ORCHESTRAL CAREER STUDIES University of Nevada, Reno (view brochure)
Stephanie Sant'Ambrogio, Director

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HISTORY
The Orchestral Career Studies (OCS) graduate program was created in 1999 by the former Concertmaster of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Phillip Ruder. This special, two-year graduate program for violinists, violists and cellists culminates with a Master of Music degree and is designed to train young string players for successful careers in American symphony orchestras. Special emphasis is placed on training musicians for the rigorous audition process necessary to win an orchestra job. In 2007, Stephanie Sant'Ambrogio, former Concertmaster of the San Antonio Symphony (1994-2007) and Assistant Principal Second of The Cleveland Orchestra (1985-1992) was appointed Director of the OCS program and is currently the Professor of Violin and Viola and member of the Argenta Trio at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). Besides her distinguished orchestral background, Ms. Sant'Ambrogio is an active chamber music artist and founder and artistic director of the nationally-acclaimed Cactus Pear Music Festival.

GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS
Four Graduate Teaching Assistantships of $14,000 each will be awarded each year of the two-year program to two violinists, a violist and a cellist. The four OCS Graduate Assistants form UNR's resident quartet, the Nightingale String Quartet, which gives public performances on campus, in public schools and throughout Nevada. These Assistantships also include reduction of the graduate fees per semester credit and a non-residency fee waiver for out-of-state or foreign students.
Additional Scholarship Assistance. String Scholarship assistance is also available for other qualified OCS students who do not receive a Graduate Teaching Assistantship.

DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM
The OCS graduate program includes the following:

Weekly private lessons and two graduate solo recitals

Weekly orchestra excerpt class with several "mock" auditions per semester

Weekly quartet coachings and four quartet recitals during the two years

Guest Artist Coachings: Each semester, an outstanding Guest Artist Coach is invited to conduct a two-day workshop comprising a 30-minute "mock" audition, a private lesson and chamber music coaching for each graduate student. Artist Coaches have included Frank Almond (Concertmaster of the Milwaukee Symphony) and Ellen de Pasquale (former Associate Concertmaster of The Cleveland Orchestra). This audition serves as the final exam (40% of the grade) in the orchestra excerpt portion of the OCS program.
Principal positions in the University orchestra

Opportunities to perform with the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra and the Reno Chamber Orchestra, thus offering additional professional experience as well as additional income.

The requirement to teach privately and to assist the department in a minimal number of graduate assistantship responsibilities.

THE UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, RENO is a land-grant research university enrolling approximately 17,000 students. The Department of Music and Dance, offering Bachelor and Master degrees, has approximately 60 full- or part-time music faculty and over 200 majors. Class sizes are small and the faculty are extremely accessible. The faculty are encouraged to maintain active performing careers which in turn provide inspiration for their students. The state-of-the-art Nightingale Concert Hall, seating 615, is available for student and faculty recitals.  

APPLICATION PROCESS
If interested in applying, please send a resume and recent CD or DVD of your playing to Ms. Sant'Ambrogio at the address below. The recording should include a movement or two of solo Bach, a first movement from a Mozart Concerto (violinists) or a Haydn Concerto (cellists) or a standard concerto (violists) and another piece of your choice. Materials are due by April 14. Only applicants with an undergraduate degree from a recognized school in the US or abroad will be considered for this program.

Professor Stephanie Sant'Ambrogio, OCS Director University of Nevada, Reno, Department of Music & Dance/226; Reno, Nevada 89557

ssantambrogio@unr.edu Office: 775.682.9024 or  Music Dept. 775.784.6145