Education Programs

2014 Silver Medalist Tessa Lark with students in Carmel, Indiana

In addition to the Quadrennial Competition and its performances, accompanying exhibits and presentations, the IVCI also features an annual Laureate Series, inviting prize winners of past Competitions and other guest artists to perform in concert. Our presence in the Indianapolis cultural scene is further enhanced by our Laureates’ solo and chamber music performances with the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, Ronen Chamber Ensemble, and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.

Educational activities encompass a broad range of performances and “informances” including the  International Violinists in Schools program, student field trips to the Competition, masterclasses and residencies for youth orchestras and schools and the Juried Exhibition of Student Art, a statewide multi-disciplinary approach in visual art education.

A commitment to building audiences has been the basis of relationships with  Butler University’s Jordan College of Fine Arts, the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra and the Indianapolis Youth Orchestra. We work together with these organizations to present our Laureates in masterclasses, school concerts and educational demonstrations throughout central Indiana. We also provide free or deeply-discounted tickets for the Laureate Series to their memberships.

In 2022, the IVCI created a new scholarship aimed at giving Black or Latinx students a unique opportunity to specifically study with one of our illustrious Laureates at a summer festival.  The first full scholarships were awarded to violinists attending the ENCORE Chamber Music Institute, founded by 2014 Gold Medalist Jinjoo Cho. The recipients are American cellist Brandon Leonard (2024), Puerto Rican violinist Javier F. Torres Delgado (2023), and Ethiopian/American violinist Bethlehem Kelley (2022). For more information regarding this scholarship, visit ENCORE.

IVCI Education Programs supported by

Christel DeHaan Sub-Fund of the Josef Gingold Fund

International Violinists in Schools (IVIS)

One of the most popular annual educational programs is  International Violinists in Schools (IVIS). This program affords elementary, middle and high school students the opportunity to meet one of the Competition’s bright young stars in their own schools. Competition Participants visit schools around Central Indiana to present “informances” – brief discussions of their experiences as emerging professionals, plus demonstrations of their playing. During the 11^th Quadrennial in 2022, over 3,400 students were reached in 17 schools in the city. Due to the significant impact of IVIS, the program continues throughout each school year with Laureates who return to Indianapolis to perform on the Laureate Series.

Come to the Competition

Come to the Competition is a program designed to give small groups of interested students an up-close and personal look at the Competition. Schools throughout Central Indiana arrange field trips to the Preliminaries and Semi-Finals held in downtown Indianapolis at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center. The Competition provides low cost tickets and reserved seating, allowing hundreds of school children to experience the thrill of live performances during a worldwide professional competition. Over 160 students from five schools across Indiana received tickets to the 2022 Competition.

Juried Exhibition of Student Art (JESA)

The Juried Exhibition of Student Art (JESA) is one of the most far-reaching multi-disciplinary art projects for grades one through twelve in the state of Indiana. Held in conjunction with the Quadrennial International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, this educational program integrates the performing, literary and visual arts. The 2022 JESA involved over 21,000 school children and 151 art teachers from 57 counties across the state. JESA is one of the few programs that awards a cash prize to each school or sponsoring organization of the Grand Award Winners as well as to the students. The IVCI awarded $18,000 in prizes to outstanding artists and their schools or sponsoring organizations. In addition to receiving cash prizes, the 30 Streeter Hadley Matthews Grand Award winners have the honor of having their artwork showcased in multiple exhibits around the state through 2026. Learn more about the 2022 Juried Exhibition of Student Art.

New for 2026, JESA will be expanded and held in the state of Ohio for the very first time. Rules and regulations for both states will be posted when available so check this site for the latest information.