Celebrating our ninth year in 2009, The University of Florida Young Pianists Festival is a unique music festival for pre-college pianists, ages 13 to 18. Over the course of seven days, students will engage in a variety of enriching musical activities, including:

• Public concerts and masterclasses
• Private lessons with faculty:
      Prof. Katerina Zaitseva, Washington, D.C.
      Dr. Nikita Fitenko, Catholic Univeristy of America
      Dr. Kevin Robert Orr, Univeristy of Florida
• Daily music classes
     

What Makes Us Different...

From its inception, the University of Florida Young Pianists Festival has had a mission of providing a small number of gifted students with a high level of personalized instruction. Enrollment is typically limted to sixteen participants, which fosters meaningful teacher-student interaction and avoids the feeling that students are simply a number within a large group. It is our goal for everyone to experience the festival actively, thus every participant performs in a masterclass and on the final concert.

The week’s activities will include a daily schedule of morning music classes and private lessons, afternoon masterclasses, and evening concerts by faculty and guests. Students will receive three private lessons during the course of the week. Practice time will also be built into the schedule. For a welcome diversion, we will travel across campus mid-week to visit some of the University of Florida's most interesting cultural attractions. The festival will conclude with a marathon Saturday concert featuring all participants.

Housing will be in nearby Beatty Towers Dormitory where participants can enjoy swimming and the recreation room during free time. The campus game room and bowling alley is also close by. Students will be under the supervision of adult counselors at all times during the week.

Participants will have the opportunity to purchase embroidered festival shirts, recital CDs and DVDs, and group photos. Also, parents and guests will have the opportunity to accompany their students to the opening and closing meals of the festival. An order form will be mailed prior to the festival.

Please direct all questions to Dr. Kevin Orr (korr@ufl.edu), director of the festival. Email is the preferred means of correspondence.

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