Home » Blog » String Students Earn Spots in Distinguished Graduate and Summer Programs

String Students Earn Spots in Distinguished Graduate and Summer Programs

Violinist Nicholas Whitley ’25 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) has been accepted as a teaching assistant at University of Miami’s Frost School of Music. He will receive a stipend and free tuition (worth $200k) to attend the school for his master’s degree in violin performance.

Whitley and Gabrielle Gans ’25 (Bachelor of Music in Performance) have been invited to attend the American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS) Festival in Graz, Austria, this summer after successfully passing their auditions. The program prepares young artists for a professional career in music by offering instrumentalists the chance to perform under the baton of some of Europe’s most dynamic conductors.

A string quartet made up of Gans, Whitley, Steven Gestrich ’25 (Bachelor of Music in Performance – Viola) and Matthew Reffner ’25 (Bachelor of Music in Performance – Cello) has been invited to attend the DaPonte String Quartet Institute in Bath, Maine, after being accepted through their submitted performance recording.

“I’m truly happy to see so much positive momentum,” said Victor Brown Endowed Chair in Violin and Professor of Violin Akemi Takayama, D.M.A.

Categories:

Recent News

Shenandoah University student Ellie Hoover '28 (in blue top) with others under a tent during her Community Impact Internship with Winchester Rescue Mission in summer 2026.

Internships With a Community Impact

New program pairs Shenandoah University students with nonprofits for work experience

September 2026 Class Notes

September 2026 Class Notes

Aerial view of Sarah's Glen on Shenandoah University's campus.

Shenandoah Introduces Virtual Engagement Officer To Bolster Alumni And Donor Connections

New VEO is an interactive, 24/7 resource that will handle routine inquiries and streamline the community’s access to SU information

An empy wooden bench beside a pond with a fountain and gazebo in the background.

Shenandoah University Adds New Academic Programs For 2026-27

New offerings include three master’s degrees and two undergraduate certificates

Monthly Archives