We are pleased to invite you to apply for MYSO’s Chamber Ensemble Program. Each year, MYSO supports motivated students by providing professional coaching and performance opportunities to small ensembles.
We hope you will consider applying for this exceptional opportunity!
Why study chamber music?
Chamber music is often described as the ultimate form of musical teamwork. Without a conductor, every musician has an equal voice, learning to listen more deeply, communicate through music, and make artistic decisions together. Working closely with talented peers and a professional coach helps develop confidence, independence, leadership, and artistry while strengthening every aspect of your musicianship. If your goal is to become the best musician you can be, there is no substitute for the experience of chamber music.
how it works
MYSO will place students in groups based on instrumentation needs and musicians’ ages, musical expertise, and experience. The program supports a variety of ensemble configurations; we are especially interested in organizing string quartets, and brass and woodwind quartets and quintets. Other instrumental configurations are also possible.
Then MYSO hires professional coaches (who come from the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra, Frankly Music, MYSO staff, and other professional groups) to work with your ensemble. Weekly rehearsals are scheduled when group members and their coach are available.
Each ensemble receives a performance opportunity. Selected ensembles may also be invited to play additional performances or in master classes.
commitment
Participation will require time and effort, but the musical rewards are well worth it. It is important that all members of the ensemble are willing to learn their music outside of rehearsal, and students and families may need to maintain a degree of flexibility to find rehearsal time that works for all group members.
The program is student and parent-driven, with groups making their own arrangements, communicating with the coach, and setting up their rehearsals. Mr. Dan Duffy, MYSO’s Artistic Administrator, serves as the contact point for parents to facilitate the reservation of rehearsal space ay MYAC and other administrative matters.
We request the assistance of parents in coordinating rehearsals. The parent coordinator for each ensemble schedules rehearsals in consultation with the other musicians in the ensemble, their parents, the coach, and Mr. Duffy. If you are willing to fill this adult role, please indicate this below; we will contact you. MYSO appreciates your essential support of this program!
Cost
This program is made affordable to MYSO members at a cost of $310 per cycle. (Financial aid is available.)
APPLY
Apply for the Fall program by Monday, August 24, 2026.
If you wish to organize a specific group of MYSO musicians, please indicate that on the application. Typically, we try to honor these requests when they help to achieve the program’s overall mission.
Please know that while we would like to include all interested students, it may not be possible to do so. Final decisions as to which applicants are selected for the program will be made by MYSO staff based on instrumentation, musicians’ ages, musical expertise, and experience.
PERFORMANCE
Final performances will be held in MYAC’s Youth Arts Hall:
- Sunday, October 25, 2026 (Fall Session)
- Sunday, April 4, 2027 (Winter Session)
Concert times TBA. Please keep 1:00 – 8:00 pm open. When you apply, keep your schedule open for this entire block of time, and mark your calendars now to avoid future conflicts. Further details will be communicated as we get closer to the performance dates.
If you would like to be considered for participation in MYSO’s fall Chamber Ensemble Program, we must receive your completed application by Monday, August 24.
Chamber Ensemble Program Application
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