About | Faculty | Audition Requirements
About the Credo Festival
Credo Festival
Oberlin Conservatory
June 28 – July 11 2026
Open to talented string players age 13-23
Since 1999, the Credo Festival has brought the leaders of the classical music world (the Dean of Juilliard, Department Chairs from major conservatories, and principal orchestral players) together with talented string students to flourish in a focused and generous community based on the words “Develop, Acknowledge, and Respond.” Credo’s unique amalgam of high-level music making, personal mentorship, and community outreach has made the Credo Festival one of America’s most beloved summer destinations for talented young string players.
Credo lives in the world-class facilities of Oberlin Conservatory, set in the idyllic small town of Oberlin, Ohio.
One day a week, Credo focuses on making meaningful connections with the community. Bringing our gift of music to traditionally challenging environments (hospice centers, prisons, hospitals) has been part of Credo’s DNA since our first festival, nearly 30 years ago.
Credo seeks to make its programs affordable for all though need-based financial aid, and has full-fellowship programs available for advanced players able to serve as counselors.
Credo's Curriculum
Credo’s intense curriculum includes DAILY chamber music coaching, master classes, and rehearsals. Credo’s intimate environment allows for great connections between students and faculty, in scheduled lessons and also numerous informal opportunities for sharing.
Credo’s curriculum is an unparalleled combination of lessons, master classes, rehearsals, practice, and performances!
75-minute Chamber Music Coaching per day
90-minute Chamber Music Rehearsal per day
3 hours of scheduled Individual Practice per day
2 Solo Lessons (45 minutes each) per week
Daily Master Class
Weekly Public Concert (live-streamed so people at home can watch)
Robust Community Concert Activities (groups perform 1 to 4 times per week)
Who comes to Credo?
Pre-formed quartets
Recent groups include the Fischoff-winning Breshears Quartet, the Celentano-Award winning Maple Quartet, and the Cave Quartet, from Singapore.
Young students going to their first sleep-away camp experience
Credo has always been a safe, nurturing environment. Many of Credo’s most successful and plugged-in alumni come to Credo at age 13 or 14 as their first stay-away camp… and then come back again and again – some for as many as five to seven summers! Credo is very intentionally modeled on the attributes stated in Philippians 4:8 – and this creates a challenging yet supportive environment.
Students from major conservatories
Given our location, there are always a significant number of Obies! Other highly-represented conservatories include Eastman, CIM, and Juilliard.
Competition winners
Many of our students are winners in local and regional competitions. Credo alumni have also won first place in ASTA and MTNA national competitions, and have excelled in international competitions as well.
Home-school students
Students raised in the independence and freedom of home-schooling do well with the focus and intensity of Credo, where they can fully immerse themselves in music morning to night.
Leaders and future leaders
The majority of Credo students come from the front of youth orchestra sections. At Credo they meet with peers at the same level – “iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17).” Credo students go on to careers as college department heads, principal players in professional orchestras, or community leaders.
“Credo is one of the very few places where musical excellence is fully integrated with a musician’s spiritual development. At Credo, the whole person is addressed, nurturing the body, mind and spirit.”
2026 Credo Festival Faculty
2026 Festival Directors
Jonathan Ong, Co-Director, Violin – Verona Quartet and Oberlin Conservatory
Peter Slowik, Co-Director, Viola – Oberlin Conservatory
2026 Guest Artists
Joel Link, Violin – Dover Quartet; Concertmaster, Cleveland Orchestra
Peter Salaff – (retired) Cleveland Quartet
Verona String Quartet
2026 Faculty
David Chan, Violin – Rice University; former Concertmaster, MET Orchestra
Thomas Cooper, Violin – Concertmaster, Du Bois Orchestra
Holly Jenkins, Violin – Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Kangwon Kim, Violin – Madison Bach Soloists
Jonathan Ong, Co-Director, Violin – Verona Quartet and Oberlin Conservatory
Nicholas Tavani, Violin – Aeolus Quartet
DJ Cheek, Viola – Principal Viola, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra
Daniel Orsen, Viola – St. Paul Chamber Orchestra
Peter Slowik, Co-Director, Viola – Oberlin Conservatory
Bryan Dumm, Cello – Cleveland Orchestra
Anne Williams, Cello – Principal Cello, Pittsburgh Symphony
Joshua Zajac, Cello – Metropolis String Quartet Chicago
To Apply
Complete and submit an application and pay the application fee. You will need to have a completed audition recording before finishing the application – see instructions below.
