INTEMPO and Orchestra Lumos Announce Artist-in-Residence Program for Emerging Young Violinists

INTEMPO and Orchestra Lumos Announce Artist-in-Residence Program for Emerging Young Violinists
Selected Artist Receives Exclusive Use of a Rare Violin for Two Years

Stamford, CT ( January 5, 2026) — INTEMPO, an award-winning music education nonprofit celebrating its 15th anniversary, is proud to announce the launch of an innovative artist-in-residence program designed for emerging young violinists seeking career support. For a term of two years, INTEMPO will provide the rising artist with the exclusive use of an 1880 Giuseppe Sgarbi violin that was given to INTEMPO by an anonymous donor. Access to this rare violin, which has an appraised value of $65,000 - $100,000, will propel the artist’s career forward. Additionally, the residency will provide performance and teaching opportunities at INTEMPO, a $10,000 annual stipend, an annual commissioned work, and concert appearances with Orchestra Lumos, Fairfield County’s foremost professional orchestra, led by renowned conductor Michael Stern. This program was made possible, in part, by the Alphadyne Foundation, with additional support from Karthik Venkataraman.

Lou Chen, CEO of INTEMPO, describes the ideal applicant as possessing not only performance ability but also a commitment to education and community engagement. “We are looking for an artist who understands the importance of building community and giving back through the arts,” says Chen. “We hope to identify someone who will enrich the whole music ecosystem in Fairfield County, from our students to concertgoers.” INTEMPO students will gain the opportunity to participate in regular masterclasses with the artist, learning from a near peer who models exceptional musicianship. Concertgoers will gain the opportunity to see the artist perform Latin American music in INTEMPO’s Cultural Crossover Concert and Hispanic Heritage Month Concert Series, a concerto in Orchestra Lumos’ season opener concerts on October 24 and 25, 2026, and chamber music in Orchestra Lumos’ Small Space Series.

“At the heart of the mission of Orchestra Lumos is the idea that music and music-making are both transformational, especially for young people,” said Michael Stern, music director of Orchestra Lumos. “Our partnerships across Fairfield County play a vital role in our successes to bring music and our musicians ever closer to young people, and no organization has been fighting this good fight with more meaningful impact and vision than INTEMPO. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to collaborate in different ways, and this new residency is yet another energizing step taken together towards making music and the arts more and more central to the next young audiences and budding young artists in our community.”

A Rare Violin, A Rare Opportunity

Most notable among the residency’s multiple career-advancing opportunities is the Sgarbi violin loan. Chen points out that it is highly unusual for a rare violin to be donated to a music education nonprofit like INTEMPO and even rarer for such an organization to create a residency that uses the violin to level the playing field. “Without a high-quality instrument, your career opportunities stall, no matter how talented a musician you are,” said Chen. “Unfortunately, instruments like our Sgarbi are often prohibitively expensive and out of reach for deserving young artists. This residency will help close the instrument opportunity gap.” Adds Jane Alpert, board co-chair of INTEMPO, “The high cost of music instruction and instruments is a barrier to access for many families. We hope that our artist-in-residence program will also draw attention to our students’ need for quality instruments, whether they are beginners starting on their music journey or advanced students playing at a high level of accomplishment.”

The application is now open and will close on March 29, 2026. The subsequent three-round selection process will feature a distinguished panel of judges from INTEMPO (CEO Lou Chen, director of development Robbin Juris, teaching artist Darwin Shen, lead teaching artist Geo Suquillo, and volunteer Ethan Petno) and Orchestra Lumos (music director Michael Stern and concertmaster Deborah Buck). The panel will also include leaders from the wider classical music field, including violist Jordan Bak, violinist Stefan Jackiw, Houston Symphony concertmaster Yoonshin Song, and Princeton University Concerts director Marna Seltzer.

“INTEMPO is a stellar organization that does the vital work of providing musical opportunities to young instrumentalists,” said violinist Stefan Jackiw. “I’m so looking forward to hearing from the outstanding applicants.”

All applicants will be asked to submit short essays, and finalists will participate in interviews, lead masterclasses with INTEMPO students, and perform a new work by INTEMPO teaching artist Icli Zitella. Following a public final-round recital on May 23, the winner will debut as INTEMPO’s inaugural artist-in-residence in a solo recital on June 12.

Through their involvement with both INTEMPO and Orchestra Lumos, the artist-in-residence will invigorate Fairfield County’s cultural landscape while demonstrating possible career pathways in music for the next generation. “It is our hope that an INTEMPO student could one day become a competitive applicant for this residency,” said Chen.

Visit www.intempo.org to apply.

About INTEMPO

Founded in 2011, INTEMPO teaches multicultural and classical music to children predominantly from immigrant backgrounds. We reach over 700 children annually across our afterschool, in-school, summer, and partnership programs in Lower Fairfield County, CT. We have received national recognition for our music education and youth development efforts, including the 2022 Lewis Prize for Music Accelerator Award and the 2019 Adolf Busch Award. For more information, please visit: www.intempo.org.

About Orchestra Lumos

Formerly known as Stamford Symphony, Orchestra Lumos is the preeminent orchestra serving all of Fairfield County, CT. Orchestra Lumos is expanding in multiple dimensions, bringing more of the music you love throughout Fairfield County. Our mission is to present exceptional musical experiences, from awe-inspiring concerts with world-renowned soloists to family-friendly programs that captivate all ages. We’re also expanding our reach with intimate performances in smaller spaces,

hands-on education programs, and community presentations across the county. While our home base is The Palace Theatre in Stamford, you can also experience our music in venues from Greenwich to Bridgeport, including local libraries, schools, museums, breweries, places of worship, and community centers. For more information, please visit: www.orchestralumos.org.