SSI - UNT Summer String Institute

College & University

First of all, I would like to say that coming into this camp I could not even hold a bow properly. H...owever, thanks to both of my private instructors, Mrs. Lin and Dr. O, I can now say that I play with a much better bow hold and know how to produce a much greater sound with less effort. In addition, I came back home with so many exercises and drills to work on that will help my technique to stay where it needs to be and improve. Not only do the private lessons help, but the master classes are amazing learning tools for both the performers and the watchers. I learned so much from watching them and I feel like just hearing what the professionals had to say made me a better player too (take notes during them so you can remember what they say!). The chamber group coaching is also another unique and impacting part of camp. It teaches students how to listen to each other while playing and develop better ears for pitch and counting. All in all, the teachers and counselors did a magnificent job of dealing with all of us crazy students and they made the environment feel like as if we were at home. Also, the experiences and memories made at this camp are incredible. In these past 2 weeks, I have made some very close friends and we still keep in touch, which is hard to do considering we all live far away from each other. I could not have asked for a better 2 weeks of my summer and I cannot wait to return next year! If I could, I would give this camp a 10/10 rating! Come to UNT SSI camp next summer!!! See More

Review by Amy Rester (high school violinist)

I had the privilege of attending UNT Summer String Ins...titute for both sessions in the summers of 2015 and 2016. I had a wonderful experience! One of the things I really appreciated about this camp is the private lessons. Each student receives 3 45 min private lessons per week with either UNT professors or exceptional guest pedagogues who were invited to be a part of SSI. These allowed me to get individual feedback on my playing which is helping me improve even after the camp is over! Another great aspect of this camp is its focus on chamber music. Each chamber music group (trio, quartet, quintet, etc.) is coached by amazing teachers and chamber musicians. The students are allowed access to the music building, practice building, Recital Hall, and Voertman Hall which are all very nice facilities. Students are expected to practice when not in rehearsals, lessons, or chamber coachings which is anywhere from 2-4hrs of individual practice time per day depending on your schedule. There are masterclasses taught for each instrument by professional musicians each week which really help the students learn even more. There are many performance opportunities throughout the week for orchestra, chamber, and solo pieces. SSI does a good job of encouraging and accommodating as many student performances as possible. Also, a unique feature of this camp is the amount of faculty and guest artist recitals. Most nights, there is some kind of professional performance that the students get to watch. This was great because we were able to see real musicians (including some of our private lesson teachers and chamber coaches) doing the very thing that they were teaching us to do! I have met many friends through this camp, and I am still able to keep in touch with them. The counselors also organized social opportunities (ice cream float party, movie showing, etc.) that let the students get to know each other better. I highly recommend UNT Summer String Institute! See More

What an extraordinary summer program this is for young strings players! Our 13 year old son has now ...attended two summers in a row and it is one of his favorite weeks of the summer. He has the opportunity to study with renowned UNT faculty and play with other young musicians in ensembles and in the orchestra. The concerts speak for themselves -- the students are excellent! The structure of the program is demanding, and only serious students should apply but these kids really have fun too. I loved seeing the comeraderie among the students at the concerts and how supportive they were of each other.

Congratulations to Dr. Olschofka and Dr. Gerling for another outstanding SSI summer! See More