The 17th Annual Music Festival at Walnut Hill August 1 - 22, 2008 GENERAL INFORMATION

Welcome to the 17th Annual Music Festival at Walnut Hill from August 1 (check in July 31) to August 22 (check out), 2008. With your cooperation, we will work together to make this music festival the best of its kind. Please read the information carefully and send the following materials back as soon as possible to:

Dr. Catherine Tan Chan (Tan Jia-Lin 譚嘉陵)
President, Foundation for Chinese Performing Arts
3 Partridge Lane, Lincoln, MA 01773, USA
Tel: 781-259-8195, Fax: 781-259-9147,
Email: Foundation@ChinesePerformingArts.net,
Website: www.ChinesePerformingArts.net

MATERIALS TO BE SENT BACK:
1. The completed student data file.
2. The balanced tuition. Online payment with credit card is available at www.ChinesePerformingArts.net
3. One recent photo for our file. E-photo is acceptable.

GENERAL INFORMATION:

I. MUSICAL PROGRAM:
During this music festival, each student will receive private lessons (two to three hours each week), work shops, chamber ensembles (two to three times each week with coaching), seminars, and master classes. You should manage your time effectively for practice and for class preparation in order to receive the maximum benefit from the lessons. We will attend concerts including one at the world famous Tanglewood Music Center, featuring Boston Symphony Orchestra and other great soloists. We will also visit museums, shopping malls, historical landmarks, and a Broadway show (depending on availability). Detailed updates will be posted online at www.ChinesePerformingArts.net  Please check it frequently.

Each student should have at least 4 well-prepared pieces for lessons. This festival will provide talented students like you with a rare opportunity to work directly with many world-renowned masters on a one-on-one daily basis. The better your preparation, the more you will benefit from the program. Consult with your teachers in selecting the music. BRING THE SCORES WITH YOU!

There will be about 12 recitals during the festival, all students are required to attend and the public is invited. Each student will be asked to perform in at least one concert. Performing experience is considered to be part of the training. All string students are required to participate in Longwood Symphony Orchestra’s rehearsals and performances during our camp.

All classes are open, which means you can sit in at someone else’s private lessons. With teacher’s permission, you could tape your lessons for your own reference. However, to respect the privacy of all of us, you should NOT load the recordings on YouTube. Bring your dictionary to your lessons if needed. English is the official language used here. Please let us know if you need a translator for your lessons. If so, we will ask a senior student to help you at the beginning but we do expect that you will be on your own after the first week.

Dress Code:
Students may dress informally, but should be aware that they may not wear shorts, halters, tank tops, bathing suits, dirty or torn clothing, or sleepwear during the day. Students may not wear underwear as outerwear. Clothing may not contain offensive language or alcohol/tobacco advertisements. Shoes must be worn at all times.

For audition, master classes, and attending concerts/recitals:
Ladies: Dresses, dress pants (loosely fitted, no shorts, no jeans, no short hot pants), skirts, blouses, and dress shoes (no slippers, flip-flops, or sandals.) Wear under slips for dresses or skirts made of thin, see-through materials.
Men: slacks, dress pants, short or long sleeve shirts, polo shirts, casual or dress shoes (no slippers, flip-flops, or sandals).

For private lessons and chamber coaching:
Ladies: Dress pants (loosely fitted, no shorts, no jeans, no short hot pants), skirts, blouses, dresses, and dress shoes (no slippers, flip-flops, or sandals.) Wear under slips for dress or skirts made of thin, see-through materials.
Men: slacks (no shorts, no jeans, no short pants), polo shirts and casual shoes (no slippers, flip-flops, or sandals).

For orchestra performers:
Ladies: White blouses or tops (no spaghetti straps or strapless tops) and loosely fitted black pants or floor length long black skirts (no short black skirts). Black dress shoes may not be open-toed.
Men: White long-sleeved shirt, black bow tie, black dress pants, black socks, and black dress shoes. Jackets are not required.

Performing Dress code:
Formal or semi-formal concert dress code for both ladies and gentlemen.
Ladies’ long evening gown should be 2 inches above the floor.

