Festival Fellows

 

The Festival String and Vocal Fellowship is a unique training opportunity for emerging artists aimed at guiding young professionals toward successful careers in music. 

Each year outstanding young musicians are hand-selected by the Festival to rehearse and perform within the ranks ofFestival String Fellows perform at the Rush Hour Concerts the Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus, and receive one-on-one mentoring from seasoned professionals. Performing in parks and community centers around the city, the Festival fellows serve as an integral part of the Festival's summer lineup. They provide daily musical demonstrations within the Classical Campers program, participate as members of the Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus, perform throughout the city via the Chicago Park District's Night Out in the Parks program, and gain valuable experience in public speaking, ensemble work, and the management of a busy music career.

The Festival Fellowship began as an extension of the Project Inclusion program established by maestro Paul Freeman, founder of Chicago Sinfonietta. The Grant Park Music Festival forged a partnership with Sinfonietta in 2013 to launch its own program, now known as the Festival's String and Vocal Fellowship program.

Auditions are held annually in February and more information can be found here in early December. 

Please consider supporting our Festival Fellowship program with a gift to the Festival.

[It] was such a lovely way to experience the city and to feel as though our music was having a real impact on the different communities in Chicago.                                      — Rita Andrade, 2016 String Fellow

2024 Festival Fellows

Veronica Mak

soprano

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Emily Amesquita

mezzo-soprano

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Alexi Ortega Chavez

tenor

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Lifan Deng

baritone

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Alba Layana Izurieta

violin

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Janani Sivakumar

violin

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Harper Randolph

viola

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Gabriel Hightower

cello

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Festival Fellowship Alumni

Matthew Adams

violin

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Taylor Mackenzie Adams

soprano

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Dario Amador-Lage

baritone

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Rita Andrade

Viola

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Eric Botto

tenor

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David Caplan

cello

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Caitlin Edwards

Violin

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Jared V. Esguerra

Tenor

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Wilfred Farquharson

viola

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Diana Flores

Cello

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Gabriel Garcia

bass

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Miya Higashiyama

mezzo-soprano

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Gabriela Lara

violin

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Audrey Lee

Violin

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Jesus Linarez

violin

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Allison Lovera

Violin

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Evangeline Ng

soprano

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Cole Randolph

cello

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Matthew Perez

tenor

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Edwardo Rios

Viola

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Anthony Pilcher

baritone

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Nicole Rivera

mezzo-soprano

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Esther Roestan

violin

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Rafael Gargate Santamaria

viola

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Lindsey Sharpe

cello

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Alexandra Switala

Violin

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Robert Switala

Violin

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