlands as a student of pianists John O’Conor, Marie Francoise Bucquet, and Gyorgy Sandor. As a result of his participation in the Holland Music Sessions he was invited to perform in a recital at Amsterdam’s famed Concertgebouw.

In addition to his solo work Douglas Ashcraft is an active chamber musician and has performed in recitals at Carnegie Recital Hall, AliceTully Hall, London’s Wigmore Hall, and Jacqueline Du Pre Hall at Oxford University in England. Dr. Ashcraft’s performing career has included radio broadcasts on NewYork’s WQXR and live chamber music recitals on KKGO, KMZT and KUSC in Los Angeles, and BBC Radio 3 in London.

Dr. Jeanette Louise Yaryan has been a Classical pianist since age three, having won numerous awards and competitions over the years. An internationally renowned performer and pedagogue, she holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in piano performance, and is currently the Assistant Head of School, and Piano Faculty, at Idyllwild Arts Academy in Idyllwild, CA. She has been an expert faculty member in both the Academy and Summer Program since 2011. Past mentors include Norman Krieger, Katthryn Brown, Dr. Caroline Oltmanns, John Perry, and numerous others. Her teaching and performing career has brought her all over the US and to countries including the UK, Australia, Brazil, Italy, and Malaysia. Both a Classical soloist and chamber musician, Dr. Yaryan also is fluent in Jazz, Musical Theatre, Pop, and Sacred Music, and is particularly known as an avid performer and champion of contemporary music and multidisciplinary performance. Most recently, Jeanette has begun developing concept performances which combine solo piano, her own spoken word, multidisciplinary collaboration, and thematic programming. Her voice is unique, and her fearless commentary on global philosophy and events has caused her to stand out among performers. When Jeanette is not performing, writing, administrating, or teaching, she loves to travel, study new languages, explore new cuisine, and spend time with her cats, Luna, Phoenix, and Kujaku.

Check out our FAQ’s to learn more about summer programs