Music@Menlo concludes its Twentieth-Anniversary campaign with a major gift to the Young Performers Program

Support from this campaign will ensure that the Young Performers Program is tuition-free to all who are accepted. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: ATHERTON, CA – Music@Menlo is delighted to announce the successful conclusion of its Twentieth-Anniversary Campaign with $5.75 million raised in support of the organization’s education programs, artistic initiatives, and digital infrastructure.

These funds have already begun to transform the chamber music landscape, with Music@Menlo-commissioned works by composers Wang Jie and David Serkin Ludwig premiered in the summer of 2023, expanded residency and training programs for early-career musicians, and a newly tuition-free Young Performer’s Program, now named the Smith Family Young Performers Program.

Artistic Director Wu Han said: “The Chamber Music Institute is the crown jewel of our festival and the generosity of our community and of our board will change the lives of countless young musicians. These young people, in turn, will change the course of chamber music itself.”

“A tuition-free Young Performers Program means wider access to the world-class musical training that we offer every summer to our brilliant students,” Artistic Director David Finckel added. “This is how we ensure artistic excellence is passed on from generation to generation.”

About the Twentieth-Anniversary Campaign

Music@Menlo’s Twentieth-Anniversary Campaign was launched in 2022 to support the organization’s mission to be the premier summer chamber music festival in the United States, to support the next generation of musicians through the Chamber Music Institute, and to modernize its digital infrastructure. Funding will go toward new artistic initiatives, commissions, residencies, and greater support for artists, a tuition-free Young Performers Program, a new database and ticketing system, and a complete redesign of the Music@Menlo digital experience for patrons doing everything from buying tickets to enjoying concerts in streaming.

About the Music@Menlo Chamber Music Institute

Founded in 2003 as an integral component of the summer festival, Music@Menlo’s four-week summer Chamber Music Institute comprises the International Program for pre-professional artists ages 20 to 30 and the Young Performers Program for ages 10 to 19. The Chamber Music Institute offers an immersive experience for the most committed, curious, and artistically driven young musicians seeking the opportunity and inspiration to take their art to the highest level.

The Smith Family Young Performers Program welcomes string players and pianists ages 10 to 19 to an immersive training program coached by the world’s leading chamber musicians, including Artistic Directors Wu Han and David Finckel. Young Performers gain invaluable experience through coachings and masterclasses led by festival artists, honing their public speaking skills, rehearsing with their peers, and performing for the Music@Menlo community. Many Young Performers have achieved successful careers as musicians, attending leading conservatories and performing on the most prestigious stages worldwide.

“The Chamber Music Institute has long been among the most important educational programs for young chamber music talents. The generous support received through this campaign reaffirms Music@Menlo’s commitment to accessible, world-class training for the worthiest young musicians,” said Executive Director Edward Sweeney.

2024 Chamber Music Institute participants, directors, and coaches

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