Summer Strings Camp
Register below
Program Information
Open to rising 3rd-12th grade students with 1 or more years of violin, viola, cello, or bass experience. Students will have large group orchestra rehearsals and participate in instrument-specific sectionals. Students will be placed into an ensemble based upon their age, ability level, and years of experience. There are no auditions.
Early registration (March 20-May 31): $250
Late registration (June 1-June 20): $275
Last day to register: June 20, 2024
Activities includes: rehearsals, sectionals, concert performance.
Payment plans available. Contact us (admin@tcsyo.org) for more information.
Refund Policy
All refund requests must be made in writing and emailed to admin@tcsyo.org. Approved refund requests made on or before May 31, 2024 will receive a full refund.
Refunds will not be issued after June 1.
Low Enrollment/Cancellation Policy
We need a minimum number of participants in order to run the Summer Camp. Insufficient enrollment prior to the start of the camp may result in cancellation of the Summer Camp - if this is the case, all registrations will be refunded in full.
Sample Schedule
8:30 - Rehearsal
9:25 - Break
9:30 - Rehearsal
10:30 - Snack Break (bring your own or bring money to purchase)
10:45 - Sectionals
11:40 - Break
11:45 - All Groups Combined Rehearsal
12:30 - Dismissal
2024 Summer Camp Concert: Friday, June 28, 11:30am
Summer Camp Staff
Mrs. Diana Chou, Artistic Director
Conductor - String Ensemble, Prelude Orchestra
Diana Chou is a talented and engaging music educator, conductor, and cellist. She is currently the Artistic Director of The Capitol Symphonic Youth Orchestras, as well as Conductor for the Chamber Orchestra and String Ensemble. Mrs. Chou began her tenure with TCSYO in 2017 as the Prelude Orchestra Conductor; under her leadership, the program grew rapidly and String Ensemble was formed in the fall of 2019.
Mrs. Chou has been a devoted music educator since 2008, and has taught for Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) since 2013. She currently teaches orchestra at Sangster and White Oaks Elementary Schools and has organized many student performance events for her pyramid including Strings Extravaganza, Solo Spotlight, and Area Orchestra. She has been a mentor to many first year orchestra teachers and has hosted several student teachers from JMU and GMU. Mrs. Chou has also helped to develop FCPS and Virginia Department of Education Curriculum projects. She is an active freelance cellist in the Washington D.C. area and is a founding member of the Maestra Ensemble. She has performed concerti with the Manassas Symphony Orchestra, Fairfax Chamber Players, and Orchard Park Symphony Orchestra. Mrs. Chou was the associate conductor of the Fairfax Chamber Players from 2017-2019, coordinating concerts and the annual Concerto Competition.
Before moving to Virginia, she taught middle and elementary school orchestra for the Ithaca City School District. She served as Vice President of the Seneca Tompkins Music Educators Association from 2009-2013, and was the Chairperson for Area All State and All County festivals. Mrs. Chou was the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Ithaca Community Orchestra from 2011 to 2013. In 2013 she was named a Music Educator Grammy Award Quarter Finalist. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Ithaca College, and Master of Music in Conducting from Houghton University.
Mr. Austin Isaac
Conductor - Chamber Orchestra, Concert Orchestra
Austin Isaac is the high school orchestra director at Lake Braddock Secondary School in Burke, Virginia. He has taught orchestra at the elementary and secondary levels in both public and private schools in Virginia. He received his B.M. from James Madison University with a concentration in instrumental education and his master’s degree in education from George Mason University. As a composer, Austin has written works for string orchestra, full orchestra, and choir. His original works and arrangements have been selected as J.W. Pepper’s Editor’s Choice selections and have been published with Carl Fischer Publishing and Wingert-Jones Publishing. He has also served as a guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator for honor orchestras and state assessment performances in various regions of Virginia.
As a double bassist, Austin has been an active performer in a variety of orchestras in the Northern Virginia area. He has co-presented on improvisation in the instrumental classroom at the Virginia Music Educators Association (VMEA) in-service conference and has served on the VBODA Orchestra State Grading Committee. He has also served as a regional orchestra representative for the Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors Association (VBODA), and is currently the chairman of the orchestra sight reading committee for VBODA. Under his direction, the Lake Braddock Middle School Chamber Orchestra was invited to perform at the 2016 annual VMEA In-Service Conference and the Lake Braddock Symphony Orchestra was invited to perform at the 2020 Music For All National Orchestra Festival. Austin lives in Alexandria, Virginia with his wife Nicole and their two cats Lychee and BK.
Mrs. Lara Buchko, Violin
Lara Buchko is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and began the violin at the age of four. She studied with members of the Pittsburgh Symphony, Christopher Wu and Chia-Chi Lin. She received her Bachelor of Violin Performance degree from Penn State University and holds a Master of Arts in Music Education. Her teachers have included James Lyon, Julie Savignon, and Linda Cerone from the Cleveland Institute of Music.
Currently, Lara is the Orchestra Director and Fine Arts Chair at River Bend Middle School in Loudoun County Public Schools. Previously, she was the Orchestra Director at Timber Creek High School in Orlando, Florida. Lara has served as a guest clinician and orchestral strings coach for Loudoun & Orange County Public Schools, and The Capitol Symphonic Youth Orchestras in Fairfax, Virginia. She has been invited to adjudicate for the Prince William County Public Schools, Florida State Music Teacher’s Association orchestra assessment, and various solo & ensembles.
Lara has served as a violinist for Walt Disney World, Orlando Philharmonic, Florida Chamber Orchestra, and Brevard Symphony Orchestra. Currently, she performs with the National String Symphonia, Maestra Ensemble, and free-lances in the Washington DC area.
Lara is a member of the Virginia Music Educators Association, Virginia Band and Orchestra Association, and the National Association for Music Education.
Gabby Nguyen
Intern
Gabby has been playing violin for eight years and is currently in an advanced orchestra at Lake Braddock High School. She is currently serving on the Orchestra Leadership Board as Historian, and is the Community Service Coordinator on the Music Honors Society Executive Board. She has past experience working with students as a Camp Counselor at Fairfax City Camps. Gabby is a rising senior and an aspiring music educator. She is looking forward to gaining teaching experience with the TCYSO summer camp!
Questions? Contact us: (703) 638-9328 | admin@tcsyo.org