String Leadership Institute - June 14-18, 2026

The String Leadership Institute at K-State is a unique music camp experience for high school orchestra students.

Rooted in the belief that leadership begins with connection to others, students will have the opportunity to explore a variety of community building activities aimed at providing musical and leadership experiences that are meaningful and inspiring.

Students will reside on the K-State campus throughout the duration of the camp and will have the opportunity to experience...

* Large Ensemble & Chamber Music Coaching.

* Leadership Training & Team Building Activities

* Exciting Performance & Cultural Opportunities

* Music Service Projects & Call Hall Ice Cream!

Registration, Tuition, & More

The String Leadership Institute at K-State has received a generous donation that will continue to reduce the cost to for all students who wish to participate in SLI 2026. In addition, scholarships as high as $400 per camper are available for applicants with registrations submitted by April 1, 2026.

Tuition

$475 - Resident Campers (Includes All Meals, Housing, Instruction, Activities & Supervision)

$350 - Commuter Campers (Includes all of the above excluding housing)

Registration & Scholarship Application Process

Initial registration forms and videos are due:

* April 1, 2026 for students wishing to apply for a scholarship (Detailed scholarship information at the bottom of this page).

* April 15, 2026 for all other student applicants.

Step 1: Complete the SLI Registration Form which includes a $75 deposit (refundable until May 15).

Step 2: Submit a Performance & Interview Video. All videos should include:

1. A short (2-3 minutes) performance video demonstrating your playing abilities. Your video can include a performance of your most recent solo repertoire, or orchestral excerpts if you don't have a solo prepared at this time. This performance will be used to assess which chamber ensemble you will work with, so make sure to submit a performance that best exemplifies your musical skills and abilities.

2. A short interview video answering prompts found within the Performance & Interview Video submission form.

Scholarship applicants must have Steps 1 & 2 completed no later than April 1. Students who apply for a scholarship will be notified of their scholarship status no later than April 15, 2026.

Step 3: Complete the following tasks no later than May 15, 2026:

1. Complete the online SLI Student Contract Form.

2. Download the SLI Parent/Guardian Permission Forms Packet, complete the forms and then return the completed forms via email, fax, or U.S. post—this contact information is available within the packet.

3. Make Your Final Tuition Payment Online

Step 4: Get ready to have fun! Once you are registered and all items submitted, we will send music for you to prepare for the week as well as detailed information about the camp.

If you have any questions throughout the registration process, please reach out to SLI Camp Coordinator, Russell Clark (reclark@ksu.edu).

Scholarships!

Thanks to a generous contribution from an anonymous donor, we now have a large number of full (minus $75 deposit) and partial scholarships available for students wishing to participate in SLI. If you have any questions about the scholarship process, please contact Camp Coordinator, Russell Clark (reclark@ksu.edu).