An International Destination for Cultural Exchange and Musical Excellence, Created for the Next Generation of Classical Musicians

2024 EUROPEAN ORCHESTRA CAMP

The 2024 European Orchestra Camp will expand AFA’s international scope by taking a select group of students to Selles-Sur-Cher, located in France’s Loire Valley, in celebration of AFA’s 5th Anniversary! These students, chosen by audition, will work with one of Europe’s leading conductors, Henry Cheng, to prepare 3 concerts with violinist Simon Zhu. Winner of the 2023 Paganini Competition and numerous other top prizes, Simon Zhu will continue AFA’s calling to find the best emerging talents to lead our young artists. This camp will take place July 8 – July 17, 2024, and interested students may apply here.

Click here for more information

Click here for more information (for Europe-based students)

Cliquez ici pour plus d’informations (pour les étudiants basés en Europe)

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APPLY HERE

(AFA’s Chamber Music Camp and Junior Talent Development Programs will both take one-year breaks in 2024, but we look forward to hosting you in 2025!)

Simon Zhu
Château Selles-Sur-Cher

WHAT DOES ATLANTA FESTIVAL ACADEMY OFFER?

Atlanta Festival Academy gathers young musicians from around the globe to learn from world-class instructors and artists, perform awe-inspiring music, and most importantly, develop lifelong friendships based upon the creation of art together and the exchange of cultural knowledge.

Current Atlanta Festival Academy programs include:

  • Fifth Anniversary String Quartet Competition
  • Fifth Anniversary European Orchestra Camp
  • 2 Summer Camps
  • 3 Youth Orchestras
  • Master Class Series
We invite you to discover how AFA’s many programs inspire musicians and music-lovers alike!

ATLANTA FESTIVAL YOUTH ORCHESTRAS

Atlanta Festival Academy offers three youth orchestras that meet during the school year, all of which give friends made in AFA’s summer programs the chance to continue performing music together all year long!

The Atlanta Festival Chamber Orchestra is an ensemble that lets string players in middle school and high school explore the rich and challenging literature of the string orchestra repertoire. Atlanta Festival Chamber Orchestra’s performances go beyond the concert stage to include the Georgia State Capitol and exciting Lunar New Year festivities!

 The Atlanta Festival Junior Orchestra gives string players in elementary school and middle school an amazing opportunity to play in a high-quality, large ensemble from a young age. Designed for students who may not even have a school orchestra yet, the Junior Orchestra provides a fun environment to begin learning from a conductor while playing with a variety of instruments.

The Atlanta Festival Virtuosi offers high-level string players the opportunity to perform fantastic string ensemble repertoire full of lush melodies and vigorous technical passages. 

Auditions for Atlanta Festival Youth Orchestra’s 2023-2024 seasons are held on a rolling basis. We eagerly welcome interested young musicians to reach out, especially as we prepare for our Spring 2024 concert cycle!

APPLY NOW TO AUDITION!

News and Updates!

Atlanta Festival Youth Orchestras’ Spring Concert!

Come hear all 3 Atlanta Festival Youth Orchestras perform together for the first time ever on Saturday, April 13 at 4pm!

Our Chamber Orchestra includes young musicians just beginning their orchestral journeys, while the Virtuosi features some of the most musically gifted students in the Southeast.

And our Symphony Orchestra will spotlight cellist Nile Solomon playing Saint-Saens’s thrilling Cello Concerto No. 1 and violinist Didi Stone performing Wienawski’s stunning showpiece Scherzo-Tarantella!

Don’t miss out on this amazing concert that is FREE and open to the public. We’ll see you Saturday, April 13, 4pm, in the Northview High School Auditorium!

Pictures and Videos from 2023 Camps and Finale Concert

A wide variety of pictures from Atlanta Festival Academy’s 2023 Chamber Music Camp and Finale Concert with Nancy Zhou can be viewed here.

YouTube video playlists for AFA’s 2023 Student Chamber Group Recital and Finale Concert can be seen here.

Funding for this program is provided by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners.

AFA VIDEOS!

To watch the amazing individual performances from our fantastic annual Finale concerts and student chamber ensemble recitals please click here.

We would like to thank the following partnerships for making the Atlanta Festival Academy so successful.