Academy Biography

Founded in 2014, the Camerata Chicago Academy is an elite chamber orchestra program comprising advanced students. The Academy provides a marvelous opportunity for young musicians to perform in a professional atmosphere with the Camerata Chicago faculty which manifests the educational spirit of Camerata Chicagoís founder and Music Director Drostan Hall. Maestro Hall has thirty years experience training aspiring young musicians. Many of the Academy’s members plan to study music at university and subsequently go on to have professional careers in music.

The Senior Academy Orchestra

The Junior Academy Orchestra

Amelia Piscitelli, violin

Amelia Piscitelli graduated as Salutatorian from Hammond Baptist High School (Schererville, IN) in May 2019. She is currently enrolled as a Music Performance major at Hyles-Anderson College, a Bible college in Crown Point, IN. Amelia has played violin since 2005 and began to study violin seriously with Stephanie Allen in 2008. From 2009-2014 her violin studies continued with Debbie Edwards (Downers Grove Suzuki Strings) followed by Drostan Hall (Hall School of Music) from 2014 to the present.

She joined Camerata Chicago Academy in 2015 and has been Concertmaster since 2017. In December 2016 she performed live on WFMT’s Introductions (Chicago, IL). Since then her professional experience with Camerata Chicago has also included solo opportunities. Her professional solo debut performing the Svendsen Romance in 2016; performing the Bach Double with Mathias Tacke in 2017; soloist for Vivaldi’s Four Seasons in 2017 and 2018; soloist as part of the Wheaton College Artist Series in 2019. DMD Records recently released her first solo recording in July 2019 of the Vivaldi Four Seasons. She is often requested to participate in vocal groups at FBC Hammond as a violinist and vocalist.

2022 Academy Christmas Concert

Academy Orchestra Concert

ACADEMY CHRISTMAS CONCERT
4 PM, DECEMBER 18, 2022
St. John Lutheran Church
WHEATON

The Academy Fall Semester Concert will take place on December 18 and will feature performances of works from C.P.E. Bach, Sibelius, Glazunov and Copland with amazing violin soloists Amelia Piscitelli and Tabitha Rea.

Enjoy an excellent selection of Christmas Carols to celebrate the festive season.

The Academy was featured last year on the 98.7 WFMT radio show Introductions.

Enjoy a delightful afternoon for only $20 a ticket and children can attend for free!

Camerata Chicago Academy Orchestra with soloists Amelia Piscitelli and Tabitha ReaPictured: Concert Master and Soloist Amelia Piscitelli (Top left), and Soloist Tabitha Rea (Bottom left) with the Camerata Chicago Academy Orchestra.

Tabitha Rea will perform a C.P.E. Bach Concerto

Amelia Piscitelli will perform Glanunov

Repertoire

Meditation Glazunov

C. P. E. Bach

Sibelius: Andante Festivo

Copland Hoe down

Selection of Christmas Carols

 

2022 Academy Spring Concert

Camerata Chicago Academy

ACADEMY SPRING CONCERT
Concerto at the Double

7 PM, MAY 9, 2022
St. John Lutheran Church, WHEATON

The Academy Spring Concert is entitled “Concerto at the Double” and will feature concertos for two instruments! With performances from both the Senior and Junior Academy Orchestras, there will be seven young soloists.

In a celebration of the baroque double concerto the Senior Academy performs three of the most famous – the Bach Double Violin Concerto, the Concerto for Two Violins and the Concerto for two Celli by Vivaldi! The Junior Academy will perform the first movement of the Violin Concerto in A Minor by Vivaldi and the famous Air from the Orchestral Suite No. 3 by Bach with a selection of other movements.

Soloists: (clockwise) Tabitha Rea, Abby Edwards, Ian Dalmas, Aleksia Nenadovich, Wren Page, Charlotte Ries, Audrianna Hall.

