Summer Festival
2025 Southwestern Youth Music Festival
CSULB Bob Cole Conservatory of Music
July 12 (SAT), July 13 (SUN)
July 19 (SAT), July 20 (SUN), July 22 (MON)
SYMF Summer Festival Rules & Regulations
The SYMF Summer Festival is held in Southern California and runs two weekends (five days), usually in mid-to-late July and/or early August, at the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at Cal State University Long Beach (CSULB).
The SYMF Summer Festival offers categories for Piano, Strings (violin, viola, cello), and Winds (flute, clarinet). Categories include opportunities for students to perform solo works, duets, ensemble repertoire, and concerto literature. Categories accommodate the age and level of the student.
Complete information and Repertoire Lists (if applicable) are available on the Rules & Regulations webpage (please click on link).
Only teachers who are members of SYMF may enter students in the SYMF Summer Festival.
The tentative 2025 schedule is as follows (and is subject to change):
July 12–13
- Young Musicians categories
- Ensemble categories
- Piano Open categories
- String Open categories
- Wind Open categories
July 19–20
- String Open and Qualified categories
- Wind Qualified categories
- Piano Qualified (and possible Piano Open) categories
July 20
- Festival Orchestra Concert featuring the winners of the Young Musician categories
SYMF 2025 Teacher Membership Dues: $80
All fees must be paid ONLINE and are NON-REFUNDABLE.
Deadline for submitting SYMF 2025 Teacher Membership Dues
May 1, 2025 (11:59 PM PT)
After May 1, 2025, Member Dues: $100 (includes $20 late fee)
Dates & Deadlines
May 1
Last day for TEACHERS to pay SYMF 2025 Membership Dues without a $20 Late Fee
May 15
Last day for TEACHERS to pay SYMF 2025 Membership Dues with a $20 Late Fee
May 15
Last day for TEACHERS to enter students for the 2025 Festival
(teachers must use the online Student Entry Form) without the $10 late fee PER ENTRY
May 22
The absolute last day to enter students
May 23
The last day for parents to pay student entry fees
REMINDER: students entered between May 16 and May 22 will incur a late fee of $10 PER ENTRY
SYMF 2025 General Information
As we gear up for this summer’s competition, SYMF is tentatively planning on the following:
- Auditions will be open to the public but may be limited in audience size.
- First place winners will be invited to perform at a Winners Recital on the same day of the category’s audition.
- There will be no warm up rooms.
SYMF Accepted Scores for Performers and Adjudicators
SYMF-Accepted-ScoresParking
- Visit https://web.csulb.edu/colleges/cota/music/maps/ for the most recent parking instructions and maps from CSULB for the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music.
- The Bob Cole Conservatory of Music is located on the northeast corner of CSULB, at the intersection of Atherton Street and Palo Verde Avenue.
- Use parking lots G12 and the Palo Verde North Parking Structure located on the northeast corner of the campus.
Young Musicians categories
- Pianist, Violinist/Violist, Cellist, Flutist/Clarinetist Categories
- First Place winners have the opportunity to perform as concerto soloists with the Festival Orchestra.
- Please Note: TEACHER MAY NOT ACCOMPANY STUDENT
Piano Open categories
- Concerto
- Classical Complete Work
- Solo
- American
- Baroque
- Chopin
- Duo/Duet
- Ensemble
- Chamber Music
Piano Qualified categories
- Concerto
- Classical Complete Work
- Solo
- American
- Baroque
- Chopin
- Duet
- Ensemble
String Open & Qualified categories
- Solo
- American
- Baroque
- Duet
- Chamber Music
Wind Open & Qualified categories
- Solo
- American
- Baroque
- Duet,
- Chamber Music
Trophies
- 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th-Place winners receive trophies with personalized name plates
Adjudicator Assistants (Room Captains)
- Students ages 16 and older may apply for paid job opportunities as Room Captains