Held in collaboration with the historic Winchester College, the oldest independent school in the UK, Virtuoso International Music Academy will be running 2 residential courses from August 23rd-29th 2026.
This picturesque location will be home to 2 intensive music courses for talented string players ages 10-18 from across the globe, grade 3 to Diploma level and beyond.
VIMA provides many opportunities for students to be heard by heads of department and professors from the UK’s leading independent schools and Royal Conservatoires in London.
Advanced Course
The Advanced Course is by recorded video audition and is for students of grade 7 standard up to and beyond Diploma level. During the course students will work with our top tier professionals in a range of musical activities including chamber and orchestral music, workshops and masterclasses.
Places are allocated by audition. Each student must submit a video recording with the completed application form so that the VIMA panel can select the most promising, talented and passionate young musicians to work with these world-class tutors.
Detailed feedback from our faculty, focussing on the students specific goals and performance during their stay with us, will be given to each student in the form of a written report, after the end of the course.
Strings Course
The Strings Course is for string players grade 3 – around grade 7, and is open to all violin, viola, cello and double bass students with day or residential options. No audition is required for participation. The course will consist of string sessions led by our expert faculty, as well as musicianship, percussion and vocal workshops, giving the students a well-rounded and inspiring musical week, interspersed with fun and games alongside the Advanced Course.
The Strings Course culminates with a concert for family and friends immediately before the Advanced Course concert in the stunning, acoustically redesigned concert hall in Winchester College.
A limited number of private 1:1 lessons are available on a first come first serve basis with the faculty. These may be requested after acceptance onto the course.
Each student who completes the course will receive a video recording of the final concert and special Certificate of Excellence, validated by ESTA UK.
The course culminates with a concert for family and friends in the stunning, acoustically redesigned concert hall in Winchester College.
As well as a packed schedule of music, in their free time during the week, students can make full use of Winchester College’s first class facilities from their new sports facilities and pool, tennis and football, to movie, quiz and talent nights.
The students from both courses will stay together in the boarding houses at Winchester College and will enjoy all social activities together, enabling plenty of socialising and throughout the week across both courses.
Course fee
All VIMA students have the option to attend as residential students, staying with us in Winchester College in the boarding houses all week or to attend as day students, arriving at 9am each morning, staying for the whole musical day including lunch and dinner and evening activities to be collected by parents at 7pm each day.
The residential course fee for the 7 days is £2500.
The day course fee for the 7 days is £2200.
Bursary support is available for those in financial need. please email info@vima.org.uk for more information.
Once the limited number of places on the course are filled, then the application process will be closed.
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