Address
182 Howard Street, #536
San Francisco, CA 94105
Contacts
Email: academy@americanbach.org
Phone: +1 (415) 621 7900
Fax: +1 (415) 621 7920
Check-in begins at 12 noon on the day before the first day of the Academy. All participants must arrive no later than the Sunday evening before the first day of activities
The final concert on the Sunday of the second week concludes at 6:30 p.m., followed by a closing reception for Academy Participants, Faculty, Board, and Staff. We recommend that you do not book departing flights before 10 p.m. on that day.
Almost every domestic airline flies into San Francisco International Airport (SFO) or Oakland International Airport (OAK), many of them direct from other major US cities. Both airports can be accessed via BART, our metro system. Please visit www.bart.gov for schedules, pricing, and more information. The BART station in San Francisco you’ll most likely be using is Civic Center/UN Plaza.
Housing at the Bowes Center is provided free of charge to Academy participants. Two participants will be placed in each 2-bedroom suite (one participant per bedroom). Meals are not included but can be purchased on a one-week plan.
Academy participants are involved in rehearsals, classes, and other activities every day during the Academy from 9am until the evening hours. Accordingly, we strongly encourage Academy participants to utilize Conservatory housing. Read more about that here.
The Academy takes place at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, 50 Oak Street (near the corner of Van Ness Avenue and Market Street), San Francisco CA 94102.
The Academy is tuition-free.
Housing in the San Francisco Conservatory Bowes Center is offered at no cost to all participants. Meals are not included.
Participants must arrange for their own travel to and from San Francisco.
Many participants have been very resourceful in creating opportunities to raise funds from within their own communities for their travel expenses . Among these are soliciting a scholarship foundation in their hometown, asking members of their social organizations, presenting house concerts, or creating YouTube and crowdfunding opportunities. We are happy to provide you with any information that you might need to fulfill one or more of these endeavors. Additionally, organizations such as Early Music America (earlymusicamerica.org) offer travel grants for summer study programs.
Letters of recommendation should come from professionals who can thoughtfully comment on your musical abilities with appropriate acumen. Choose, if possible, a professional in the field who knows your current level of playing or singing, and who functions in a supervisory (or directorial) role.
The list of Audition Repertory Guidelines is quite specific. But also consider carefully that, in most cases, we will know your musical interests and aptitude only by the materials that you submit. In light of this, submit a range of repertoire that will show your abilities in various genres. For example, if most or all of your submitted materials primarily represent a focus on a particular period, style, or technique, our faculty may not be able to assume that you are also proficient in other periods, styles, or techniques.
Absolutely not. Recordings must be without any digital editing, other than the removal of silence or unimportant audio or video data before or after a complete musical selection. We cannot stress this point enough. Our faculty are experienced recording artists, and any departure from this policy may affect the consideration of your application.
There are no "pre-qualifications" for re-admission into ABS Academies for subsequent years. You must file a new online application. We strongly suggest that you also submit new audio/video examples of your work to show your current levels of proficiency. If you have questions regarding this, please contact the faculty member(s) for your instrumental or vocal studio.
Notifications about acceptances, wait listing, etc. will be sent during the month of March, with final notices being sent by March 31st.
182 Howard Street, #536
San Francisco, CA 94105
Email: academy@americanbach.org
Phone: +1 (415) 621 7900
Fax: +1 (415) 621 7920