Minn SWest String Fest!
SAVE THE DATE: MAY 3rd, 2025
A day filled with masterclasses, orchestra, and more, for string players ages 13-18
culminating in a side-by-side concert w/ Faculty from the SPCM!
MAY 3rd, 2025 @ Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, MN
This event is FREE to all middle and high school string students from MN + Southeastern South Dakota (ages 13-18).
Includes lunch free of charge to all students on campus at the SMSU food court + an afternoon snack. Students are welcome to bring any other snacks/drinks.
This year we’re expanding our event to include both an intermediate and advanced orchestra, and a rousing finale featuring both orchestras and a full wind section!
2025 Festival Schedule
| 9am - 9:30am | Arrival + Check-in at SWSU Fine Arts Lobby |
| 9:30am - 10:15am | Combined Warmup/Sectionals |
| 10:25am - 10:35am | Group Welcome + Introductions (Theatre) |
| 10:45am - 11:45am | First Rehearsal: Combined Festival Orchestra (Theatre) |
| 11:55am - 12:35am | Guest Clinic: Son de Cuerdas (Theatre) |
| 12:40pm - 1:45pm | Free Lunch on Campus @ Student Center |
| 2pm - 3pm | Lower Fest Orch: Rehearsal 1 Upper Festival Orch: Sectionals |
| 3:10pm - 4:10pm | Lower Fest Orch: Sectionals Upper Festival Orch: Rehearsal 1 |
| 4:20pm - 5:15pm | Upper + Lower Orchestras: Simultaneous Rehearsal |
| 5:15pm - 5:35pm | Snack Break! |
| 5:40pm - 6:35pm | FULL Festival Symphony Orchestra Dress Reh. with Winds |
| 6:35 - 6:55 | Change into T-Shirts / Break + Report back to Stage |
| 7PM - 8PM | Festival Concert + Student Dismissal |
This promises to be great fun for all involved – priority registration ends March 15th! Sign up today!
Have questions? Reach out to amy@thespcm.org.
Daniel Rieppel
Conductor, Upper Festival Orchestra
Matthew Liston
Conductor, Lower Festival Orchestra
Son de Cuerdas
Guest Artists
This festival is made possible by a partnership between The Saint Paul Conservatory of Music (SPCM), The Southwest Minnesota Orchestra, & Southwest Minnesota State University.
This activity is also made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, and through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
Son de Cuerdas’s festival engagement is support by the Arts Midwest GIG Fund, a program of Arts Midwest that is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional contributions from Arts Midwest.
ORCHESTRA DIRECTORS:
The easiest thing for all involved is to advise parents/guardians to sign up at the top of this page!
However, if you plan to bring a group or otherwise need to register a larger number of students quickly, we’ve got you! Please use the Stringfest Director Submission Form below. We’ll followup with any additional concerns!