| Composition | Strings | Piano | Jazz Studies | Winds & Percussion |
| Voice | Music Education & Conducting | Guitar |
| Performance Opportunities | Application Information | Faculty |

During the span of five intensely exciting weeks, the National High School Music Institute (NHSMI) provides students with a myriad of performance experiences. True to our mission, applied music receives top priority and is infused into the curricula of all eight programs. Students attend one-hour private lessons weekly, many with Northwestern University's Bienen School of Music Faculty. Participation in one or more of the 24 performance ensembles provides integral exposure to a variety of musical eras and genres spanning from chamber music to large ensemble repertoire. All told, students have the opportunity to participate in over 20 concerts that include solo, chamber, and large ensemble experiences. Students also attend a host of masterclasses related to performance, health in the performing arts, and audition preparation.

The performance curriculum is supplemented with trips to concerts at some of the most renowned performance venues in Chicagoland. NHSMI students are afforded the chance to visit the Ravinia Festival to view concerts given by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as well as many major stars in classical performance. Additionally, we frequent Chicago's Millennium Park, situated in the city's center and home to the revolutionary Jay Pritzker Pavilion. As one of the most prominent and only remaining free outdoor music series, The Grant Park Music Festival is an excellent resource for musical development. Jazz students often visit local clubs such as Pete Miller's to listen to and provide live jazz music.

As an extension of their musical training and educational development, NHSMI offers seminars on applying to top schools and conservatories of music, as well as a seminar specific to the Bienen School of Music application process.

| Return to Top |