II. SIGHTSEEING AND TOURS:

Students will have the chances to visit some famous attractions such as the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and participate in the Boston Duck Tour as well as guided tours through MIT, Harvard University, and the New England Conservatory of Music. We have also arranged times for shopping, Bar-B-Q, a lobster and steak formal dinner, lunches in Chinatown, among other attractions. Swimming pool with life guard is open daily on campus.

The average temperatures in the Boston area during the month of August is about 85°F (29°C). It varies from 95°F (35°C) to 50°F (10°C) throughout the day. It normally does not rain. The dorm is not air-conditioned. A small electric fan may be useful.

In addition to regular classes on campus, we will be up in the mountain region, by the ocean, and visiting museums and shops. The following are some suggestions about clothing: warm sweater or jacket, sports wear, swimming suit, sneakers, street clothes, comfortable clothing for weekly Tai Chi exercises, and formal or semi-formal performing clothes.

For those who are on regular medication, bring it with your medical records. You may also want to prepare some over-the-counter medicine for mosquito bites, mild cold or sore throat, and stomach problem. Nurses at campus health center are available during office hours. Bring your cellular phone, pre-paid phone card (calling card), camera, tape recorder, and dictionary. Do not carry a large amounts of cash on trips. Travelers' checks and credit cards are accepted almost everywhere.

III. GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT WALNUT HILL SCHOOL

The Summer Music Festival will take place at Walnut Hill School in Natick, Massachusetts. The Foundation for Chinese Performing Arts has rented the Walnut Hill School campus for this music festival for eighteen years. Our program shares the campus with other summer programs (ballet and theater.) The facilities we will use include Highland Hall along with its practice rooms, classrooms, and dormitory. In addition, we will use Boswell and Amelia Recital Halls as well as the 320-seat air-conditioned Keiter Center for the Performing Arts. The School also offers a dining hall, air-conditioned campus center, swimming pool, fitness center, and recreational facilities. The campus is quite large and has many beautiful lawns and tree-lined areas. It is about 7 minutes walk to Natick train station and Natick downtown.

Founded in 1893, Walnut Hill is widely regarded as the finest arts secondary schools in the United States. The School is located in the beautiful town of Natick, a suburb of Boston, Massachusetts. During the school-year there are 280 students at Walnut Hill School studying academics and the arts (ballet, music, theater, visual art, and creative writing). Walnut Hill alumni have attended colleges including Curtis, Juilliard, Harvard, New England Conservatory, Princeton, and Yale.

A. Campus Facilities:

Dormitory: We will use Highland as our dormitory this summer. The first floor of Highland consisted of offices, music classrooms, Amelia Recital Hall, visual art studios, art gallery, and music practice rooms. The second and third floors are residential dormitory. The door to the dormitory section is locked at all times. Always bring your key with you. There will be a fine of US$80 for lost keys. In general, girls will stay on the second and third floors and boys will stay on the third floor. Students will have either a single, double, triple, or quarter room. Blankets, linen, and pillows are provided. You should bring your own personal items, such as towels, shampoo, slippers, robes, etc. A small desk lamp and electric fan are also recommended. No electric blankets are allowed.

Lounge: There is a common room located on the second floor of the dormitory. It has a TV, microwave oven, refrigerator, drinking water, and an ironing board. It is our responsibility to keep the room neat and clean. Regular evening meetings are held at 10 PM daily at the first floor Amelia Recital Hall. For some occasions, the meeting will be held in the lounge. Chinese-style snacks will be served at each meetings. All students are required to attend.

Laundry: Washers and dryers are available in the dormitory. Detergent will be provided.

Snack and Soda Machines are available in the dormitory, the dinning hall and the student center.

Pay phones are available in the dormitory, the office, the student center, and in the Dinning Hall. There is no telephone in the dormitory rooms. Bring your own pre-paid phone card or calling cards and use your cell phone.

Internet: Highland dorm is wireless during the school year and the summer. There is a computer lab in the Academic and Technology Center that we could use during their office hours.

Linen: Extra linen will be provided in the common room. Students have to change and wash their own.

Swimming Pool: The swimming pool is open from 8 AM to 8 PM daily. Students are welcome to use it during their free time. Licensed lifeguards are on duty during pool hours.

Fitness Center: Supervised by licensed personal, the fitness center equipped with weight-lifting machines and walking machines are available at certain hours. We are not sure whether we could us it during summer.

