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The Vic Firth

SUMMER INSTITUTE

The Vic Firth Summer Institute is an elite, week-long percussion experience for serious players ready to level up. Set on the campus of the University of Maine, the program blends world-class instruction, hands-on performance, and exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the Vic Firth factory — creating a one-of-a-kind mix of musical growth, industry insight, and creative community.

ENROLL NOW
  • World-Class Faculty

    World-Class Faculty

  • Daily Performance & Technique Classes

    Daily Performance & Technique Classes

  • Chamber Music & Ensemble Experiences

    Chamber Music & Ensemble Experiences

  • Specialized Workshops & Labs

    Specialized Workshops & Labs

  • Immersive, Community-Focused Environment

    Immersive, Community-Focused Environment

  • BONUS: Vic Firth Factory Experience

    BONUS: Vic Firth Factory Experience

    Get exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the Vic Firth factory — a private, insider experience you simply can’t book or get anywhere else.

  • Program dates

    Program dates

    May 31st, 2026 to June 6th, 2026

  • Program Length

    Program Length

    6 Days.

  • Age Range

    Age Range

    18 to 25 years old.

  • Tuition & Registration

    Tuition & Registration

    Tuition includes housing, meals, instruction, campus activities, and exclusive access to the Vic Firth factory, including hands-on experiences with prototype products.

    - Early Commitment Rate (Feb 1–15): $1,495
    - Standard Tuition (Feb 16–Mar 1): $1,695
    - Final Enrollment Rate (Mar 2–Mar 15): $1,895

    Enrollment is limited. Early registration is strongly encouraged.

  • Attendance Limit

    Attendance Limit

    25 attendies.

  • Location

    Location

    The University of Maine Campus

Vic Firth on Education

"Persistent hard work to achieving one’s goals is something I have always admired and encouraged to all students in not just music, but in life as a whole."

MEET THE FACULTY

The Vic Firth Summer Institute faculty represents a diverse group of internationally respected performers and educators drawn from leading university programs and professional performance careers. Together, they bring deep experience across orchestral, chamber, contemporary, and experimental percussion, offering participants a rare opportunity to study with artists who are actively shaping the future of percussion performance and education.

  • Bonnie Whiting – Universityof Washington

    Bonnie Whiting – Universityof Washington

    Bonnie Whiting performs, improvises, and creates new music for percussion. Exploring intersections of storytelling and experimental music, her work integrates text, movement, and technology. Her solo albums of music for speaking percussionist can be heard on the Mode Records (2017), New Focus (2020) and Neuma (2026) labels, and her original music with James Falzone (clarinets) and Lisa Cay Miller (prepared piano) can be heard on Six Artifacts (Allos Documents, 2024). Recent projects include an extractable cycle composed by Eliza Brown and 10 incarcerated musicians/writers, an expansive new theatrical collaboration with Wang Lu, the world premiere of Jonathan Bingham’s percussion concerto with the National Symphony Orchestra, and performances on the original Harry Partch instrumentarium.  She is the on-stage percussionist in the multimedia opera The Ritual of Breath Is the Rite to Resist, featuring productions at Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City, The Hopkins Center at Dartmouth, and at Stanford Live. Her collaboration with multimedia artist Afroditi Psarra generated < null_abc> (Zero Moon records). Their project with designer Audrey Desjardins transcoding data from IoT devices as performance received a Mellon Creative Fellowship, lives as an interactive net art installation, and was explored in workshop at the 2020 Transmediale Festival. She is percussionist and Co-Artistic Director of Seattle Modern Orchestra, and Chair of Percussion Studies/Donald E. Petersen Endowed Associate Professor of Music at the University of Washington in Seattle. Learn more here.

  • Clara Warnaar

    Clara Warnaar

    Clara Warnaar is a percussionist, drummer, composer, and educator. A member of the long-running International Contemporary Ensemble, Clara finds herself in the heart of new music-making, playing and producing. Ms. Warnaar has also appeared as a guest artist with renowned groups such as Yarn/Wire, the Bang on a Can All-Stars, and Ensemble Signal. Her deep interest in new music is evident in her active premiering of new works by emerging and interdisciplinary artists, as well as her collaborations with acclaimed composers such as Ted Hearne, Missy Mazzoli, Courtney Bryan, Felipe Lara, Ellen Reid, Ash Fure and Steve Reich. Her versatility extends beyond the concert hall—Clara has appeared on Broadway in Into the Woods and can be heard on film soundtracks including White Noise, The Fate of the Furious, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Originally from Los Angeles, Warnaar is based in New York City and Ithaca, where she is on faculty at Ithaca College for the 2025-2026 academic year. Clara completed her musical studies at the Manhattan School of Music, the Conservatorium van Amsterdam and Interlochen Arts Academy, where she’s now on faculty for the summer’s Percussion Intensive

  • Mike Competello

    Mike Competello

    Michael Compitello is a percussionist and collaborator whose work explores how people connect, create, and learn through music. As a performer, Compitello is known for sustained and dynamic collaborations with composers that foreground the expressive and poetic potential of percussion instruments. With cellist Hannah Collins as the “remarkably inventive and resourceful” (Gramophone) New Morse Code, Michael has created a singular and personal repertoire through collaboration with some of America’s most esteemed young composers.
    Michael also performs with The Percussion Collective. In addition to
    performing, Compitello’s research focuses on multidisciplinary approaches to musical learning, practice design, collaboration, and peak performance. His first book, Unsnared Drum Lab will be released in 2026, and he shares his ideas through his newsletters (Learn with Mike and Learning Percussion) as well as the Mikedrop Podcast. Michael is Associate Professor of Percussion at Arizona State University, and holds degrees from The Yale School of Music and the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University. For more information, learn more here.

FAQ

What is included with enrollment?

Enrollment includes access to all scheduled classes, ensembles, workshops, special events, housing, meals, and the Vic Firth factory experience.

Who is the Vic Firth Summer Institute designed for?

The Vic Firth Summer Institute is designed for percussionists 18 years of age and older, including advanced students, college-level musicians, and emerging professionals seeking focused, high-level instruction.

What styles and areas of percussion arecovered?

The institute primarily focuses on orchestral and chamber percussion, with additional exploration of contemporary techniques, ensemble performance, and professional development topics.

Where does the institute take place?

The Vic Firth Summer Institute is held on the campus of the University of Maine.

What does a typical day look like?

Each day features a thoughtfully balanced schedule of performance classes, ensemble rehearsals, workshops, and faculty-led sessions, allowing for both intensive study and collaborative learning.

Who will be teaching at the institute?

Participants study with an accomplished faculty of professional percussionists and educators, including Bonnie Whiting, Clara Warnaar, and Mike Competello.

Is there a Vic Firth factory visit included?

Yes. Enrollment includes an exclusive visit to the Vic Firth factory, offering articipants insight into the craftsmanship and design behind Vic Firth sticks and mallets.

Is housing and food included?

Yes. Housing and meals are provided for all enrolled participants throughout the duration of the institute.

Do I need to bring my own instruments andequipment?

No, participants do not need to bring their own instruments.  Everything needed for the week will be provided, including sticks and mallets.

Is an audition required to attend?

No. An audition is not required to attend the Vic Firth Summer Institute.

Is travel included?

No. Travel to and from the University of Maine is the responsibility of the attendee.

How do I register?

Registration details and instructions can be found on this page. Space is limited and early registration is encouraged.