Applications Open to Jacobs School of Music’s Summer String Courses

The courses include professional string quartet studies, a retreat for violin and viola teachers, and the Summer String Academy

The Indiana University (IU) Jacobs School of Music has announced its three major 2025 summer programs for adult string players and teachers aged 18 and for school-aged emerging artists.

Held from June 21–July 19, 2025, IU’s Summer String Academy offers serious young string players aged 12 to 18 an intensive program under the direction of esteemed faculty including Zweig, Brenner, Andrew Braddock, Roeland Jagers, Sarah Kapustin, Kevin Krentz, Haeyoon Shin Krentz, Ching-Yi Lin, Pasha Sabouri, and Megan Yip. 

Formed in 1984 and open to international musicians, the Academy features private lessons, chamber music, masterclasses, performance opportunities, practice time, and the 2025 Indiana University Summer Music Festival. Alumni of the Summer String Academy are now performing and teaching worldwide.

Applications and auditions will be due on February 9, 2025. Registrations will open soon here.

The application form should include a video submission with two contrasting movements or pieces and a letter of recommendation from a teacher. 

Held from June 28–July 19, 2025, the school’s Professional String Quartet Studies program will involve mentorship from the Pacifica Quartet and violist Atar Arad in the areas of quartet performance, career development, plus community engagement and teaching. 

The selected quartets will perform a work of their choice at the end of each week in IU’s Auer Hall, and give one-hour lessons a day for student quartets from the chamber music program of IU’s Summer String Academy. Successful quartets will receive full tuition, and room and board for the duration of the program.

To apply, click here. The deadline for registration and audition submissions is March 1, 2025. 

Lastly, the Retreat for Violin and Viola Teachers from July 7–13, 2025, will involve seminars, from which participants will be able to put skills learned into practice with students during the program. 

The seven principles covered across the week will include Physical principles and set-up; Martele, detache, legato, staccato, ricochet; Shifting; Vibrato; Sequencing of etudes and scales; Sequencing of repertoire; and The path to artistry. 

The Retreat will also incorporate the philosophies of Shinichi Suzuki, Paul Rolland, and Mimi Zweig. This program will be led by Zweig, Brenda Brenner, James Przygocki, and Sherry Sinift. 

Applications will open soon here. The deadline for registrations for the Early Bird Tuition is March 15, 2025. The final registration deadline is April 18, 2025. 

For more information on IU’s summer programs, click here.