B. Security:

Evening Curfew: For security reasons, all buildings, including practice rooms, Keiter Performing Center, library, and Dinning Hall, will be locked at 10 PM. There will be two security guards touring the campus 24 hours everyday. They can be reached at 508-397-5759 in case you get locked out of Highland building. Your key cannot unlock Highland’s outside doors after 10 PM. All students should be inside the Highland building in the dormitory section by 11:30 PM. Arrangement may be possible (not sure) if you need to get into the practice room after 10 PM. Adult presence is required. All the window shades should be pulled down after dark.

Fire Safety:
Each room is equipped with a smoke detector. If a fire is seen or suspected, the building fire alarm will go off and the Natick fire department will arrive within minutes or the fire alarm box can be pulled to summon help. Do not touch fire alarm box for fun. Tampering with any of the fire safety devices and causing a false alarm will result in a $1,000 fine to us by the Natick Fire Department. No candle, incense, cigarette lighter, electric blanket, heating coil, hot pot, curling iron, space heater, halogen lamp, or any other materials which may constitute a fire hazard in any building is allowed. NO SMOKING, DRUG, and ALCOHOL IS ALLOWED ON CAMPUS. It will result in an automatic expulsion from school.

There will be at least one un-announced fire drill during our camp period, most likely in the late evenings on the first or the second day. Everyone has to evacuate and leave the building within 100 seconds (less then 2 minutes).

C. The Meal Times at the Dinning Hall are: (Subject to change)

Breakfast 7:00 AM - 8:30 AM
Lunch 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Dinner 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM

There is no breakfast and lunch on Sundays. Instead, a brunch will be served from 10 AM to 11:30 AM. One special formal dinner with lobsters and steaks/chicken will be served during the camp period, normally after Mr. Russell Sherman’s piano master class and group photo session.

In addition to regular meals, we will serve Chinese style evening snacks every evening at 10 PM in the Amelia Recital Hall on the first floor of Highland building.. This is also the time of our daily meeting for discussion and announcements. Every student must be present.

D. Mail:
The mailing address during the festival period is:

Foundation for Chinese Performing Arts
C/o Walnut Hill School
12 Highland Street
Natick, MA 01760, USA
Tel: 508-653-4312, Fax: 508-653-9593

OR: You can always leave message at the office of Foundation for Chinese Performing Arts. Tel: 781-259-8195, Fax: 781-259-9147, Email: Foundation@ChinesePerformingArts.net

Incoming and outgoing mail for students will be handled at the school’s switchboard. Stamps can be purchased at the switchboard also.

OTHER REGULATIONS:

1. Cash: Students should not carry large amount of cash on trips. Travelers' checks and credit card are accepted almost everywhere. For your convenience we will prepare some quarters for exchange to be used for the snack vending machines and the washer/dryer.

2. STUDENTS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE CAMPUS WITHOUT THE DIRECTORS' PERMISSION.

3. Students on Duty:
There will be two students on duty daily. Their responsibilities include xeroxing music scores, cleaning up the common room and the small kitchen in the dormitory, cleaning up the Amelia Recital Hall after evening snack, helping to set up chairs and tables before recitals and seminars, xeroxing and distributing concert programs, bringing cookies and drinks from the kitchen to the concert reception area, posting concert signs around campus, bringing up lunch boxes to the bus for field trips, and other small coordination jobs of that day. Every student has to serve about 2 to 3 days during the camp period.

4. Visitors:

Family and friends are welcome to the campus. With prior arrangements, they could stay in the same dormitory and have meals with us in the same Dinning Hall. The cost will be $70 per person per day for room and board. We only collect the fee for the school. Admission to off campus concerts, museums, and cost of meals at restaurants are extra and will be collected on the day of the trip. Due to space limitation, the priority for accompany parents will be given to underage students first. Others could stay at a nearby hotel. The rent and transportation to and from school are the responsibilities of each individual parents. The meals at school will be $35 per day per person. On campus accompany parents are required to attend daily evening meetings and follow the general rules regarding dress code, smoking, and etc.

5. Energy Conservation:

Students will be reminded consistently that global warming and energy conservation are important issues. It is our responsibility to recycle and to save water/electricity as much as possible.

(May, 2008)

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