Pre-College Percussion

June 21 - 27

Designed for senior high percussionists, this program focuses on strengthening musicianship and technique fundamentals. The schedule includes technique classes, masterclasses, large and small ensembles, and daily seminars. Students will be exposed to a wide range of repertoire and gain perspective on all facets of percussion practice and performance. Participants will also learn orchestral excerpts and receive advice on preparing for college auditions.

Eligibility

For students completing grades 8-12.
Students must be enrolled in private lessons and have experience on timpani and mallet percussion.

Application Materials

Application Form

Tuition

Resident - $750 (tuition, room and board)
Commuter - $550 (tuition and lunch only)

More information on tuition

Pre- College Scholarship

Students who graduate 11th grade in 2020 and who participate in the below pre-college programs during Summer 2020, will be considered for the ISYM Pre-College Scholarship. This scholarship awards $2,000 to the selected students to attend a Music degree program at Illinois starting in the Fall 2020 term. To receive the award students must apply and be admitted to the University of Illinois with any Music degree as the “first choice” major. The Scholarship will be renewed for a total of four years provided the student stays in good academic standing and make progress to the music degree. Other conditions of the scholarship may be included on official scholarship notice sent after the offer of admission.

Auditions

On opening Sunday, Pre-College Percussion pariticipants will have an audition to determine placement in percussion ensembles. Audition/Welcome Letter

Typical Pre-College Percussion Daily Schedule

8:15-9:15 am: Technique/Master Class
9:30-10:30 am: Percussion Ensemble
10:45-11:45: Percussion Ensemble
Noon- 1:00: lunch
1:15- 2:15 pm: World Percussion
2:30- 3:30 pm: Steel Band
3:45-4:45 pm: Electives
5:15 pm: Dinner and evening activities
10:30 pm- lights out

Program Faculty Artists

Ricardo Flores, University of Illinois

Artist, performer, and educator—Percussionist Ricardo Flores has been electrifying audiences for years playing classical percussion, drum set, and world percussion in orchestral, chamber, jazz, pop, Latin and many other musical settings. He joined the faculty at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2000 where he holds the title of Associate Professor on the Percussion Faculty specializing in drum set and Latin percussion and directs the Steel Band / World Percussion Ensemble.

Read more about Professor Flores.

William Moersch, University of Illinois

William Moersch is internationally renowned as a marimba virtuoso, chamber and symphonic percussionist, recording artist, and educator. He has appeared as a soloist with symphonic orchestras and in recital throughout North and South America, Europe, the Far East, and Australia. A regularly featured artist at international percussion festivals, he has performed on more than seventy recordings and is perhaps best known for commissioning over the past thirty-five years much of the prominent modern repertoire for marimba, from composers including Irwin Bazelon, Richard Rodney Bennett, Martin Bresnick, Jacob Druckman, Eric Ewazen, David Lang, Paul Lansky, Libby Larsen, Steven Mackey, Akemi Naito, Roger Reynolds, Gunther Schuller, Joseph Schwantner, John Serry, Andrew Thomas, Alejandro Viñao, James Wood, and Charles Wuorinen. In addition, he was the first marimbist ever to receive a National Endowment for the Arts Solo Recitalist Fellowship and has also been honored by NEA Recording and Consortium Commissioning grants.