Sarasota Music Festival

SARASOTA MUSIC FESTIVAL 

May 31 – June 22, 2025  |  Sarasota, Florida

You are invited to audition and participate in the 2025 Sarasota Music Festival, one of classical music’s finest teaching festivals.

Join us at the Sarasota Music Festival in June 2025! SMF is a unique opportunity for 60 pre-professional musicians to work side-by-side with 40 esteemed guest faculty.

Application Information:

• Application Fee: $100
• Total Participation Fee: $1,220
  • Thanks to our generous sponsors, each accepted fellow receives a $9,500 scholarship, allowing for tuition-free participation. The $1,220 fee covers registration, housing, meals, and recording fees. For a full breakdown of our fee structure, please visit our website.

Application Deadlines:

           Instrumental: February 15, 2025, by 11:59 pm EST
           Librarians: February 28, 2025, by 11:59 pm EST

SMF Arrival & Departure Dates:

• Arrival: May 31, 2025
• Departure: June 22, 2025
  • The Sarasota Music Festival provides ground transportation to and from the Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport (SRQ), which is five (5) miles from the Festival headquarters.

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS

Immerse Yourself in Three Weeks of Chamber Music

• Perform alongside esteemed faculty members in the historic Sarasota Opera House for chamber music enthusiasts.
• Choose your own chamber music repertoire to study and perform with colleagues/
• Work on more than six (6) chamber works and five (5) chamber orchestra pieces during the Festival.
• Work closely with SMF faculty during weekly chamber group coachings.
• Create impactful community performance programs at local churches and service organizations throughout Sarasota County.

Dive into Chamber Orchestra

• A highlight for Festival alumni: Participate in Festival Orchestra rehearsals and performances.
• Study new repertoire each week and work with esteemed conductors.
• Perform in the iconic Sarasota Opera House in downtown Sarasota.

Participate in Weekly Masterclasses

• Engage in weekly masterclasses with renowned Festival faculty.
• Attend masterclasses for all instruments to immerse yourself in the knowledge of top practitioners.

Quartet in Residence – Miró Quartet 

• Learn from the Miró Quartet, who will be in residence for one week of the 2025 Festival.
• Quartet members will coach chamber music ensembles.
• Attend performances and a string quartet masterclass with a Q&A session.

Experience Sunny Sarasota

• Stay at a beautiful four-star hotel just a block away from Festival headquarters.
• Explore historic downtown Sarasota, just steps away from your accommodations.
• Visit award-winning local beaches located only miles away from Festival headquarters.
• Enjoy weekly social events organized by the Festival, including a pool party and beach party.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

• What are the age requirements to participate in SMF? 
  • You must be 18 years old by May 30, 2025. There is no upper age limit to participate in the Festival.
  • The average age of fellows at the Festival is about 23. Many SMF fellows are enrolled in college or graduate school during the Festival, but this is not a requirement. We also welcome fellows who are recent graduates or freelancers.

• Does SMF provide application fee assistance?
  • SMF provides a full tuition fellowship for each accepted student equivalent to $9,500. We also supplement the cost of housing and many of the meals. 
  • You can request an application fee waiver directly through the Acceptd platform. Please follow this link to learn more about that process. If you have questions about the fee waiver process, please reach out directly to Acceptd’s Support Team. Acceptd typically takes 24-48 hours to respond to fee waiver inquiries.
  • If you are located outside of the United States, please contact Acceptd's Support Team to determine the appropriate documentation needed to qualify for a fee waiver.

• Can I submit YouTube links for my audition?
  • Yes, SMF accepts YouTube links in place of uploading video files directly to Acceptd.
  • The “Audition Video & Audio” section of the application requires applicants to upload media, so please include the YouTube links on a Word or PDF document for the adjudicators to access your materials.
  • Applicants should make a note of this choice in both the “Application Information” and “Audition Video & Audio” sections.

• Can I submit different audition material than what is outlined in the audition requirements?
  • SMF recommends submitting the repertoire you feel best represents your playing, and applicants are welcome to submit substitutions for the required audition repertoire. In auditioning applicants of equal playing ability, please keep in mind that preference will be given to those who adhere to audition requirements.

• Does SMF allow late arrivals or early departures from the Festival?
  • Due to the short nature of SMF, we expect fellows to attend for the entire three weeks of the Festival. Late arrivals and early departures are not permitted. Please reach out to SMF@sarasotaorchestra.org with additional questions.

For technical questions, please check out our Help Desk for frequently asked questions.