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Director: Judith Morse

• Grades 6-8
• July 27 - 31, 2026
• 1 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Â鶹Íø PRESTO II

PRESTO II Intermediate Summer String Orchestra welcomes intermediate to advanced level violin, viola, cello and bass students who are entering grades 6 through 8 in the fall of 2026. Designed as an Orchestra Ensemble experience, this fun-filled week will provide a perfect opportunity for young string enthusiasts to play music together and make friends with other string players. PRESTO II Intermediate Summer String Orchestra will conclude with a final performance on Friday where the students will showcase what they learned during the week and celebrate their accomplishments with their families and friends. 

Prerequisites 

Participants in PRESTO II Intermediate Summer String Orchestra must be entering Grades 6 through 8 in the fall of 2026. 

Requirements

Students should have a basic knowledge of 3rd position on their instruments and preferably at least two years of private lessons or school instruction on their string instrument. 

A video recording is requested to properly select music that will benefit the level of all of the students participating in the PRESTO II Intermediate Summer String Orchestra. The recording should be no more than 2-3 minutes and should include the student playing a brief sample of a recent piece they have been studying and a scale that they are comfortable playing (2 or 3 octaves).  The video clip should be emailed to conservatory@rider.edu.   

Maximum enrollment: 30

Schedule

Drop-off for PRESTO II Intermediate String Orchestra begins at 12:45 p.m. All of the students should be ready to start rehearsal as a full ensemble at 1 p.m.  At 2 p.m. we will provide an opportunity for the students to learn musicianship and new terminology as it relates to their instruments and the selections that they will be preparing for the final performance. A snack break will be given at 2:30 PM for the students to stretch and socialize and to have a snack to enjoy. Parents should pack a nut-free snack along with water or juice to be enjoyed during this break. 

After the break, the students will break out into sectional rehearsals from 3 p.m.-3:30 p.m. where the coaches will work with them on their music and help them with their parts. From 3:30 p.m.-4:20 p.m. all of the students will rehearse as a full orchestra again, adding the newly-learned musical concepts and terminology to the music.  Parents will pick the children up at 4:30 p.m.  The final performance will be on Friday at 3:45 p.m.  

Location 

PRESTO II Intermediate Summer String Orchestra will be held on the Westminster campus in Princeton.

Tuition

• Fee: $400
• Early Bird Discount (Register by May 15): $375

Tuition includes a Westminster Conservatory t-shirt, music and music folder.

$50 Late Fee will be added to tuition for registrations accepted one week before the start of the program.

A non-refundable deposit of $150 is due with the application. The balance of the fee is due by June 1. Registrations received after May 15 must pay in full. Cancellations after June 1 will receive a refund (less deposit, above) only if another student can be placed from a wait list.