2026 SUMMER STRING FESTIVAL
Hillsdale County School of the Arts, Inc.
15th Summer String Festival
July 27 - August 7, 2026
15th Summer String Festival
July 27 - August 7, 2026
Summer String Festival Information
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Summer String Festival is an intensive strings education program for youth in grades 1-12. Students who already play a string instrument can participate based on their experience level.
Students in elementary school also have the opportunity to begin learning an instrument. |
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Attention String Festival Alumni
(aka Past Participants)!
We have something exciting to share - this year will be our 15th Summer String Festival!!! And to celebrate, we're inviting PAST STRING FESTIVAL PARTICIPANTS back to celebrate! A reception will follow Friday's concert for all attending the concert and any string festival 'alumni' (former string festival participants). Founder Judy Bixler will be present and we hope that some alumni can join us in welcoming her back to Hillsdale!
If you know someone who took part in some of the early string festival, please share this with them and have them get in contact with us! Send us an email or fill out one of the forms on our Contact Page!
If you know someone who took part in some of the early string festival, please share this with them and have them get in contact with us! Send us an email or fill out one of the forms on our Contact Page!
Meet Our Guest Artist -
Phoebe Gelzer-Govatos
Phoebe Gelzer-Govatos, historical and modern violinist, resides in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and performs with a number of orchestras and chamber ensembles throughout the state, including the Ann Arbor, Lansing, and Kalamazoo symphony orchestras. As a historical player, Ms. Gelzer-Govatos is a core member of period instrument ensembles l’Invenzione and Ensemble Affect, and plays frequently with early music groups across the country, as well as coaching high school and college students in historical style and technique. Recent highlights include performances with Early Music Michigan, Tonos del Sur, and Audivi. At home in Ann Arbor, Phoebe maintains a private violin and viola studio, teaches chamber music at the Rudolf Steiner High School, and likes to involve herself in creative endeavors of all kinds.
Thursday, August 6 at 7:00 pm - Guest Artist Recital
Ms. Gelzer-Govatos will perform a Guest Artist recital on Thursday, August 6 with additional artists will perform selections from the era of Bach, Vivaldi and Handel
Friday, August 7 at 7:00 pm - Final Concert
Ms. Gelzer-Govatos will perform with students of the Summer String Festival on the final concert.
Both concerts will be free and open to the public.
Hillsdale County School of the Arts strives to make its Summer String Festival and its public concerts welcoming to all students and patrons regardless of background or ability.
Ms. Gelzer-Govatos will perform a Guest Artist recital on Thursday, August 6 with additional artists will perform selections from the era of Bach, Vivaldi and Handel
Friday, August 7 at 7:00 pm - Final Concert
Ms. Gelzer-Govatos will perform with students of the Summer String Festival on the final concert.
Both concerts will be free and open to the public.
Hillsdale County School of the Arts strives to make its Summer String Festival and its public concerts welcoming to all students and patrons regardless of background or ability.
Apply to the Summer String Festival!!!
Beginning and Young Strings
The Beginning and Young Strings Session is a two week session for grades 1-6. Young Strings are students who already play a string instrument, but have little or no orchestral experience. Beginning Strings are students who have very little or no experience with a stringed instrument.
Intermediate & Advanced Strings
This one week session for intermediate and advanced students offers students a unique opportunity to improve their skills and to work with highly trained instructors and guest artists. String players in 6th-12th grade are eligible to participate. Students must have at least one year of ensemble experience and have note reading skills. Orchestra and small ensemble rehearsals are part of the daily activities, coached by String Festival staff and the guest artist.
Tips for Video Applications
In order to help our HCSA teachers place each student at the level that best fits them, we’ve introduced a video upload as a component of the application.
ALL APPLICANTS (except Beginners): Please send a video of a song or song excerpt (up to approximately 3 minutes) of the student playing a piece they’ve been working on.
Afternoon Session (Intermediate & Advanced Strings only): An excerpt will be given below for you to read and record as well. Please send that video in a separate email to avoid creating attachments that are too large for email.
Use the guide on our FAQ page to help with your application videos. If you have questions, please reach out to us at [email protected]!
ALL APPLICANTS (except Beginners): Please send a video of a song or song excerpt (up to approximately 3 minutes) of the student playing a piece they’ve been working on.
Afternoon Session (Intermediate & Advanced Strings only): An excerpt will be given below for you to read and record as well. Please send that video in a separate email to avoid creating attachments that are too large for email.
Use the guide on our FAQ page to help with your application videos. If you have questions, please reach out to us at [email protected]!
Afternoon Session Video Excerpts
These excerpts are only for students applying to the afternoon (Intermediate & Advanced) session. Excerpt music is below the measures to play for the video.
More Questions about the String Festival?
Visit our String Festival FAQ page!
Visit our String Festival FAQ page!
Previous String Festival Guest Artists
2025 - Laurel Premo, American folk artist
2024 - Violinist Gene Hahn and cellist David Ledoux of ESME
2023 - Hannah Holman, cellist with the New York City Ballet Symphony
2022 - Rick Robinson (aka "Mr. CutTime"), former bassist with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and founder of CutTime Productions (https://cuttime.com/)
2021- Returning Guest Artists Violinist Gene Hahn and cellist Jeremy Crosmer of ESME https://www.facebook.com/esmelivemusic/
(A festival did not take place in 2020)
2019- Csaba Erdélyi, violist formerly with the Philharmonia Orchestra of London
2018 – Karin Loberg Code, hardingfele (Norwegian folk fiddle)
2017 – Violinist Gene Hahn and cellist Jeremy Crosmer of ESME https://www.facebook.com/esmelivemusic/
2016 – Aaron Johnson, string bass
2015 – Rachel Klaus, violinist with Detroit Symphony Orchestra
2014 - Wallce DePue Jr., violinist and fiddler; former concertmaster with the Philly POPS orchestra
2013 - Kimberly Kennedy, violinist and Associate Concertmaster of the Detroit Symphony
2012 – David Alan Harrell, cellist with the Cleveland Orchestra
2011 – James Van Valkenburg, principal violist of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
2024 - Violinist Gene Hahn and cellist David Ledoux of ESME
2023 - Hannah Holman, cellist with the New York City Ballet Symphony
2022 - Rick Robinson (aka "Mr. CutTime"), former bassist with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and founder of CutTime Productions (https://cuttime.com/)
2021- Returning Guest Artists Violinist Gene Hahn and cellist Jeremy Crosmer of ESME https://www.facebook.com/esmelivemusic/
(A festival did not take place in 2020)
2019- Csaba Erdélyi, violist formerly with the Philharmonia Orchestra of London
2018 – Karin Loberg Code, hardingfele (Norwegian folk fiddle)
2017 – Violinist Gene Hahn and cellist Jeremy Crosmer of ESME https://www.facebook.com/esmelivemusic/
2016 – Aaron Johnson, string bass
2015 – Rachel Klaus, violinist with Detroit Symphony Orchestra
2014 - Wallce DePue Jr., violinist and fiddler; former concertmaster with the Philly POPS orchestra
2013 - Kimberly Kennedy, violinist and Associate Concertmaster of the Detroit Symphony
2012 – David Alan Harrell, cellist with the Cleveland Orchestra
2011 – James Van Valkenburg, principal violist of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra