Concertmaster Artist Diploma

This course offers the unique opportunity to study with ten Concertmasters from leading European orchestras. Students will meet one Professor per month, deepening their study of the orchestral and solo repertoire, going on to develop the essential qualities to fill the role of concertmaster, thus coming into contact with the best professionals in the international music community.

The course will include extraordinary sessions with Francesca Dego (violinist) and Daniele Rustioni (conductor) and with the conductor John Axelrod, to offer additional study perspectives to students.

Duration: one academic year

Period: from October 22 to July 23, with intensive sessions of 4 days per month

Attendance at all class days is mandatory.

 

Calendar 

Laura Marzadori – Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala
27 – 30 October 2022

Volkhard Steude – Wiener Philarmoniker
15 – 18 November 2022

Andrea Obiso – Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia
12 – 15 December 2022

Lisa Schatzman – Luzerner Sinfonieorchester
23 – 26 January 2023

Roman Simovic – London Symphony Orchestra
5 – 8 February 2023

Hanna Weinmeister – Philharmonia Zürich
6 – 9 March 2023

Vesko Eschkenazy – Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
19 – 22 April 2023

Noah Bendix-Balgley – Berliner Philharmoniker
15 – 18 May 2023

Lorenza Borrani – Chamber Orchestra of Europe
6 – 9 June 2023

Sarah Nemtanu – Orchestre National de France
4 – 7 July 2023

The course is open to Italian and foreign citizens.

Age limit: 35 years

Level of training: Master’s Degree in violin

Language: English

Application deadline: 23:59 CET on September 2, 2022.

Applications submitted after the deadline won’t be accepted.

Application mode: through the “Apply” section of this page. Applications sent by email or transmitted through other channels won’t be accepted.

Required documents:

• copy of a valid identity document
• copy of degree, if in possession (or equivalent certificate)
• curriculum vitae
• receipt of payment of administrative fee

Administrative fee:

A fixed administrative fee of €50.00 by bank transfer (net of any currency and commission charges) is required to finalize the application. Full details on how to proceed with payment can be found in the full application regulations (downloadable below).

The fee is non-refundable.

The admission exam consists of a video audition. The candidate must create a link to a YouTube video, to be included in the application form, specifying in the description the program performed. At this link you can find all the directions for making a video that meets all the requirements.

PROGRAM

Concertos:

• Exposition and Cadence of Mozart’s Concerto No. 4 or 5.
• Exposition of a Romantic Concerto

Required orchestral and solo excerpts:

• Strauss: Don Juan (First page, from the beginning to the 13th bar after C)
• Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade, mvt. II (beginning through A)

Two orchestral excerpts of your choice from:

• Beethoven: Symphony No. 9, mvt. III (mm 99-114)
• Schumann: Symphony No. 2, mvt II (mm 1-54)
• Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker, Overture (last 49 bars, upper staff)
• Verdi: La forza del destino (mm 9 – 43)
• Verdi: Traviata, Prelude from Act III

Two solo passages to choose from:

• Haydn: Symphony No. 6 “Le Matin,” mvt II (mm 18-43)
• Brahms: Symphony No. 1, mvt II (from letter E to the end)
• Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake, Suite No. 4 (from number 26 to the end)
• Strauss: Ein Heldenleben (no. 22 – 32)

Stauffer Academy does not provide for scores; the candidate may choose the relevant edition.

Selection is at the unquestionable discretion of the Faculty and Academic Direction.
Applicants will receive the results of the selections at the e-mail address provided during applications, one month before the start of the course.

The course is entirely free of charge.

However, it should be noted that students are responsible for their own costs relating to travel, accommodation and board in Cremona, as well as other personal expenses.

There is no re-enrollment option for the course.

The candidate may make only one application to choose between Concertmaster Artist Diploma and Stauffer Artist Diploma.

At the end of the studies, a Diploma is issued and, upon the proposal of the Professors, a certificate of merit, if any.

The course may be attended by a limited number of auditors, who will be admitted at the sole discretion of the Professors.

For any information regarding enrollment in the Academy’s study programs, please write to accademia@stauffer.org.