Montecito Festival is a 10-day international music festival hosted at the beautiful CLU campus with musicians and faculty members from the US, North America, Europe, and Asia, with guest faculty LA Phil, NY Phil, and other renowned institutions.

Members participate in Symphony Orchestra, chamber music, lessons, masteclasses, and tickets to all faculty concerts. Applicants may apply to be selected for Montecito Virtuosi, a conductorless ensemble lead from the concertmaster seat by Alexander Tseitlin tackling some of the most complex chamber orchestra repertoire in music literature. 

A “Junior Festival” program is also available for members that includes chamber music, lessons, and masterclass observations. 

Students have the option of commuting if housed locally, or living on-campus with musicians from across the country and the world.

Schedule

Morning: Orchestra conducted by Alexander Tseitlin with guest conductor Paul Phillips (Stanford).

Afternoon: Chamber group rehearsals, coachings, masterclasses, or private lessons.

Evening: Montecito Virtuosi lead by Alexander Tseitlin

* Students may ask to be place in groups with preferred colleagues or to be place with new musicians.
* Students may also request specific chamber group repertoire or request repertoire to be selected by coaches.
* Auditions for masterclasses are held in the first two days of the festival.

Symphony Repertoire

Serenade no. 1 in D Major op. 9, Robert Fuchs
Coriolan, Op. 62 – Overture, Ludwig Van Beethoven

Virtousi Repertoire

Piano Quintet in G Minor for Chamber Orchestra, Dmitri Shostakovich

* Guest Artist Pianist To Be Announced…

Tuition and Housing

Current and alumni CVYO Virtuosi members are eligible for an automatic tuition scholarship, and are not required to audition for the Montecito Virtuosi (but may be asked to submit a seating placement video). 

Non-CVYO Virtuosi members have access to Festival Orchestra in the morning, lessons and chamber music in the afternoon. Musicians can request to participate in Montecito Virtuosi by audition.

All CVYO members and alumni will have their entrance audition requirements waived.

Strings Tuition (off-campus): $1,800
Strings Tuition (on-campus): $2,500
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are provided for on-campus participants, with ample time to collaborate and spend time with musicians from the United States and abroad. Off-campus residents may dine with festival participants for a nominal fee.

Wind/Brass/Percussion Tuition: Please contact us for tuition information

*Additional financial need and merit scholarship may be available at application

Applicants may be requested to submit a placement video for chamber groups or Virtuosi. If you have been pre-approved for Virtuosi, you are not required to submit a video. You will be assigned a part and seat based on your current seat in Virtuosi, by placement video, or faculty recommendation.