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Academy

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Camerata Chicago Academy

The Camerata Chicago Academy was founded in 2014 and there are two orchestras comprising advanced students.

The Senior Academy Orchestra: Advanced high-school students aged 12 – 18 play as a string orchestra.

The Junior Academy Ensemble: Students aged 8 – 14 playing as a small chamber ensemble.

The Camerata Chicago Academy provides a marvelous opportunity for young musicians to perform in a professional atmosphere under the direction of an internationally known conductor, Drostan Hall, Camerata Chicago’s Music Director, who has 25 years of experience of training aspiring young musicians. The objective of the Academy orchestra is to achieve a very high level of music making to produce a disciplined and professional sound, allowing young musicians to learn to work together.

The Academy has a faculty of staff who coach students in various formats such as on-to-one, quartets, quintets and sectionals.

See Academy Videos

For ten years Maestro Hall conducted the Baroque Festival Orchestra, an accomplished training orchestra for students. Known for its high level, the orchestra garnered two invitations to perform on the WFMT radio show Introductions.

The Academy orchestra is very similar in size and scope to the BFO (see photo below). I invite you to listen to this live broadcast from WFMT’s Introductions of the BFO performing Frolicksome Finale from Benjamin Britten’s Simple Symphony. This broadcast illustrates the experience you will receive in the Camerata Chicago Academy.

Academy Schedule

Senior Academy Orchestra

Dates: 2021 Winter/Spring Semester start date September 13, 2021 and subsequent Mondays
Rehearsal Times: All rehearsals take place on Mondays 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm
Location: St. John Lutheran Church, Wheaton, IL 60187 (location in normal times).

Junior Academy Orchestra

Dates: 2021 Winter/Spring Semester start date September 10, 2021 and subsequent Fridays.
Rehearsal Times: All rehearsals take place on Fridays 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm
Location: Gary Methodist Church, 224 North Main Street, Wheaton, IL 60187 (location in normal times).

Concert Details

The Academy works towards high quality performances each Fall and Spring.

The Fall Semester Concert is at 6 pm on December 3, 2021, see details here.

Instead of a concert for the 2020 fall semester we held professional recording sessions on December 18, 2020 and released the finished videos on this website.

See current concerts on our ticket system. Tickets for Academy concerts are only $20 and concertgoers aged 16 and under are admitted free with a paying adult.

Repertoire: Featured repertoire includes music from the Baroque and classical periods and the string orchestra literature. On occasion, sectional rehearsals will be coached by a member of Camerata Chicago. Additionally, solo opportunities will be given to the most outstanding members of the ensemble and outside guest artists may be invited to solo with the orchestra.

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To audition for the Academy, please contact us here, or call 630-221-5555.

Location

The Camerata Chicago Academy Orchestra is the official
Ensemble in Residence at Gary Methodist Church, Wheaton:

Gary Methodist Church
224 North Main Street
Wheaton, IL60187

Academy Auditions

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Academy Auditions

The Camerata Chicago Academy is currently auditioning for additional members. To set up a consultation audition for your child (aged between 8 and 16) call Music Director Drostan Hall on 630-221-5555 or email us using our contact form.

About the Camerata Chicago Academy

The Camerata Chicago Academy comprises two groups – the Academy Orchestra aged 12 – 17 and the Junior Academy ensemble, aged 8 – 13. They are all very talented young musicians who play at a very high level and have given much joy to audiences over the last few years.

To get a feel for the standard of musicianship and performance listen to these audio recordings from the Senior Academy Orchestra, and see the videos below:

Mozart’s Symphony No. 15 Movt 1 performed on December 7, 2019:

Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 Movt. 1 performed on December 7, 2019:

Student Experience

  • Students come together on Saturday afternoons (Senior Academy) and Friday afternoons (Junior Academy) to rehearse orchestral works in preparation for a concert at the end of each semester (May and December). The rehearsals are an end in themselves. There are also two or more further performance opportunities in March and November.
  • The Camerata Chicago Academy provides a marvelous opportunity for young musicians to perform in a professional atmosphere under the direction of an internationally known conductor, Drostan Hall, Camerata Chicago’s Music Director, who has 25 years of experience of training aspiring young musicians. The objective of the Academy orchestra is to achieve a very high level of music making to produce a disciplined and professional sound, allowing young musicians to learn to work together.
  • Different students at different times are given the opportunity to solo with the orchestra, such as a Bach or Vivaldi concerto, widening their experience of performance.
  • Academy concerts are promoted in much the same way as our professional orchestra with concertgoers paying to attend via our ticketing system.
  • See further information below, along with various videos.

Video Clip: Bach Harpsichord Concerto

Watch this amazing video clip of the Academy Orchestra and superb harpsichordist Kate Johnston performing Movt. 1 from Bach’s Harpsichord Concerto in D Minor recorded on November 17, 2019: (90 Seconds)


Video courtesy of Ariane Hall. Filmed at Gary United Methodist Church, Wheaton.

Video Clip: Mozart Symphony

Watch this fabulous short video clip of the marvelous Academy Orchestra performing Movt. 1 from Mozart’s Symphony No. 15 recorded on November 17, 2019: (60 seconds)


Video courtesy of Carol Johnston. Filmed at Gary United Methodist Church, Wheaton.