Concerto Competition AIMS 2023

Feel like performing as a soloist at one of the AIMS 2023 Festival concerts?

This is your opportunity!

We encourage all AIMS string students to participate in our concerto competition. Accompanied by an AIMS faculty string quintet, the winners will perform at two of the AIMS Festival concerts.

According to the decisions of the competition jury, the winners will either perform an entire work or else selected movements. Nevertheless, participants are required to prepare the entire work.

You can choose any piece written for your instrument and only string accompaniment.

All you need to do to enter the competition is:

• Send us your application not later than June 30th, 2023.
• Send us a PDF of the full score, your part and a set of the string parts.

We will send you our approval or disapproval of your suggested piece not later than July 10th.

That’s a great deal, right?

Coaching Workshops with Elena Cheah

What is coaching?

Coaching is a partnership between a coach and a client designed to reach the client’s highest potential, both personally and professionally. It differs from therapy in that it focuses on the present and on actionable goals, and is not intended to resolve past trauma.

How is it applicable for musicians?

“In my 17 years of teaching, I would say on average that I spend about 70% of my effort helping people unlearn habits and thought patterns that hinder them and about 30% on actual cello technique and music-making.” (Elena Cheah)   

I believe that everyone can teach themselves when they are free of limiting beliefs about their own abilities, and this essentially describes the coaching philosophy. In coaching, it is understood that clients know what is best for them; the coach simply helps facilitate the connection to this inner wisdom.

How will the workshops proceed?

In two group workshops, I will introduce you to a few coaching tools that can help connect you to your inner teacher. As a group and in pairs, we will use these tools to explore any topics that come up: these could include performance anxiety, optimizing practice schedules, finding your niche, navigating tension with chamber music partners, and many more. The more open and curious you are, the more interesting the sessions will be! In addition, I may coach one or more people individually in front of the group if anyone is willing.

Cheah is currently in training to certify as a Martha Beck Wayfinder Life Coach and she will have completed her training by August.