Spring Strings Logo

February 23-24, 2024

Deadline: February 12, 2024

The Spring Strings Honors Orchestra is offered at no cost to students who are invited or nominated. To nominate a student to participate, please contact Dr. Karen Becker: kbecker2@unl.edu

 

 


Kirt Mosier

GKSOM Spring Strings Honors Orchestra

String teachers are invited to nominate their high school string students to participated in the thirteenth Annual Honors Spring Strings Festival hosted by the Glenn Korff School of Music at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will take place on February 23-24, 2024 for high school students.

Our guest conductor this year is internationally known string educator, conductor, Suzuki teacher trainer, author, and UNL distinguished alum Dr. Laurie ScottDr. Laurie Scott.

Laurie Scott is Associate Professor of Music and Human Learning at The University of Texas at Austin. Additionally, she serves as the director of The University of Texas String Project and the Musical Lives string program at UT Elementary School. As a university professor she has received both the Teaching Excellence Award from the School of Music and from the College of Fine Arts at The University of Texas at Austin. A former middle and high school orchestra director, she now mentors young professionals toward successful lives as string educators. In every facet of her teaching Dr. Scott serves as an advocate for inclusive and diverse music classrooms, adult music learners, and access to quality music instruction for children in underserved communities. She is a registered Teacher Trainer for the Suzuki Association of the Americas and continues to maintain a private violin studio. Her former students have become exemplary string educators, professional studio and symphony musicians, and passionate arts advocates.

About Spring Strings

The Spring Strings Festival will be held at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Students will work directly with UNL’s award-winning string faculty including violinist and Albany Records recording artist David Neely, Lincoln's Symphony Orchestra Principal Violist Clark Potter, cellist with the Trio Nuovo, and Concordia String Trio Dr. Karen Becker, and EMI and Innova recording artist Dr. Hans Sturm. Students attending the festival will have the opportunity to perform in the Honors String Orchestra and perform in solo masterclasses with the UNL string faculty.

Activities include:

  • Breakout sessions by instrument to include technique tips, repertoire ideas, and masterclasses with the Glenn Korff School of Music's award-winning faculty.
  • Chat about topics including college auditions, creative careers in music, Q&A, and more.
  • Faculty recital
  • String Orchestra rehearsals with Maestro Laurie Scott.
  • Final Honors Spring Strings orchestra performance on Saturday afternoon at 3PM!

Applications/Festival Acceptance

To attend the Spring Strings Festival, students must either be invited or nominated by their private teacher or orchestra conductor. Students must complete the online registration form by the application deadline: February 12, 2024.

Are you interested in majoring or minoring in music? If so, check out the audition requirements for the Glenn Korff School of Music.

Schedule

Tentative Festival Schedule (subject to change)

Friday, February 23, 2024 (also an undergraduate audition day for music majors and minors entering Fall 2024) *
 9 AM Festival Registration - Room 130
9:30 AM Orchestra Rehearsal – Room 130
11 a.m. Audition Day Recital - Room 119
NOON Lunch Break
1 PM Orchestra Rehearsal – WMB 130
3:15 PM Break
3:30 PM Master Classes – Violins (WMB 130), Violas (WMB 104), Celli (WMB 105), Basses (WMB 109)
6:30 PM Faculty Recital – WMB 119
Saturday, February 24, 2024
 9 AM Practice on your own (WMB 3rd floor)
9:30 AM Orchestra Rehearsal – Room 130
11 AM College Talk – Room 130
NOON Lunch Break
1 PM Masterclasses – Violins (WMB 130), Violas (WMB 104), Celli (WMB 105), Basses (WMB 109)
2:15 PM Break
2:30 PM Orchestra rehearsal – Room 130
3:30 PM Orchestra concert - Room 130

Faculty

Questions? Contact Dr. Karen Becker, 234 Westbrook Music Building, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588-0100 kbecker2@unl.edu