Full Repertoire

Senior Academy Orchestra

Bach Double Violin Concerto – Tabitha Rea and Abby Edwards
Concerto for Two Violins by Vivaldi – Ian Dalmas and Audrianna Hall
Concerto for Two Celli by Vivaldi – Charlotte Ries and Wren Page
Pavanne by Faure
Troika by Prokofiev

Junior Academy Orchestra

Vivaldi A Minor Violin Concerto Movt 1 – Aleksia Nenadovich
Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major by Bach – Selected Movements
– Air
– Gavotte No 1 No 2
– Bourree

Concert Master Amelia Piscitelli (Top left), Senior Academy Orchestra (Top right), Junior Academy Orchestra (Bottom)

The Academy was featured last year on the 98.7 WFMT radio show Introductions.

 

2021 Academy Fall Semester Concert

ACADEMY CONCERT
6 PM, DECEMBER 3, 2021
St. John Lutheran Church, WHEATON

The Academy Fall Semester Concert will take place on December 3 and will feature performances from both the Senior and Junior Academy Orchestras.

You will be delighted by Schubert’s Konzertstück for Violin and Orchestra performed by Concert Master Amelia Piscitelli, Fantasia on Green Sleeves by Ralph Vaughan Williams and the Peer Gynt Suite by Edvard Grieg.

Enjoy an excellent selection of Christmas Carols performed by the Junior Academy, who will also play Gabriel’s Oboe by Morricone from the motion picture The Mission performed by violinist Audrianna Hall.

The Academy was featured earlier this year on the 98.7 WFMT radio show Introductions.

Concert Master and Soloist Amelia Piscitelli (Top left), Senior Academy Orchestra (Top right), Junior Academy Orchestra (Bottom)

 

Full Repertoire

Senior Academy Orchestra

Konzertstück for Violin and Orchestra by Franz Schubert with violinist and Academy Concert Master Amelia Piscitelli

Fantasia on Green Sleeves by Ralph Vaughan Williams

Peer Gynt Suite by Edvard Grieg

Junior Academy Orchestra

Selection of Christmas Carols

Gabriel’s Oboe by Morricone
From the motion picture The Mission performed by violinist Audrianna Hall.

The Senior and Junior Academy orchestras were professionally recorded on December 18, 2020as part of the Camerata Chicago Academy classroom learning program. This performance was recorded without an audience in place of an end of semester concert.

 

2021 Academy Summer Camp Concert

ACADEMY SUMMER CAMP CONCERT
JULY 31, 2021
Dunham Woods Riding Club, Wayne
Livestream

The Academy Summer Camp Concert will feature baroque concerti and string orchestra classics performed by both the Camerata Chicago Senior and Junior Academy Orchestras.

Students will have enjoyed a summer camp for the previous week at a country estate rehearsing with the Music Director and Academy faculty, as well as participating in a variety of activities.

  • Enjoy a summer afternoon of fabulous music followed by
  • a cocktail reception
  • dinner! More details below.
  • Livestream option available.

Concert

You will be delighted by the Telemann Viola Concerto performed by Academy violist Sylvia Byars.

The Senior Academy Orchestra will also perform the famous St. Paul Suite by Holst and the fabulous Shostakovich Waltz No. 2.

You will enjoy the Corelli Concerto Grosso No 4 in D Major and an arrangement of Borodin’s Polovtsian Dance performed by the Junior Academy Orchestra.

In addition, our Academy Concertmaster Amelia Piscitelli, violist Sylvia Byars, principal cellist Charlotte Ries and pianist Kate Johnston will perform Beethoven’s Piano Quartet in C major, WoO 36 No. 1.

Sylvia Byars, viola and soloist performing the Telemann Viola Concerto

The Senior Academy Orchestra

The Junior Academy Orchestra

Tickets

  • Adult and 16 & Under tickets include the Concert and the post-concert Reception.
  • VIP and VIP 16 & Under tickets include the Concert, Reception and also Dinner.
  • Livestream tickets now available. We will send you a link prior to the concert.

Ordering Tickets: If you would like to attend dinner please order your VIP tickets and choose your menu no later than July 23. 16 & Under dinner consists of chicken tenders and fries.

To choose your menu write to us at the email address you receive at checkout.

