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Fine Arts Festival
Formally known as Music Festival
Music Festival to Fine Arts Festival
Every year, the Department of Music at Southwestern Adventist University has the pleasure of hosting an exclusive festival for high school and academy musicians. The festival features a variety of opportunities for instrumentalists and vocalists, including the opportunity to perform in a world premiere at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas.
In addition to the festival ensembles, elite musicians have the opportunity to audition for a chance to win a music scholarship. Students who audition have the chance of being selected as a scholarship finalist, the opportunity to perform in a showcase recital, and will be reimbursed for their transportation, food, and lodging.
Every year, the Festival continues its tradition of bringing both musical masterworks and new music to the stage. The Southwestern Music Festival has featured artists such as Eriks Esenvalds, Kim Andre Arnesen, Craig Courtney, and American composer Brandon A. Boyd.
View Images from last year's festival.
View album from 2024
Painting & Drawing Submissions
All high school students are eligible to participate in the Fine Arts Festival by submitting and having their current artwork accepted. Upon registration, juniors and seniors become eligible for a $10,000 fine arts scholarship. Scholarships will be awarded based on the judge's decision.
Project Criteria
The artist may choose their favorite painting or drawing medium. The subject is their interpretation of music with a cultural connection to their heritage. Submitted art pieces must be no larger than 18x24.
Submission Criteria
Participants must submit a 200-400 word description of their art piece. The description should share details about how the artist chose their subject, what it represents, and how it relates to their heritage. Participants must also submit a professional photo of themselves. The submission deadline for the completed artwork is March 13, 2025.
Submit your projects by emailing Marcela Wall at marcelaw@swau.edu
Festival Ensembles
Ensemble audition deadlines are now TBD.
How do I apply for a Festival Ensemble?
Applicants for a festival ensemble must submit high-definition, landscape video recordings of their audition. Please submit "Public" or "Unlisted" YouTube links only.
Vocal auditions
Audition Requirements
Submit Vocal Audition
Instrumental auditions
Audition Requirements
Submit Instrumental Audition
Teachers and chaperones
Festival Ensembles
Ensemble audition deadlines are now TBD.
How do I apply for a Festival Ensemble?
Applicants for a festival ensemble must submit high-definition, landscape video recordings of their audition. Please submit "Public" or "Unlisted" YouTube links only.
Vocal auditions
Audition Requirements
Submit Vocal Audition
Instrumental auditions
Audition Requirements
Submit Instrumental Audition
Teachers and chaperones
Weekend Schedule
Thursday
10:00 a.m. - Main Registration (Mabee Center Lobby)
11:00 a.m. - Rehearsal
12:30 p.m. - Lunch
2:30 p.m. - Rehearsal
4:30 p.m. - Orchestra to Cafe
5:00 p.m. - Choir to Cafe
5:00 p.m. - Full Orchestra Rehearsal
6:30 p.m. - Full Choir Rehearsal
Friday
8:30 a.m. - Breakfast
10:00 a.m. - Rehearsal
12:00 p.m. - Lunch
1:30 p.m. - Rehearsal
5:30 p.m. - Dinner
7:30 p.m. - Music Vespers (Keene SDA Church)
Sabbath
9:15 a.m. - Breakfast (Gathering Place)
10:00 a.m. - Elevate (Keene SDA Church)
12:30 a.m. - Festival Lunch
1:00 p.m. - Depart for Fort Worth
2:00 p.m. - Rehearsal
4:00 p.m. - Southwestern Hymn Festival (St Stephen Presbyterian)
5:45 p.m. - Depart for Southwestern
6:30 p.m. - Dinner
7:30 p.m. - Rehearsals
Sunday
10:00 a.m. - Big Brunch (Pick Up Sack supper)
11:00 a.m. - Rehearsal
1:00 p.m. - Load
1:30 p.m. - Depart for Dallas
2:45 p.m. - Arrive at Meyerson
3:00 p.m. - Dress Rehearsal
5:30 p.m. - Doors Open
6:00 p.m. - Concert
What is a Festival Scholarship?
Each year the Department of Music at Southwestern Adventist University (SWAU) awards thousands of dollars in scholarship money to elite musicians. Music Festival Scholarships are awarded to talented high school juniors and seniors selected by faculty from the Department of Music. The faculty selects a number of students from submitted auditions to be scholarship finalists.
Scholarship finalists are featured as soloists at Southwestern Adventist University’s Festival Showcase Concert and are eligible for a scholarship toward their first year of study at SWAU. Southwestern Adventist University covers travel, food, and on-campus lodging costs for each student finalist.
How do I apply for a Festival Scholarship?
Applicants for a Festival Scholarship must submit high-definition, landscape video recordings of their audition pieces. Please submit "Public" or "Unlisted" YouTube links only.
Music requirements for vocalists and instrumentalists
*Scholarship applicants looking to participate in the music festival must also submit an Ensemble Application separately.*
A Night at the Meyerson
Join us for this annual night of grandeur
We invite you to join us for an unforgettable evening of promoting musical achievement and benefiting scholarships for the program's young musicians.
A Night at the Meyerson
Join us for this annual night of grandeur
We invite you to join us for an unforgettable evening of promoting musical achievement and benefiting scholarships for the program's young musicians.
Johnathan E.L. Wall
Since arriving at Southwestern Adventist University in 2009, Jonathan Wall has provided unparalleled music opportunities to the Southwestern community. He is the director of choral and vocal studies, working with students to help them develop into talented and professional musicians.
