Enroll by November 15 for New Year's Baroque!
SHAK's Early Music Youth Academy: Baroque style for teens
Welcome, middle and high school string players! Whether you have experience with Baroque performance practice or are trying it out for the first time, we're eager to share it with you. Sign up for our summer or winter workshops and discover additional performing opportunities! In 2026 we toured to the Berkeley Festival of Early Music and performed for a national audience at the Early Music America Summit in Seattle.
January 1-3, 2027: New Year's Baroque
Enroll by November 15!
For 8th-12th grade ADVANCED string players (Younger? Please inquire!)
Join new and returning students for the third-annual January workshop to enjoy Baroque style — where everyone's sound matters! The sparkle, refinement, and momentum of the music come to life with a period bow in your hand. Be sure to read the information about student levels for this workship.
Class schedule: Jan 1 and 2, 10am-4pm
Concluding concert: Sunday 4pm; call time 1pm
Maple Leaf Lutheran Church, 10005 32nd Ave NE, Seattle 98125
Explore the vitality and elegance of chamber-orchestra repertoire from the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Professional basso continuo accompaniment inspires you to take our playing to the next level. Tuition includes use of a Baroque bow. Most students play on their regular modern instruments (workshop pitch is A=440), but gut strings are welcome for those who already use them regularly.
Wondering if this is for you? Read our Early Music Youth Academy FAQs!
Students join in faculty recital tutti piece (Feb 2026)
Levels & Participation
The January workshop is for ADVANCED players of violin, viola, and cello. (The summer workshop is for INTERMEDIATE TO ADVANCED to advanced students.) Please note that these requirements are about foundational musical and ensemble skills and are not necessarily indicated by the student's orchestra placement or what repertoire they study.
Advanced students are experienced chamber musicians who play with expression and a high degree of accuracy. These students know how to lead, follow, sightread, and shape a phrase, Their bow techinique is flexible and well-developed so that they can skillfully and responsively use a variety of articulations and parts of the bow. They play truly in tune. Prior experience of historical performance is welcome but not required.
How to enroll:
Newcomers:
- Please have your teacher carefully read the level requirements above and advise you whether to participate. They should note that all students play together in a single chamber orchestra. Teachers are encouraged to contact us if they have any questions.
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When applying, please provide a recent video of your playing — either a recital video or a casual selfie video from your practice time. Remember that we aren't interested in how advanced your repertoire is, but in the quality of your musical and technical development! If you are extra motivated, you may include a video of the relevant except here:
Violin | Viola | Cello
Continuing students:
- If you've participated in New Year's Baroque before, and/or have been invited to participate, proceed to the registration form below.
- If you haven't been invited, please contact us first to discuss.
Corelli at second-ever Baroque Strings Festival (Aug 2025)