Accepted Participant Check-List
Upload Your Materials to Confirm your Participation
Complete the Admitted Participant Form and upload the following:
1) Sign and date the Participant Agreement — Link to PDF
This includes important details about travel, media and publication, payment schedule, and our program’s code of conduct.
2) Submit a high-resolution color headshot (1–3 options)
Payment Links & Deadlines:
First Payment — Due March 14:
Second Payment — Due May 1:
Third Payment — Due June 15:
Spring Orientation, Workshops, and Lesson Timeline
Composition Deadlines:
March 1, 2026:
Instrumentations for your chamber ensemble assigned this date.
April 15, 2026:
A first draft or work-in-progress of the full score is due to the faculty for review
Submit a PDF here: April Deadline Dropbox File Request
June 1, 2026:
A close-to-final draft of the full score and parts for the performance faculty to practice is due
Submit PDF’s here: June Deadline Dropbox File Request
Online Meetings & Lessons:
Late March:
We will schedule an online orientation meeting with all community members to talk about the program timeline, expectations, and to answer any questions.
Zoom link for orientation: https://curtis-edu.zoom.us/j/8088434210
April 15 - May 1:
1-on-1 online lessons with composition faculty will be scheduled via Doodle Poll sign-up. (2 lessons)
May 1 - June 1:
A meeting with a member of your chamber ensemble and a member of the composition faculty will be scheduled to discuss any questions about your piece. (As needed.)
Summer Activities in Carmel Valley, CA
Check-In and Check-Out
Check-In: June 26, 2026 noon-5pm:
Arrange to arrive at Hidden Valley Music Seminars in Carmel Valley, CA during this time. The program begins at 5pm that day.
Hidden Valley Music Seminars
104 W Carmel Valley Rd, Carmel Valley, CA 93924
Check-Out: July 6, 2026 at 9am
Depending on your summer plans or travel schedule, you are also permitted to check out early after the final concert ends on July 5, 2025 at about 5pm local time.
Schedule
The in-person schedule will be released in early June. Here is a link to last year’s schedule if you’d like to get an idea of what to expect. The program offerings change year-to-year so the schedule is subject to change.
Travel Information & TipS
The closest airport to Hidden Valley is Monterey Regional Airport (MRY), and it is about 20 minutes by car. Other recommended travel routes include flying into San Jose International Airport (SJC) or San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and taking the Monterey Shuttle into Monterey offered by Groome Transportation.
You may also try to coordinate carpool arrangements with the other participants – ECI will provide contact information for all participants to coordinate carpools, if applicable.
Participants must provide their expected arrival and departure information to ECI no later than 2 weeks prior to arriving at Hidden Valley. A travel form will be distributed for you to tell us your travel plans.
Participants understand that travel planning and costs are their own responsibility.
If participants need to arrive before or leave after ECI provided accommodations, please contact eci@hiddenvalleymusic.org for recommendations.
For More information, visit Hidden Valley’s website at https://www.hiddenvalleymusic.org/getting-here.htm
Room and Board
Lodging:
Participants will stay at the Waddell Center Residence Hall at Hidden Valley Music Center. Please visit their website for more information about the accommodations and what to bring: https://www.hiddenvalleymusic.org/lodging.htm
Food:
All meals will be fully catered beginning the first evening with dinner and ending the final morning before check-out. If you have dietary restrictions, please indicate these in the Admitted Participant Form when confirming your participation.