Ravinia FestivalⓇ and the National Orchestral Institute + Festival Announce 2024 National Seminar Ravinia: Orchestras For All Partnership

The 2024 partnership brings exciting opportunities for students participating in the second National Seminario Ravinia: Orchestras for All, a four-day event that fosters growth and learning in students while promoting music education.

Ravinia Festival^Ⓡ and the National Orchestral Institute + Festival (NOI+F), a program of the University of Maryland's Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, announce today that NOI+F will be the Orchestra Partner for 2024's National Seminar Ravinia: Orchestras for All.

Following a successful inaugural year in 2023, Ravinia and its Reach Teach PlayⓇ (RTP) programs host the second National Seminario Ravinia during July 7–10, with a culminating performance presented July 10 as part of Ravinia’s 2024 season. Under the leadership of Chief Conductor Marin Alsop, Ravinia will again host students from El Sistema-inspired organizations from across North America, including the festival’s own Sistema Ravinia orchestra program. Participating students will experience four days of orchestral training and mentorship from members of the NOI+F. 

"Mentorship and engagement are hallmarks of the National Orchestral Institute + Festival. NOI+F fellows—some of the most talented musicians from across the country—are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with and perform alongside students from El Sistema-inspired youth orchestras,” said Richard Scerbo, NOI+F Director. 

Ravinia’s RTP education programs serve more than 20,000 young people in the Chicago area annually through a variety of high-quality and inclusive programs. A flagship program of RTP is Sistema Ravinia, a program modeled after El Sistema, which has produced musicians such as Gustavo Dudamel and Rafael Payare. Sistema Ravinia, like many other El Sistema-inspired organizations taking part in National Seminario Ravinia, delivers music education to underserved children in their schools and communities, fostering social development year-round through daily ensemble and orchestral training for 4th–12th-grade students in Chicago and Lake County public schools. 

National Seminario Ravinia expands on RTP’s vision to provide accessible music education to all, paving the way for students to create their own paths to success in their music education and beyond. “I’m excited to begin our new partnership with NOI+F and embark on the second year of National Seminario Ravinia. This new collaboration will enable us to further our mission. I can’t wait to see the positive impact it will have on young people’s lives,” said Christine Taylor Conda, Director of Ravinia’s RTP education programs. 

NOI+F’s mission of fostering the growth of young, aspiring orchestral musicians aligns with National Seminario Ravinia’s overall mission. Each summer, NOI+F brings together musicians on the thresholds of their professional careers for a month of dynamic music-making and professional exploration. Aspiring to develop 21st-century performing artists, NOI+F cultivates musicians who are creating a model for the next generation of orchestras through innovative audience engagement and exhilarating performance. In its 37th year, NOI+F is a truly national festival and has expanded to include innovative partnerships with Pacific Music Institute, Naxos Records and Wolf Trap Opera.  Next summer, National Seminario Ravinia participants will have the opportunity to join forces with these talented musicians and create something truly remarkable.

Alsop, who is also the music director of NOI+F and a leadership member of National Seminario Ravinia: Orchestras for All, is an advocate for music education at Ravinia and beyond and firmly believes that music has the power to impact lives, especially at a young age.

“I’m inspired by the dedication and passion of the students and educators who participate in National Seminario Ravinia. This program provides an opportunity for young people from diverse backgrounds to come together and create something beautiful, and I’m honored to be a part of it. I can’t wait to see what we can achieve together,” Alsop said. 

National Seminario Ravinia, which takes place July 7–10, culminates in a public concert in Ravinia’s Pavilion on July 10, with the NOI+F musicians performing multiple pieces side-by-side with the Seminario students as well as a major orchestral work on their own, conducted by Alsop. 

To learn more about Ravinia’s Reach Teach Play programs, visit ravinia.org/ReachTeachPlay. 

ABOUT RAVINIAⓇ

Ravinia believes in the power of shared, live-music moments to inspire ourselves and the world. Beyond presenting outstanding performances by the world’s greatest musicians, the not-for-profit’s mission to develop broader, more diverse audiences and performers in the music industry can be seen through its community engagement and education programs like Reach Teach Play and the Steans Music Institute. Together, Ravinia’s initiatives serve tens of thousands of students, families, and young professional musicians.

The 36-acre park is home to North America’s longest-running outdoor music festival and its most artistically diverse. Over 100 different events featuring a mix of classical, rock, pop, jazz, R&B, indie, and country performers make up a typical summer season across two open-air and two indoor stages, including the annual residence of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. 

Ravinia is the only private train stop in Illinois, with Metra’s Union Pacific North line stopping at the Grand Entrance during the summer; the Braeside stop just a quarter-mile walk away is in operation year-round. The festival is located about 20 miles north of Chicago at Green Bay and Lake Cook Roads in Highland Park. 

The safety of audiences, artists, staff and the community is Ravinia’s top priority. Managed by expert guidance, safety protocols are practiced and recurrently updated to ensure best practices; a variety of specialized programs and technology are engaged to ensure the venue is accessible and safe for all its patrons.

Visit Ravinia.org for the most up-to-date programming and protocols. Tickets to concerts are available. 

ABOUT NATIONAL ORCHESTRAL INSTITUTE  + FESTIVAL (NOI+F)

The National Orchestral Institute + Festival, a program of the University of Maryland’s Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center (The Clarice), trains aspiring orchestral musicians, composers, conductors and arts administrators from across the country in a month of dynamic music-making and professional exploration. Located at The Clarice, a vibrant arts organization dedicated to cultivating creativity and presenting exceptional artists and extraordinary performances, NOI+F selects musicians through a rigorous, cross-country audition process. Every year, NOI+F musicians present exhilarating performances both at The Clarice and in the College Park, Maryland community. 

A leader in mentoring and training the next generation of orchestral musicians, NOI+F is a truly national festival. Some of NOI+F’s partners include Pacifica Music Institute, Wolf Trap Opera and Naxos Records. In 2019, the NOI+F Philharmonic received a Grammy nomination in the “Best Orchestral Performance” category for their Naxos recording “Ruggles, Stucky, Harbison.” NOI+F performances boast millions of listeners through broadcasts on Performance Today, WETA, WQXR and Young Artist Showcase.

Marin Alsop has served as NOI+F’s music director since 2020, and Richard Scerbo as its director since 2015. 

First image by David Andrews. Second image courtesy of Ravinia Festival.