Apply

A video recording (5–10 minutes of playing — unedited, please! Piano accompaniment preferred but not required)

A résumé or list of musical experiences (includes current school or employment as applicable, present and previous teachers, experience, important performances, etc)

Preferred repertoire or project ideas (here are some examples: college admittance, audition, recital repertoire, a music festival)

Contact information(Email and phone number)

Three references who will speak to your dedication

A $50 application fee

Applicants will be accepted on a rolling basis from the opening of the application through the closing of the application. This is not an “audition,” per se, but a judgment about how the program can benefit each applicant. There is not a minimum or maximum enrollment, but we will aim for 10-15 participants. The program director will strive to respond to every applicant with collaborative feedback to make sure their project aligns with the program’s mission.

The program is designed to achieve maximum benefit at a reasonable financial investment. Fundraising takes place year round to keep the program affordable and maximize effectiveness. Financial aid is transparently and equitably awarded to every participant, and additional financial aid may be available in cases of hardship and/or merit.

The fees for 2026 are: $1784 ($2084 program fee minus $300 disbursed fundraising funds)

Program deposit (due upon acceptance): $500

November 1, 2025: application opens, rolling admissions begin

April 1, 2026: application closes

April 15, 2026: deadline to accept admission and pay holding deposit

June 1, 2026: balance due

What is the target age of this program? This program is open to any participant 17 and older. It is designed to help each applicant take the next step in their career, be that college or graduate school admission, success at a competition or audition, or just the advancement of a specific skill.

Can I audition with a piece of jazz, non-traditional, atonal, or “new” music? Yes. The virtual portion of the seminar can include instruction from specialized faculty in a participant’s specific focus. The in-person seminar is focused on technical skill development, presentation, community, and audio/visual production (and… having fun!).

Will music.NEXT fix my playing? Hopefully, yes. Well, more specifically, we hope to be able to address any fundamental issues that might be holding back several key areas of your playing. We want to help you understand any underlying problems and why they might have come up, and help make a plan for fixing them either during the seminar, or come up with an action plan for fixing it as efficiently and quickly as possible.

Will music.NEXT help me win an audition or competition? We certainly hope so. Every faculty member at music.NEXT has won an audition or competition themselves, and knows the steps you need to take to do so as well. Usually we can even take some of those steps with you! There is no question that success requires personal initiative and creativity, but our goal is to help cultivate that.

Are there vegan and vegetarian options for meals? Yes! We will work with you to determine diet needs (within the realm of what is possible).