12th Season
June 21 - August 1, 2026
Opportunities of a lifetime begin with a Full-Tuition Scholarship for every accepted student.
Our Focus
-
Two 1-hour private lessons per week
Three hours of pre-scheduled individual practice time each day
-
Two 1-hour coachings per week
1.5 hours of pre-scheduled student-led rehearsals each day
-
Two 2-hour rehearsals per week
-
Four 1-hr classes per week in Improvisation, Stage Presence, Public Speaking, Performance Training, Drama, Painting, Dance, etc.
-
Outstanding Musicianship Award - performance with Faculty on a future season
Solo Competition - winner performs with orchestra on final concert
Annual Chamber Music Competition - special concert appearances and prizes
-
Each week students attend exhilarating chamber music concerts performed by the Rushmore Concert Artists, the faculty performing collective.
"Rushmore Music Festival is one of the very few, and certainly the best, program like this available to young musicians."
— Philip Setzer, Emerson String Quartet
INTENSIVE ENVIRONMENT
Student alumni of the Rushmore Music Festival have been accepted into prestigious institutions such as The Juilliard School, New England Conservatory, Oberlin Conservatory, Indiana University, Yale University, Harvard University, Brown University, among others. Some have received full scholarships at music conservatories and others made a conscious choice to keep music in their lives by forming their own chamber groups while pursuing other dreams. What is truly special about our program is its ability to forge lasting friendships and build community through the shared experience of artistic passion, unparalleled work ethic, and the highest standard of musical excellence.
ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY
Each summer, the students and faculty come together to inspire and uplift our communities through classical music by offering both in-person and livestreamed concerts. Rather than adhering to the traditional use of program notes, every work is introduced by one of the performing artists, who leads the audience through their own brief interpretation and the piece’s historical and emotional highlights. This introduction serves as a launching pad for the listeners’ imagination and understanding of the work and allows them to absorb a more creative, meaningful, and personal rendering of the performance. Through the Audience Engagement curriculum, students are empowered with skills in public speaking, stage presence, and freedom of expression.
Independence. Sustainability.
Did you know that Rushmore Music Festival has permanently relocated to Rapid City after a 6-year residency at Black Hills State University in Spearfish, SD? In order to make the Festival available tuition-free for every accepted student, we had to beat the inevitable rising costs & build our own grounds. Learn more about our incredible journey below!
