Before the close of the 2021 holidays, PRIZM students joined together to put the “festive” in Winter Festival! We were thrilled to see them immerse themselves in music once again with a full weekend of playing holiday favorites and enhancing their musical skills. And while we understand that it’s tempting to veg out and relax after a tough school semester, seeing them enthusiastically spend part of their holiday break to learn and perform chamber music was the best Christmas gift we could ask for!

With that, we wanted to take a moment to brag about the long-awaited festival. Though it was a smaller group due to COVID-19 complications, we were proud to host 13 students in grades six to 11 who hail from 10 schools across the Mid-South. 

Over the course of two musically intense days, PRIZM camp attendees learned new works to perform in a full public concert at Shady Grove Presbyterian Church. Our inspiring instructors — Brianna Allen (winds), Martin McCain (winds) and Mario William (strings) — led one-on-one coachings and group rehearsals leading up to the concert, touching on pieces that include classical holiday themes and jazz-influenced melodies. At the close of the camp, the students confidently took the stage to perform a final concert for a wonderful audience of more than 60 people.

“The students were flexible and brought dynamic, positive energy before the holiday break,” said Dr. Marissa Manthongkham, director of operations and educational programming. “It was a treat to see a few returning faces from the 2021 summer camp and festival, and it was especially rewarding to see how much they have improved in just six months!”

Young musicians can experience more of this fun in our 2022 Summer Camp and International Chamber Music Festival, kicking off June 6. Stay tuned for more details and registration info!