Education Programs

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.

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 10^th Quadrennial Competition in 2018, over 3,700 students were reached in 17 schools and organizations 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 250 students from five schools across Indiana received tickets to the 2018 Competition.