Event Program July 31

2:30 pm Doors Open
3:00 pm Concert
4:30 pm Cocktail Hour
5:30 pm Dinner

Dinner Menu

Once you have booked your tickets please let us know your menu choices for each person attending by July 23.

Chicken Piccata
Angel Hair, Grilled Asparagus, Capers, Lemon Butter Sauce

Grilled Flank Steak
Roasted Cremini Mushrooms, Grilled Broccoli, Chimichurri Sauce

Vegetarian Fondue
Asparagus, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Peppers, Goat Cheese & Béchamel Sauce

Kids Chicken Tenders
Served with French Fries

All Entrées come with House or Caesar Salad.
Wine Pour included with Dinner (House Chardonnay & House Cabernet)
Soda, Tea, Coffee are included.

Meals will be served family style at table.

Sylvia Byars, viola

Sylvia Byars is fourteen years old and is educated at Veritas Scholars Academy. She began violin lessons when she was very young and at about the age of twelve she switched to the viola and today’s concert performance marks her official debut as a soloist with the Telemann Viola Concerto. Sylvia studies the viola privately with Drostan Hall and joined the Camerata Chicago Academy Chamber Orchestra in 2018. She is now the Principal Violist of the senior ensemble. Sylvia is an enthusiastic member of the Wayne DuPage Hunt Pony Club and regularly participates in horse competitions and activities.

Concert Venue: Dunham Woods Riding Club

DUNHAM WOODS RIDING CLUB, WAYNE

33w333 Army Trail Road
Wayne, IL 60184

The July 31 Summer Camp Concert at 3 p.m. takes place at the Dunham Woods Riding Club set in beautiful grounds in Wayne. The lawn looks onto a patio at Corky’s next to the club. Concert tickets holders are invited to the Champagne Reception at 4:30pm. Those attending dinner will be served at 5:30pm.

Visit the Dunham Woods Riding Club website.

2021 Academy Spring Semester Concert

ACADEMY SPRING CONCERT
MAY 14, 2021
6 PM – LIVESTREAM

The Academy Spring Concert will take place on May 14 and will feature performances from both the Senior and Junior Academy Orchestras.

You will be delighted by Rossini’s Barber of Seville Overture, the Capuzzi Double Bass Concerto performed by Lawrence Hall and the Danse Macabre by Saint-Saëns.

Enjoy Pachelbel’s Canon and the Arrival of the Queen of Sheba by Handel performed by the Junior Academy. They will also entertain you with the Pavane by Fauré and a Rondeau by Mauret.

The Academy was recently featured on the 98.7 WFMT radio show Introductions.

The Senior Academy Orchestra

The Junior Academy Orchestra

Founded in 2014, the Camerata Chicago Academy is an elite chamber orchestra program comprising advanced students. The Academy provides a marvelous opportunity for young musicians to perform in a professional atmosphere with the Camerata Chicago faculty which manifests the educational spirit of Camerata Chicagoís founder and Music Director Drostan Hall. Maestro Hall has thirty years experience training aspiring young musicians. Many of the Academy’s members plan to study music at university and subsequently go on to have professional careers in music.

Lawrence Hall, Double Bass

Capuzzi Double Bass Concerto

Double Bass soloist Lawrence Hall (17) is a Junior at Clapham School in Wheaton. He began playing the double bass at the age of nine when Jeanne Johannesen, the orchestra teacher at Washington School, introduced the instrument to him. Lawrence has been a member of the Camerata Chicago Academy since 2017 and plans to major in music at college. In addition to the bass he enjoys improvising at the piano, composing and attending Lyric Opera!

Full Repertoire

Senior Academy Orchestra

Saint-Saëns Danse Macabre
Rossini Overture to the Barber of Seville
Capuzzi Concerto for Double Bass

Junior Academy Orchestra

Pachelbel Canon
Fauré Pavane
Mauret Rondeau
Handel Arrival of the Queen of Sheba

The Senior and Junior Academy orchestras were professionally recorded on December 18 as part of the Camerata Chicago Academy classroom learning program. This performance was recorded without an audience in place of an end of semester concert.