Here’s what we recommend:

Essentials

• instrument and bow in a case labeled clearly with your name and phone number
• music stand
• rosin
• for cellos & basses: a chair (if needed) and endpin strap
• notebook and pen
• Lunch (packed, or buy at cafeteria or nearby)
• schedule (which you’ll pick up at registration)
• name badge (which you’ll pick up at registration)
• Dress for concerts: Black pants/skirts + black tops if in Chamber Days (or coordinate with your quartet for the concert), White shirt + black pants if in ASC, dress clothes (no jeans or sneakers) for the final concert and chamber concerts.

Extras

• water bottle
• light sweater (rooms can get cold)
• cash or venmo to buy treats at the scholarship table
• activities for breaks (optional)
• snacks if you’re staying for the evening concert

The most important schedule detail of the week: On Monday, and Monday only, your 11 am class happens at 1 pm.  

A typical day at ISSI has 6 hours of classes, a lunch hour, and two recitals (one after lunch and one in the evening).

But the first day of ISSI has its own special schedule, to accommodate registration and opening ceremonies.

If you’re attending ISSI for the first time (or if you’ve ever wondered why Monday feels so different than the other days) here’s what you need to know about the first day, Monday:

8 am:

Registration opens for Young Artist Program students.  This includes violins in book 9+, violists in books 5+ and cellists in books 7+.  After they pick up their packets that contain their personalized schedules and information materials, they head straight to a 2-hour orchestra rehearsal from 8:30-10:30 am.

9 am:

Registration for students opens at 9 am.  Once they pick up the packets containing their schedules and information materials, they are invited to head over to the auditorium for the Opening Ceremonies or find their classrooms in the school.

10 am:

Following the play-ins are the opening ceremonies at 10 am.  These ceremonies are an orientation that go over everything you need to know to make your week a success.  We hear from the ISSI Director, we meet the entire body of ISSI faculty, and we also hear from the principal of the school where ISSI is held. 

10:45 am:

These play-ins goes from about 10:45 am-11:50 am and they are a very casual gathering where students join together to play Suzuki repertoire, as well as other activities.  They get to meet some of the faculty they’ll be working with during the week, and they get to warm up by playing together.  There is always a lot of energy at the play-ins!

12 noon:

Next comes lunch from noon to 1 pm.

1 pm:

The most important schedule detail of the week: On Monday, and Monday only, your 11 am class happens at 1 pm.  This is because the opening ceremonies were happening during that class period on Monday. 

2-4 pm:

Classes during the 2 pm, 3pm and 4 pm hours run as regularly schedule.
The day finishes with a concert from the guest artist at 515 pm.

So to recap, here’s the breakdown of Monday’s specialized schedule:

• 9-10 am: Registration
• 10 am: Opening Ceremonies
• 10:45-11:50 am: Welcome Play-ins
• 12noon: Lunch
• 1 pm: Attend your 11 am class!
• 2 pm: Class
• 3 pm: Class
• 4 pm: Class
• 515 pm: Guest Artist concert

A chamber group is a small ensemble of musicians who each play their own part.  A smaller group than an orchestra, and with less people on each part, chamber music gives students all the fun of playing together, but with the added responsibility of being a leader on their own part within the group.  Chamber groups, which can be comprised of any number of combinations of instruments, rehearse daily with a chamber coach, and perform at the end of the week without any help from the coach.  

Chamber music is part of a daily schedule for violin students in late book 4 and above, and viola and cello students in books 3 and above.  Students receive their music by email (**be sure to check your spam folders**) a few weeks before Institute starts, and should come with their part solidly prepared, so they can truly contribute to the group.

ISSI is truly fortunate to have an incredible partnership with the Fry Street Quartet (FSQ), quartet in residence at Utah State University.  The FSQ made their debut at Carnegie Hall, has been involved in numerous projects and performances throughout the country, and has been hailed as a “triumph of ensemble playing” by the New York Times.  This incredibly talented, dynamic group works with advanced string quartets in The Fry Street Days chamber program at ISSI; an intensive chamber music experience.

One of the most valuable classes in a student’s day at Institute is masterclass.

In this class, a group of between 3-4 students meets with a teacher each day.  Each student is given a short, individual lesson every day and receives a small, concentrated assignment to practice before returning to the master class the next day.  It’s best to consult with your home teacher, prior to institute, to make sure you bring a polished piece to play for your masterclass at ISSI.

Young Artist Program students will be placed in masterclasses with a maximum of two students.

Working one-on-one with a teacher every day yields the opportunity to really delve into some details, and make tremendous, specific progress.  Students also learn so much by observing the mini-lessons of their peers.

Orchestra class is a large group of mixed instruments who meets together to work on note-reading and prepare a piece or two for a final concert on the last day of class.

In this class, students work together to polish a few pieces (typically two) in preparation for a concert at the end of the week. Pieces need to be learned and memorized prior to ISSI.

NEW: Young Artist Program students are required to submit preparation videos by May 1, 2024.

Children under the age of 12 need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian while at ISSI. It is a large campus and we want to keep all of our students safe. It is also the parent’s responsibility for your child’s instrument to insure that it is taken care of at all times. 

We recommend one adult on campus for each child under 12 years old. Due to the intricate schedules, it is impossible to guarantee that siblings will not have masterclasses scheduled during the same hour.

Lunch items can be purchased at the cafeteria of Juan Diego High School.
Families will pay the cafeteria per item daily.

Snacks are also available for purchase at the ISSI scholarship table.  Look for our highlighted “item of the day”!

See our 2023 Lunch Information

Siblings not enrolled in ISSI are welcome and encouraged to add enrichment classes for an additional fee. Siblings that are not enrolled in ISSI that attend classes should be quiet and respectful. Parents should take care to supervise siblings and not let them disrupt the classes.

We also offer daycare during ISSI for any siblings or younger students that need care part of the day. You need to add this option in the purchase extras tab during registration. If we have openings in day care you can add that Monday morning the week of ISSI.

We offer daycare during ISSI for any siblings or younger students that need care during the day.  Hours of operation are Monday – Friday 8:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday 8:45 a.m. to 11 a.m.  Daycare is closed from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. for lunch. You can add a lunch option in the purchase extras tab during registration if you’d like to purchase lunch at Juan Diego.

Daycare will be provided by child care providers who have worked at Jordan High School. All ages are welcome.  The children will have a variety of activities to do daily including crafts, movie time, quiet time, playing on the playground outside and having a snack.

You will be in charge of picking your child/children up and feeding them lunch every day at noon.

Please be sure to let us know if your child needs any special accommodations so we can plan in advance.

Refund Policy for the Intermountain Suzuki String Institute

In the event that you decide to cancel your registration, please email us or respond to your registration email that you received. Tuition is refundable, minus the $100 non-refundable deposit per student, if we are notified in writing before May 1, 2024. Applicants who withdraw after May 1, 2024 will forfeit all fees.

Until April 1, if you would like to make payment arrangements (tuition divided into 3 or 4 payments), submit your registration without making payment and reach out to us with your phone number and email so we can contact you. (Later in spring, the number installments will decrease so that payments are all complete by May 1)

Juan Diego campus is an accessible facility. Please visit the front desk of ISSI on the 1st floor or contact the onsite director or staff if you need wheelchair access to the 2nd floor.