The Akropolis Chamber Music Institute (ACMI) is a week long summer festival held at and in partnership with Interlochen Center for the Arts.
ACMI invites creative composers, innovative performers, and rising ensembles to come together for a rigorous week of chamber music, world premieres, and professional development. ACMI's goal is to launch your career as a 21st century artist through the highest level of performance, dedicated 1-on-1 mentorship, direct collaboration with Akropolis including performing side by side with Akropolis members, and lasting relationships.
Approximately 4 composers, 16 individual instrumentalists, and 2 resident ensembles will be accepted to ACMI 2026.
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
June 6 - 14 at Interlochen Center for the Arts
Who Should Apply to ACMI?
Applications are welcome from:
Individual instrumentalists
Composers
Pre-formed Ensembles
Individual Instrumentalists
The following instrumentalists are encouraged to apply! If you do not see your instrument or discipline in the following list, please send us an email at info@akropolisquintet.org and we'd be happy to consider your application. The following instrumentalists are encouraged to apply:
Woodwinds
Piano
Percussion
Brass
Strings
Composers
Undergraduate, graduate, and professional level composers are encouraged to apply! If you are currently a student, a concentration or degree pursuit in composition is encouraged for applicants, but not required.
Pre-Formed Ensembles
ACMI encourages applications from pre-formed chamber ensembles. At this time, we are not able to offer a group tuition pricing, so each individual member is responsible for the individual ACMI tuition rate. Members of pre-formed ensembles are eligible for scholarships.
Working with Akropolis
As a GRAMMY® award-winning, "sonically daring ensemble" with a "wonderfully fresh sound" (BBC Music Magazine) we have won several national competitions and graced the Billboard Charts three times, all in an ensemble type that has virtually no precedent in classical music. We found our voice through the reed quintet, and we've never looked back. Since our founding 17 years ago, Akropolis has reached thousands of individuals hoping to succeed in classical and contemporary music, and we have given more than 300 master classes, coachings, and entrepreneurship workshops at colleges and universities of all stripes.
As leaders in the chamber music community, ACMI is our opportunity to help the next generation of artists stand out, find their voice, and build a sustainable career they love. This is the festival WE would have wanted to attend as early career new music chamber artists, and we want to help you have a vibrant, impactful, and artistically fulfilling career. Our goal is to help you thrive and make your artistic mark! If we can do it as an ensemble that started as nothing more than an undergraduate reed quintet, so can you.
A Typical Day at ACMI
The Interlochen environment mirrors life as a professional independent artist and is modeled after how Akropolis has worked and grown together for the last decade. Each day offers a balance of coaching, rehearsal, composing, practice, creative brainstorming and actualization, and personal free time. Akropolis values individual free time as much as rehearsal time, and places an emphasis on participants having ample time to socialize, rest, recover, and be present.
As an example, a typical day would be:
Breakfast
Two morning rehearsal blocks
Lunch
Two afternoon rehearsal blocks
Dinner
Evening career development, master class, or performance event
Additional actives built into the schedule include:
Composer and Instrumental showcase presentations
Guest Artist sessions
1 on 1 lessons with Akropolis
Lake time and recreation
Individual Instrumentalist Program
For the individual instrumentalists accepted, you will be given the opportunity to perform and premiere new music in multiple recitals side by side with Akropolis members, receive extensive artistic instruction from Akropolis, receive professional level recordings of your concerts and world premieres, discuss personalized career advancement strategies and entrepreneurial practices, and experience the warm support of the Interlochen community in a world-renowned arts institution.
Individual instrumentalists accepted will receive:
The opportunity to perform in chamber ensembles side by side with Akropolis members
Lessons and coachings with Akropolis
Multiple performance opportunities
Individual master class and studio opportunities
The opportunity to give the world-premiere performance of a new work created by one of the ACMI composers
High quality audio and video recordings of your performances
Access to the world class facilities and recourses Interlochen has to offer
Individualized entrepreneurship and career development sessions including with guest faculty Pascal Le Boeuf
Professional connections
Lifelong relationships with participant and Akropolis colleagues
The composers-in-residence at ACMI will create a new work for Akropolis which will be extensively workshopped at ACMI and premiered during the 26/27 season, as well as a new work for the ACMI instrumentalists which will be premiered at ACMI.
The composers accepted will receive:
A live premiere of their newly composed work for ACMI instrumentalists and Akropolis members
A live world premiere of their new work for Akropolis during Akropolis' 26/27 season
Workshops with Akropolis on both works
A high quality audio and video recording of the work created for ACMI
Dedicated composing time
One-on-one consultations with Akropolis
A private lesson and additional workshops with guest faculty, Pascal Le Boeuf
Access to the world class facilities and resources Interlochen has to offer
The sheet music for both their works published in the Akropolis Collection catalog
Individualized entrepreneurship and career development sessions
Lifelong relationships and professional connections with participant and Akropolis colleagues
Composer Program
Resident Ensemble Program
A mentor for dozens of successful ensembles and an inspiration for many more, Akropolis designed a pre-formed ensemble track that they believe would have benefited them most during their critical development stage. The ACMI pre-formed ensemble track is designed for direct-with-Akropolis, in-depth instruction and organizational development for the next generation of chamber ensembles. The pre-formed ensemble track is for serious ensembles looking to take the next step both musically and organizationally, looking for direct feedback intended to make the biggest impact as quickly as possible. ACMI resident ensembles will not perform side by side with Akropolis or take part in premiering the works by the ACMI composers, but will interact closely with all other participants in workshops, meals, and beyond, and will receive a dedicated recording session produced by Akropolis, a dedicated shared recital, and multiple personalized workshops with Akropolis members.
The ensembles accepted will receive:
A dedicated recital hosted at Interlochen Center for the Arts
Extensive ensemble coaching from Akropolis members and guest artists
Competition preparation, repertoire, and programming support
In-depth business analysis and financial blueprint for a growing organization
Touring and gig support, including fee structures and best negotiation practices
A recording session produced by Akropolis at the state of the art recording studio at Interlochen Public Radio
Access to the world class facilities and resources Interlochen has to offer
Lifelong relationships and professional connections with participant and Akropolis colleagues
About Interlochen Center for the Arts
Since 1928, Interlochen has offered an immersive arts experience that fosters a sense of closeness discovered only through a deep, shared appreciation. Generations of artists and arts enthusiasts have experienced the special and intangible magic that transpires on Interlochen's beautiful campus, nestled between two pristine lakes and surrounded by quiet pines in northwest Michigan.
A true artist's retreat, Interlochen invites students grades 3-12, as well as adults of all ages, for powerful arts education programs designed to hone their skills and nurture their humanity. The depth and breadth of our offerings is unmatched. This community transcends backgrounds and beliefs, borders and barriers: here, we are all united through the universal language of the arts.
The umbrella organization, Interlochen Center for the Arts, encompasses seven distinct program areas, each founded to propel arts education and engagement: Interlochen Arts Camp, Interlochen Arts Academy, Interlochen Online, Interlochen Public Radio, Interlochen Presents, Interlochen Hospitality, and Interlochen College of Creative Arts.
The Akropolis Chamber Music Institute is proudly hosted through the Interlochen Center for the Arts. Learn more here.