Credo has a “Rolling Admissions” policy – the earlier you apply, the greater the chance you’ll be accepted. Don’t wait until the deadline to apply!
Credo works to make our programming affordable to everyone; however, if the fees will be a burden, please email the Credo office to receive a financial aid application.
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Each applicant is required to submit 1-2 brief video(s) consisting of 6-10 minutes of your best playing in a variety of styles. Upload your recording(s) to YouTube and include the link(s) on your application form.
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Here are helpful guidelines. Submitting your audition video is as easy as using your phone camera or computer! Just follow the steps below.
Announce your first and last name at the beginning of each video.
You may send different takes of each solo piece performed – but each take must be unedited.
Watch and listen to your video before submission, checking for audio levels and the video’s visual presentation overall.
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Application fee: $35
November 1: Applications open
February 15: Application deadline for Fellowship positions
March 1: Fellowship applicants notified of application status
March 1 - April 20: Students will be admitted via rolling admission as early as March 1; all students will be notified by April 25
April 1: Financial Aid deadline
April 20: Application deadline
March 1 - April 20: Students will be admitted via rolling admission as early as March 1; all students will be notified by April 20
April 1: Financial Aid deadline
April 20: Application deadline
May 1: $300 non-refundable deposit due within 10 days of acceptance
June 15: Final tuition (and housing) payment due
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All-inclusive fee (tuition, food, housing): $3850
Commuter fee (living at home): $2700
Discounts:
$200 off tuition for students participating in Credo St. Louis in 2026
$100 early bird discount for students paid in full by April 15
$100 family discount for each additional member of the same family
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WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY AT CREDO LOOK LIKE?
A typical day at Credo includes master classes, small string ensemble rehearsals and coachings, string orchestra rehearsal and coaching, and classes on Music Theory, conducting, and other inspiring topics.
Sample Weekday Schedule:
8:30 - Morning Sing centering time
9-10:30 - Quartet Coaching
10:30-Noon - Solo Practice
Noon-1:30 - Lunch
1:30-3 - Master Class
3-6 - Quartet and Solo Practice, Private Lessons
6 and later - Dinner, Free Time, Concerts, Social Activities
DO I HAVE TO BE BETWEEN 13-23 YEARS OLD?
The age suggestion is simply advisory for any Credo program. Personally and musically mature students will certainly be included in the program if they are selected through the application process.
WHAT IS CREDO'S PERFORMANCE LEVEL?
Credo is open to any player who would benefit from the environment of intensive musical instruction in an independent setting (students will self-navigate around Oberlin Conservatory’s compact, safe campus). Many Credo students are prizewinners in national and regional solo competitions, many others sit at or near the front of their youth orchestra sections. We generally find Suzuki book 5 and age 12-13 are minimum levels for students to function effectively, but each student is different.
IS FINANCIAL AID AVAILABLE?
Yes. Credo is committed to using financial aid to make our program available to all. Typically, financial aid goes to those who demonstrate significant need.
WHERE DO CREDO STUDENTS COME FROM?
So far, Credo students have come from 43 states: New York to Hawaii and Alaska to Florida! Over the years, students also journeyed from Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, China, the Netherlands, Taiwan, New Zealand, Canada, Australia, and Tanzania to share the Credo experience.
IS CREDO A "CHURCH CAMP"?
No. Credo is a music program of high-level study and performance. Credo programs use faith and service elements to enrich and deepen the student’s commitment to excellence and appreciation of the special power of music.
ARE ALL FAITHS WELCOME AT CREDO PROGRAMS?
YES! Credo (Latin for “I believe”) is a place for development and strengthening of faith. The required morning sing is led from a non-denominational Christian perspective by faculty. At Credo, students from Christian denominations and several non-Christian faiths have grown together by discovering their common beliefs and respectfully discussing differences.
HOW IS MUSICAL GROWTH FOSTERED?
Students engage in musical growth through chamber groups, master classes, large ensembles, and private lessons. They have the opportunity to study with outstanding faculty from leading conservatories and orchestras, and interact with professional chamber music groups.