About NOI+F

Photo by Geoff SheilThe University of Maryland’s National Orchestral Institute + Festival brings together aspiring orchestral musicians from across the country for a month of dynamic music-making and professional exploration. Chosen through a rigorous, cross-country audition process, these young artists present passionate and awe-inspiring performances of adventuresome repertoire at The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center and in the College Park, MD community. In 2019, conductor David Alan Miller and the NOI+F Philharmonic received a Grammy nomination in the “Best Orchestral Performance” category for their Naxos recording “Ruggles, Stucky, Harbison.”

Who is NOI+F looking for?

NOI+F recruits the finest young orchestral performers on the threshold of a professional career. Members are selected through a rigorous and competitive nationwide audition process. Members have a palpable passion for orchestral music and are ready to share its power with others while also renovating its presentation to reach new audiences.

What is the NOI+F experience?

NOI+F provides a month of intensive rehearsals, intimate masterclasses, insightful seminars and electrifying performances. Participants work closely with faculty drawn from leading North American symphony orchestras and conservatories. Conductors, rotating on a weekly basis, are visionaries on the podium and offer many decades of orchestral wisdom and leadership. NOI+F members are also active in our community during their residency. They engage with new audiences and perform in non-traditional venues. They meet supporters and even design pre-concert discussions! NOI+F participants are the future of our orchestral ecosystem!

When does NOI+F take place?

NOI+F members arrive at the University of Maryland campus on Wed, May 29, 2024 between 10AM and 3PM and depart on Thurs, July 11, 2024.

Where does NOI+F take place?

Most events take place in the University of Maryland's state-of-the-art Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. This 318,000-square-foot performing arts center houses acoustically superior concert and recital halls under the same roof as sound-isolated practice rooms and seminar facilities. Resident halls in various configurations (suites and apartments) are also located on the UMD campus and are a 12-15 minute walk from The Clarice. Campus shuttles and parking options are available. Conveniently located just nine miles from the heart of Washington, DC, the University of Maryland in College Park is the State of Maryland's flagship public research institution. The area's extensive mass transit systems allows reliable access to a vibrant cultural scene filled with historic venues and world-class performers.

Ω