Stetson University will host its first International Chamber Music Festival in July 2024, attracting young artists and educators from around the world for master classes, concerts and more.

The two-week summer festival, set for July 13 to 27, will bring middle and high school students to train with Stetson School of Music faculty and educators from Cornell, Harvard and other top universities, including a five-time Latin Grammy Award winner and a seven-time national prize-winning ensemble. 

“As one of the nation’s finest undergraduate-only schools of music, Stetson provides an extraordinary setting for an International Chamber Music Festival,” said Stetson President Christopher F. Roellke, PhD. “Our world-class faculty uphold the highest standards of musical excellence and provide a supportive environment for young artists to realize their passions and dreams.”

During the festival, young artists will participate in lessons, master classes and public performances on the DeLand campus, staying in Stetson’s residence halls and enjoying a day of fun at Walt Disney World. Other concerts will be presented by Stetson faculty and the guest artists.

The festival will become an annual summer event and draw on Stetson’s strong Chamber Music program. Jamie Clark, DMA, Assistant Professor of Cello and Coordinator of Chamber Music at Stetson, is serving as the artistic director of the festival.

“One of the strategic priorities for the university is to take Stetson from a Florida gem to a national treasure,” said Stetson School of Music Dean Washington Garcia, DMA. “This festival builds on that goal by expanding our horizons and letting the world know about our School of Music, which offers unparalleled opportunities for young artists to develop their artistry, technique and professionalism.”

Stetson has launched a new website for the International Chamber Music Festival with registration details and more information about the guest artists and schedule of events. 

The festival builds on Stetson’s tradition of hosting summer camps for talented young musicians. Traditionally, those camps have focused on single instruments, such as clarinet or brass. This is the first time that the School of Music will host a chamber music festival.

“I am thrilled that the festival is chamber-music based, which puts collaboration between the students, faculty and guest artists at the heart,” said Clark, a chamber musician and soloist who has participated in international music festivals in England, Denmark, Spain, Holland, France and South Korea.

Clark shared, “In chamber ensembles, students have full artistic authority over interpretation and performance. They learn to celebrate differences of opinion, cultivate mutual respect, foster a sense of empathy, and work together in service of the music itself. These skills are needed in all areas of human collaboration and will prove invaluable for the young artists who join us at the Stetson International Chamber Music Festival, no matter where their futures take them.”

-Stetson Today