Under Jonathan’s guidance, the Southwestern University Singers have grown into an elite international touring ensemble, known for their variety-filled programs, exquisite harmonies, and expressive interpretation of text. In addition, Jonathan is the founder and director of the Southwestern Recital Series, a concert series designed to feature students, faculty, and guest musicians, hosted on the Southwestern campus. The series has produced more than 70 concerts since its premiere.
Dr. Rogério Nunes
Brazilian violinist and violist Rogério Nunes holds a DMA in violin performance, with a minor in viola from the University of Georgia, where he was awarded a graduate assistantship. He also worked in his DMA in viola performance at the University of North Texas, where he was awarded the MDF (Master and Doctoral Fellowship) from the Toulouse Graduate School.
In Brazil, Rogério was a concertmaster and soloist of many orchestras and recorded as soloist of the Astor Piazzola’s Las Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas, among others.
At the University of Georgia, he was awarded the March Moody Scholarship in Violin and the Director’s Award. Rogério has performed, recorded, and toured in the US and Brazil as a soloist with the ARCO Chamber Orchestra. He also has toured with the University of Georgia faculty quintet and taught master classes in Brazil.
Jonathan Mamora
Acclaimed for his “most assured pianism” (The Dallas Morning News) and “larger than life [playing]” (New York Concert Review), Indonesian-American Jonathan Mamora is a pianist and educator who strives to uplift and positively influence others using music as a means for service.
He has performed throughout North America, South America, Europe, and Asia, and is a prize-winner of several piano competitions, most recently winning first prize in the Scottish, Maria Canals Barcelona, Olga Kern, AntwerPiano, Dallas, and Palm Springs international competitions. He made his concerto debut at the age of 13 and he has since performed with such orchestras as the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfònica de Madrid, Orquestra Simfònica Sant Cugat, New Mexico Philharmonic, and Dallas Chamber Symphony, among others. Upcoming engagements in the 2024-2025 season include concerto performances with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Orquesta Ciudad de Granada, Bilbao Orkestra Sinfonikoa, and solo performances in Scotland, Barcelona’s L’Auditori, Salt Lake City’s Gina Bachauer Festival, and the Chautauqua Institute.
Jonathan often performs as a collaborative pianist for vocalists, instrumentalists, ensembles, and choirs. He also values education as an important tool in music making, currently serving as Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Keyboard and Theory Studies at Southwestern Adventist University in Keene, Texas.
Jonathan is a candidate for the Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance and Literature at the Eastman School of Music, studying with Douglas Humpherys, whom he served as studio assistant. He received his Bachelor of Music from La Sierra University and Master of Music from The Juilliard School. Previous teachers include Elvin Rodríguez and Hung-Kuan Chen.
Johnathan E.L. Wall
Since arriving at Southwestern Adventist University in 2009, Jonathan Wall has provided unparalleled music opportunities to the Southwestern community. He is the director of choral and vocal studies, working with students to help them develop into talented and professional musicians.
Under Jonathan’s guidance, the Southwestern University Singers have grown into an elite international touring ensemble, known for their variety-filled programs, exquisite harmonies, and expressive interpretation of text. In addition, Jonathan is the founder and director of the Southwestern Recital Series, a concert series designed to feature students, faculty, and guest musicians, hosted on the Southwestern campus. The series has produced more than 70 concerts since its premiere.
Dr. Rogério Nunes
Brazilian violinist and violist Rogério Nunes holds a DMA in violin performance, with a minor in viola from the University of Georgia, where he was awarded a graduate assistantship. He also worked in his DMA in viola performance at the University of North Texas, where he was awarded the MDF (Master and Doctoral Fellowship) from the Toulouse Graduate School.
In Brazil, Rogério was a concertmaster and soloist of many orchestras and recorded as soloist of the Astor Piazzola’s Las Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas, among others.
At the University of Georgia, he was awarded the March Moody Scholarship in Violin and the Director’s Award. Rogério has performed, recorded, and toured in the US and Brazil as a soloist with the ARCO Chamber Orchestra. He also has toured with the University of Georgia faculty quintet and taught master classes in Brazil.
Jonathan Mamora
Acclaimed for his “most assured pianism” (The Dallas Morning News) and “larger than life [playing]” (New York Concert Review), Indonesian-American Jonathan Mamora is a pianist and educator who strives to uplift and positively influence others using music as a means for service.
He has performed throughout North America, South America, Europe, and Asia, and is a prize-winner of several piano competitions, most recently winning first prize in the Scottish, Maria Canals Barcelona, Olga Kern, AntwerPiano, Dallas, and Palm Springs international competitions. He made his concerto debut at the age of 13 and he has since performed with such orchestras as the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfònica de Madrid, Orquestra Simfònica Sant Cugat, New Mexico Philharmonic, and Dallas Chamber Symphony, among others. Upcoming engagements in the 2024-2025 season include concerto performances with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Orquesta Ciudad de Granada, Bilbao Orkestra Sinfonikoa, and solo performances in Scotland, Barcelona’s L’Auditori, Salt Lake City’s Gina Bachauer Festival, and the Chautauqua Institute.
Jonathan often performs as a collaborative pianist for vocalists, instrumentalists, ensembles, and choirs. He also values education as an important tool in music making, currently serving as Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Keyboard and Theory Studies at Southwestern Adventist University in Keene, Texas.
Jonathan is a candidate for the Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance and Literature at the Eastman School of Music, studying with Douglas Humpherys, whom he served as studio assistant. He received his Bachelor of Music from La Sierra University and Master of Music from The Juilliard School. Previous teachers include Elvin Rodríguez and Hung-Kuan Chen.