Calvin String Summit

Who can attend?

The summit is designed for a limited number of advanced high school and college string students. Applicants must demonstrate proficiency through a live or recorded audition. Violinists, violists and cellists may apply as part of already-formed string quartets or may apply as individuals, to be placed in a quartet by Prof. Reimer as other comparable players become available.

Why should I consider the Calvin String Summit?

Many students are not able to participate in the longer summer camp opportunities to hone their skills and enjoy the comraderie of friends making music—this camp provides those opportunities in a more compact time frame. When was the last time many college students played music together with old friends from Youth Orchestra? This camp provides a chance to re-connect with old friends and make new ones from the area around the playing of music. Some students have succeeded at every opportunity they have faced—at this camp they may find a refreshing challenge from others who have accomplished as much or more, as well as a distinguished faculty of national reputation. Some have a teacher expecting to hear that concerto at their first lesson of the new school year or have an important seating audition coming up—this camp provides the feedback and performance opportunities to be prepared for the first week of school.

Who else will be at the Calvin String Summit?

Advanced high school students including members of the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony, Holland Area Youth Orchestra and the Kalamazoo Junior Symphony.

College students attending West Michigan schools like Calvin College, Hope College, Grand Valley State University and Western Michigan University.

Youth Orchestra alumni studying at prestigious colleges like Indiana University, the Cleveland Institute of Music and the University of Michigan.

Goals of the Calvin String Summit

Quality: The Calvin String Summit is committed to providing the highest level of faculty (composed of internationally—recognized artists in addition to the best performers and teachers in the region) for the most skilled and committed string students in the West Michigan region.

Community: The Calvin String Summit assembles these students into a community of friendship, music-making and support that will enable them to continue growing in their gifts knowing that others appreciate and celebrate their efforts.

Convenience: The Calvin String Summit is committed to being financially attainable and logistically convenient for all its participants. This includes the brief length of the program (one week) and the strategic time in which the camp is held (during the seam between the end of summer activities and the beginning of the school year).

Faith & Music

There is no religious requirement for the Calvin String Summit, although Calvin College is a Christian institution. For students who would like to share their spiritual journey of faith and music, however, there is an optional daily meeting available. At past summits, facilitators included Patrick Kavanaugh (Christian Performing Arts Fellowship), Peter Slowik (director of the Credo Music Camp) and James Buswell (Wheaton College graduate and noted Christian speaker).

Food & Housing

The Calvin String Summit is a day camp, meaning it is assumed that students have their own housing and provide their own meals.

Participants can enjoy Johnny’s Café located conveniently on campus and open daily for lunch. Calvin College is located near Grand Rapid’s bustling 28th Street which has a number food establishments from fast food to fine dining.

Program History

The Calvin String Summit was a dream of Prof. David Reimer, violin professor at Calvin College. In response to a need for a short camp of high quality that both high school and college students could benefit from, Prof. Reimer brought the concept to reality in August of 2008.

The faculty was the signature of the program, including internationally recognized artists along with outstanding regional and local teachers. The 2008 faculty included famous solo violinists James Buswell and Dylana Jenson, highly regarded quartet musicians Annie Fullard (Cavani Quartet) and Richard Young (Vermeer Quartet) and elite orchestra members Elisabeth Adkins (National Symphony) and Joseph Conyers (now with the Philadelphia Orchestra), among others.

There were also outstanding students, including the Founders Quartet of Aaron Tubergen (Holland Area Youth Orchestra/Cleveland Institute of Music), Carrie Hoogland (Grand Rapids Youth Symphony/Indiana University), Phil McMillan (Pennsylvanian studying at Calvin College), and Libby Schnabel (Indiana University).

The first Calvin String Summit included six string quartets and three bassists, who performed the Mahler Adagietto under the direction of Robert Nordling, in addition to quartets from Haydn to Ravel. The 2009 and 2010 Summits continued to grow in quality and quantity, in spite of an economic recession. In 2011, the Summit returned to the Covenant Fine Arts Center after a two-year absence for a multi-million dollar overhaul. The remodeled CFAC featured a brand new Recital Hall that proved to be ideal for chamber music. The 2011 and 2012 String Summits reached the maximum number of participants, with twelve string quartets and six bassists, while maintaining an exceptional faculty that included Philadelphia Orchestra Concertmaster David Kim, Chicago Symphony cellist Brant Taylor and the Enso String Quartet. The Sixth Annual CSS will continue to be sponsored by the Calvin College Music Department and directed by Dr. Reimer.

Calvin College does not discriminate with regard to age, race, color, national origin, gender or disability in any of its educational programs or activities.