Summer Music Festival

Regular Application Season deadline has passed. See more below on how to apply late for open positions.

These posiitions are CLOSED for 2025:

Assistant Conductor

Audition Information

The regular application season has closed. LATE applications are open until all instruments are filled. LINK to late application below.

Interested applicants should be advanced, pre-professional musicians. Accepted applicants will range in age from 18 years old (must be 18 by June 6, 2025) to students at the university, master's, and doctoral levels. While most accepted students are pursuing a degree, you do not have to be currently enrolled at a school to apply.

Applicants must complete and submit an online application, application fee, audition video of posted excerpts (varies by instrument), and letter of recommendation to be considered. Pianists are also required to submit a resume and list of repertoire performed.

String players

Include two solo works or movements of contrasting styles, showing your technique and musicality, preferably from different time periods. Accompaniment is preferred but not required. No excerpts are required.

Assistant Conductor - CLOSED for 2025

Please include a video of any work with either two pianists or an orchestra. Scott Yoo will be administering a score reading exam over Skype. The assistant conductor applicant should be in front of a piano or have their instrument of choice tuned and ready to perform.

How to Apply

All application materials are submitted via SlideRoom. Prior to clicking the SlideRoom Application link, you will want to be prepared to:

Fill out the application form with your personal details
Provide email contact information for your principal music instructor to request a letter of recommendation
Attach your audition video. If posting a YouTube or Vimeo link, you will need to have a link to a high-quality video, no longer than 12 minutes, that you have uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo as a "public" or "unlisted" video to allow our reviewers to view it. You may also upload a high-quality video directly from your computer or DropBox. Audition materials do NOT need to be performed in one take. You may upload as many as 4 items (up to 250MB each). The total of all materials should not exceed 12 minutes.
Pianist only: attach your Piano Repertoire as a PDF or Word document.
Provide a credit card payment for the non-refundable application fee of $75.

If I am accepted, what should I expect?

All accepted applicants attend on a full scholarship, valued at $3,000. The scholarship includes room, board (lunch and dinner), tuition, and a number of extra-curricular activities such as field trips. A non-refundable application fee of $75/85* must accompany all applications and a $200 non-refundable registration fee is due upon acceptance. Accepted fellows are responsible for their own transportation to and from the festival. $25 of the registration fee will be returned at checkout from the festival if all keys and music are returned.

Cello and Bass Applicants: The Festival will offer a travel grant of $200 to accepted cellists and bassists who are flying and need to buy a seat for their instrument. Payment will be awarded after festival and by sending in receipts of flights showing purchase of additional seat to the Assistant Director.

*Late Applicants: Late applications are accepted (fee increases by $10) until an instrument is filled. Once a instrument is filled, we will post this on the website and any further applications will not be reviewed. Most instruments fill quickly.

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Young Artist Program

New for 2025! The Young Artist Program at Festival Mozaic
San Luis Obispo Music Festival
July 7 – 26, 2025

Scott Yoo, Conductor of the Colorado College Summer Music Festival and Music Director at Festival Mozaic, will select eligible Colorado College Summer Music Festival Fellows to form a string quartet (two violins, one viola, one cello). The young artists will engage in an immersive residency in San Luis Obispo, Calif., performing as a quartet and with artists of Festival Mozaic.

Eligibility

At least one year of prior participation at Colorado College Summer Music Festival.
Completed CC SMF application form for the current year.

Performance Opportunities

Receive coaching at the Colorado College Summer Music Festival, which will continue in San Luis Obispo.
Perform as a string quartet, and also in combination with Festival Mozaic artists in chamber music and orchestral settings.
Exposure to diverse audiences in various performance settings, from intimate salon concerts to large concert halls.
Participate in educational outreach initiatives.
Professional recordings of select performances for portfolio use.

Financial and Logistical Support

Each Mozaic Fellow will be paid an honorarium, on top of any orchestral services performed, per the current American Federation of Musicians Local 308 contract.
Travel to and from San Luis Obispo will be reimbursed.
Meal stipends. Some meals will be provided during festival activities.
Transportation provided to rehearsals, performances, and outreach activities via Festival Mozaic liaison.

To be considered

If you are eligible (previous SMF Fellow) and interested in being a candidate for a Mozaic Fellow position, please inform Ann Van Horn, Assistant Director of the Colorado College Summer Music Festival, at avanhorn@ColoradoCollege.edu or (719) 389-6552.