WPMA’s Chamber Music Program is a selective, application-based program for advanced middle and high school musicians. Each semester, a small number of ensembles rehearse weekly, are coached by WPMA faculty and guest artists, and perform throughout the semester. See how to apply.
Groups are encouraged to meet for additional weekly rehearsal at the home of the student who lives most centrally. Students who arrive at rehearsals and coachings unprepared may be excluded from performance opportunities or, in some cases, removed from the program.
Curriculum Info
A semester of coached ensemble music-making. Students are placed into small chamber groups and work with faculty across eight afternoon coaching sessions — opening with a rehearsal-skills seminar and building toward performances in the Monthly Spotlight Concert Series, at least 1 masterclass, and additional performance opportunities outside of WPMA. Each coaching day pairs a faculty coaching block with a concurrent student rehearsal block. Chamber Music continues in the Spring.
Each semester, ensembles in the program receive:
Each week, your group meets for its one-hour coaching, and then moves directly into a one-hour rehearsal so you can carry new ideas and teachings from coaching sessions directly into practice with your ensemble. Rehearsals and coachings are generally held on Sunday afternoons and occasional Saturday afternoons prior to a performance, with exact times depending on the number of ensembles accepted and the schedules of group members and faculty coaches. Extra performances such as concerts, masterclasses, and sight-reading parties generally take place on weekends, either on Saturday or Sunday.
Coaching Sessions
8 afternoons · Sundays + two Saturdays
Performances
Monthly Spotlight Concert Series · Recital 310
Program window: Aug 30 – Dec 12, 2026, Alpharetta Campus. Coaching in Recital Room 330 with a concurrent student rehearsal block in Building 320. Coaching pauses for Fall Break (late Sep) and Thanksgiving week. Groups perform in the Monthly Spotlight Concert Series on Sat Oct 17 and Sat Dec 12.
View Fall Chamber Music Program CalendarBefore You Apply
Students may apply individually or as an already-formed group; the application is embedded below.
Solo applicants submit a short 2-minute video excerpt of a solo performance. WPMA then forms ensembles based on instrumentation, musical level, and repertoire, so that every group is a strong and meaningful match. Students who would like to be matched with another individual applicant will have the opportunity to share the name(s) of the other individual applicants.
Pre-formed groups each member must complete the application individually. Students will be asked to list all the members of their chamber group. The application will ask for a short 2-minute video excerpt of a solo performance as well as a video recording of one movement the group has performed together. Non-WPMA students are welcome to apply as part of a pre-formed chamber group so long as at least 50% of the students in the group are WPMA students.
For the solo performance excerpt, make sure to introduce yourself and the piece you are playing. Include your name, the name of the piece, and composer. Please share all recordings as unlisted YouTube video links.
Submitting this application does not guarantee placement. There will be up to four chamber group openings for the upcoming semester and students will be placed based on instrumentation, experience, scheduling compatibility, and the recordings submitted.
