Testimonials

Here are some testimonials from IOI students

I really didn’t know what to expect but it was even better than I imagined. I was truly inspired by all the young musicians and how hard they worked all week. I could tell how much they really enjoyed just being in the mountains, playing music for music’s sake and I enjoyed it too. It was so inspiring to be able to work closely with Robert on the first movement of Schubert. I can tell the rest of the BSU Quartet feels the same way and it was evident in our growth during that short week. I really had a lot of fun and I want to congratulate both of you on a successful first year of Idaho Orchestra Institute. I was honestly having IOI withdrawals after I got back home!
Emily, graduate college student, viola
 IMG_3721

Throughout my short but rigorous musical journey, I have been to many camps, intensives and institutes. However, I’ve experienced nothing like the Idaho Orchestra Institute. I’m happy to say that this camp changed not only my musical course, but also my life. At this camp, I delved deeper into a piece of music than I have ever gone before. I was able to unlock both beautiful sound and profound meaning in just one short week. From a social perspective, the friendships and connections I made through this musical experience will be lifelong. I hope that every young musician is given an opportunity like this to deepen their love for music and find a place in their musical community as the Idaho Orchestra Institute has done for me. I can hardly wait to return next summer.

– Olivia D, age 16, double bass
 IMG_3744
A taste of professional life. That’s what IOI was to me, and it left me wanting more. I feel like I got better in seven days than I had in eight and a half years of being a musician. Never before have I played so much in one day, or worked so hard during a fifteen minute break. I didn’t know that such a focused practice could be so enjoyable! Maestro Franz was able to pull so much magic out of the entire orchestra and all of my friends and I couldn’t help but listen to Transfigured Night over and over again because of how much he made us love it. It was such a moving experience to actually delve into a piece as much as we did and I absolutely cannot wait to do it again. For the first time in my life, my violin isn’t to express in the music inside of me.
Julia, age 16, violin