Sandbox Percussion Seminar

July 16-22, 2025

Sandbox Percussion Summer Seminar

The New School

Join The New School College of Performing Arts’ celebrated Ensemble-in-Residence, Sandbox Percussion in NYC at their 10th annual Summer Seminar, featuring a collaborative workshop and performance of Seven Pillars by Andy Akiho, newly appointed to the composition faculty at The New School College of Performing Arts.

ABOUT THE SUMMER SEMINAR

Sandbox Percussion is thrilled to celebrate their Summer Seminar’s 10th year with a collaborative performance of Andy Akiho’s complete Seven Pillars. In this intensive experience, participants will learn, rehearse, and perform alongside Sandbox Percussion through daily rehearsals, coachings, and workshops. We are excited to invite Andy Akiho to join us for part of the week to coach Seven Pillars and offer masterclasses and discussions on his music and career as a composer. Participants will be divided into multiple chamber groups, each performing a different movement from Seven Pillars. Each group will consist of one member of Sandbox Percussion and three participants. These groups rehearse for several hours each day – vigorously studying and learning the music more deeply than ever before. We will present Seven Pillars in its entirety in a public performance on July 22.

CHAMBER MUSIC INTENSIVE

Sandbox Percussion is happy to include a concurrent Chamber Music Intensive (CMI) for advanced participants. This program is specifically designed for those seeking an immersive chamber music experience that simulates the experience of having your own chamber music group composed of your peers. These participants will be placed in an independent group and assigned one movement of Seven Pillars to rehearse and perform on their own. They will receive intensive coaching from all four members of Sandbox Percussion as well as “sit-in” sessions, where one or two members of Sandbox will join in to play and rehearse with the group.

Both individuals and pre-existing ensembles are invited to apply for the Chamber Music Intensive.

OBSERVATION PASS

Open to participants of all ages.

We are delighted to offer an Observation Pass for the Summer Seminar, open to everyone of all ages – from students to hobbyists to professionals. Observation Pass participants will be able to observe all performance classes, Sandbox Percussion masterclasses, and guest artist seminars. They will also be given priority seating at the final Seminar concert.

TUITION AND HOUSING

Cost of attendance is $1,100 + $40 New School registration fee for the entire program and includes all rehearsals, master classes, lectures, and performances. Tuition is non-refundable and non-transferable.

Cost of the Observation Pass is $300 + $40 New School registration fee and includes access to the Performance Classes, Guest Seminars, and priority seating at the Seminar concert.

Housing is available to Seminar and Observation Pass participants ages 18 and older. Please indicate your interest in housing on the application form.
The cost of housing at The New School is $522 + $45 linen fee.

SEMINAR PARTICIPANT APPLICATION PROCESS

Please note that students must be at least 16 years of age by July 1, 2025 in order to participate in the Summer Seminar.

Deadlines

February 28, 2025 / Early Decision
April 30, 2025 / Regular Decision

All students must submit an application below and will be required to provide the following:

Written OR selfie-style video response (approximately 250 words OR a 1-minute video) explaining why you want to come to the Sandbox Percussion Seminar and/or the Chamber Music Intensive, what you are hoping to learn, and what you are hoping to share.

Two links to recordings (preferably video) of yourself playing:
- One solo on a mallet instrument
- One contrasting piece of your choice, on an instrument of your choice

Applicants who would like to be considered for the Chamber Music Intensive will additionally be asked to provide the following:

PRE-EXISTING ENSEMBLES: A list of all group members (NB: each member must submit an application form), as well as any additional information you would like to share about your group.

ABOUT SANDBOX PERCUSSION

Ensemble-in-Residence at the College of Performing Arts

Described as “exhilarating” (The New York Times) and “utterly mesmerizing” (The Guardian), GRAMMY®-nominated ensemble Sandbox Percussion brings out the best in composers through their unwavering dedication to artistry in contemporary chamber music. Sandbox Percussion captivates audiences with performances that are both visually and aurally stunning, solidifying them as leaders in the fields of contemporary music and percussion. Brought together by their love of chamber music and the simple joy of playing together, Jonathan Allen, Victor Caccese, Ian Rosenbaum, and Terry Sweeney engage a wider audience for classical music through multidisciplinary collaborations with today’s leading artists.

ABOUT ANDY AKIHO

Andy Akiho is a “trailblazing” (Los Angeles Times) Pulitzer Prize finalist and seven-time GRAMMY®-nominated composer whose bold works unravel intricate and unexpected patterns while surpassing preconceived boundaries of classical music. Called “increasingly in-demand” by The New York Times, Akiho has earned international acclaim for his large-scale works that emphasize the natural theatricality of live performance. He is the only composer to be nominated for a GRAMMY® in the Best Contemporary Classical Composition category in 2022, 2023, and 2024.