Decoda Chamber Music Festival 2026 Information

application deadlineS:

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February 1, 2026 - Early Bird Application Deadline ($25 application fee)
    *After February 1st, a $50 application fee will be applied

March 1, 2026 - Application Deadline
All scholarship materials due

March 15, 2026 - Notification of Acceptance

Who Should Apply?

Join the Decoda Chamber Music Festival (DCMF) for twelve inspiring days of world-class music-making with the Affiliate Ensemble of Carnegie Hall. DCMF Festival Artists are immersed in chamber music at the highest artistic level while building the skills to engage meaningfully with diverse audiences and communities. Participants become part of the Decoda family through personalized mentorship, dynamic collaborations, and transformative performance experiences—from community-based projects to public concerts that create real and lasting impact. Be challenged. Be inspired. Become the kind of artist who makes a difference.

  • Individual Instrumentalists and Preformed Ensembles who play violin, viola, cello, bass, piano, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn
    (other instrumentalists are also welcomed to apply)

  • Performer-Composers  participating in both mediums at DCMF 

  • Applicants must be 18 or older by June 15, 2026

  • DCMF Festival Artists are undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate musicians, who are from a variety of colleges, universities and conservatories from around the world.

This Festival is for YOU if you love chamber music and are interested in creating a more compassionate and connected world through music!

General information

Join Decoda—Carnegie Hall’s Affiliate Ensemble—in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains for twelve unforgettable days of creativity, chamber music, and community. Set on the beautiful campus of Warren Wilson College, the Decoda Chamber Music Festival (DCMF) offers a focused, energizing environment where artists dive deeply into chamber music and the art of meaningful audience engagement.

Festival participants rehearse, perform, and collaborate side by side with Decoda faculty and guest artists, exploring repertoire from the baroque to today’s newest works. Small ensembles receive personalized coaching while learning best practices for impactful community engagement in a wide range of settings. At DCMF, Festival Artists explore what it means to make music that truly matters—connecting artistry with community. 

Applications are open to instrumentalists ages 18+ on violin, viola, cello, bass, piano, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, and other instrumentalists interested in working with Decoda. Preformed ensembles are strongly encouraged to apply for this rare chance to work closely with an ensemble built and run by its own artists.

DCMF also welcomes Performer-Composers. These participants join a chamber ensemble, work with Decoda’s Brad Balliett (bassoon/composition), and workshop works-in-progress with Decoda faculty and festival artists. For 2026, Performer-Composers will also have a session with Pulitzer Prize–winner Caroline Shaw—an extraordinary opportunity for creative development and mentorship.

Curriculum includes  

  • DCMF Festival Artists are placed in two dedicated chamber ensembles that rehearse daily and receive regular coachings from Decoda faculty. Each ensemble performs multiple times throughout the session—in both community settings and formal concert venues.

  • Daily “Town Halls” where Decoda faculty and participants explore essential topics for today’s artist, including:

    • Mission / Vision 

    • Community-Building Through Music

    • Speaking from the Stage

    • Programming and Framing

    • Creative Composition

    • Entrepreneurship and Careers in the Arts 

  • Festival Artists gain real-world experience through performances in diverse community venues, such as retirement communities, day centers for adults living with brain injuries, and women’s correctional facilities. Decoda faculty provide guidance and best practices for tailoring and framing performances to connect meaningfully with each audience.

  • Participants may also take optional private lessons with Decoda artists, focusing primarily on chamber repertoire, with opportunities for solo work at the discretion of the faculty. Musicians are encouraged to seek lessons outside their primary instrument to broaden their artistic perspective.

Sample daily schedule

7:30 - 8:45am Breakfast
9am - 10:50am Chamber Group Coachings
11am - 12pm Town Hall with the entire DCMF Community
12pm - 1:30pm Lunch
1:30 - 3pm Chamber Group Coachings
3:30 - 5pm Private lessons/individual practice
5pm - 6pm Bird watching, hikes, ultimate frisbee, and other fun activities!
6pm - 7pm Dinner
7:30pm master classes, workshops, performances, and community building activities

Tuition — Room & Board

Tuition: $1,800
Room and Board: $1,150, which includes

  • Double occupancy in air conditioned dorms

  • Three hot meals a day on a farm-sustained campus; vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options will be available at each meal

payment schedule

After scholarship award (if applicable) and $100 deposit are applied, the remaining balance will be split into three equal payments:

  • Payment 1: Due April 30, 2026

  • Payment 2: Due May 30, 2026

  • Final Payment: Due June 12, 2026

Application Fee: $25 before Feb 1; $50 after
Deposit: $100 due April 15, 2026 (non-refundable)

Financial Aid Information

At DCMF, we believe that exceptional artistry and meaningful community work should be accessible to all musicians—regardless of financial circumstance. To support this commitment, we offer need-based scholarships. All applicants who request financial aid will be reviewed by a panel. Awards are determined based on demonstrated financial need, application materials, and available funds.

To be considered for a DCMF Scholarship, please submit:

  • Recent Tax Return: The first two pages of your most recent tax return (or a parent/guardian’s if you are a dependent).

  • Personal Statement: A brief statement describing your interest in the festival, your financial circumstances, and how a DCMF scholarship would support your artistic growth.

Please submit all scholarship materials by March 1, 2026 to DCMF@decodamusic.org.

*Note: financial aid is awarded on an individual basis, not by group. Each member of a pre-formed ensemble who wishes to apply for financial aid must also submit one solo video in addition to the group’s videos, along with the normal fellowship application.

FAQ

  1. Who will be on faculty at DCMF this summer?
    Brad Balliett - bassoon and composition; Claire Bryant - Festival Director and cello; Catherine Gregory - flute; David Kaplan - piano; Clara Lyon - violin
    Guest Artists: Ringdown - Caroline Shaw & Danni Lee Parpan
    Additional faculty to be announced 

  2. Where will performances be held?
    There are many opportunities to perform at DCMF! This summer, participants will perform on campus, as well as in several venues in the community of Asheville and Swannanoa, North Carolina.

  3. What is the age limit?
    DCMF welcomes college-level and pre-professional  musicians to apply; ages 18+. If you have specific questions, please email us at dcmf@decodamusic.org

  4. When do I arrive and depart?
    Arrival: by 4:00 PM on Monday, June 15, 2026
    Departure: by 10:00 AM on Friday, June 26, 2026

  5. Where can I fly in?

    Asheville Regional (AVL) is the closet airport to Warren Wilson College; Greenville/Spartanburg International (GSP) is about a 90 minute drive, and Charlotte-Douglass International (CTL) is 2 hours away.

DCMF takes place on the campus of Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, North Carolina.
For questions about applications, scholarships, or for any other information please email DCMF@decodamusic.org.