SAWS Strings Student Festival

SAWS Annual Strings Student Festival

Location: 10207 NE 183rd St, Bothell, WA. Ample parking and various quick bite options nearby for lunch.

Date: Saturday, October 25, 2025, 8:30-3:15; Graduation concert at 4:15

Families! Come to our signature event, an institute-in-a-day workshop held every October, open to violin, viola, cello, guitar and bass students in mid Book 1 through Book 6 (no pretwinkle or early book 1 program this year). We are excited to have guest clinician, Carey-Beth Hocket here to teach many of our group classes. 

This year all students will receive 4 classes:

• Semi-Private Lesson (Masterclass)
• Repertoire Class
• Technique Class
• Creative Music Theory Class

Also: Before lunch, students will get a “recess” in a supervised area with toys, games, and art projects so that parents are free to enjoy an inspiring half-hour Parent Talk. At the end of the day, we will reconvene for a group concert.

Click here to register for the festival* (registration opens September 10th)

Graduation concert: This concert is available for those who participated in the SAWS Graduation Program last spring. This means that you and your teacher prepared a video of you performing a graduation piece, uploaded it to our website, and you received written comments in August. In the fall, we celebrate by combining all graduates to perform onstage together, accompanied by piano. This is available as a standalone event or can be combined with festival registration. You will have a rehearsal beforehand, and the concert goes from 4:15-5:15.

Register here to attend ONLY the graduation concert. Registration Closes October 5th

Schedule

• 8:00 – 8:20 Student Check In

• 8:30-8:50 Opening Ceremony

• 9:00 – 9:50 Hour 1

• 10:00-10:50 Hour 2

• 11:00-11:30 Refresh Room (Fellowship Hall)/ Parent Talk (Sanctuary)/ Faculty Lunch (Music Rm)

• 11:30-12:25 Student Lunch (pack a lunch or buy something nearby)/ SAWS Members Meeting and Lunch (faculty lunch continued)

• 12:30 – 1:20 Hour 3 

• 1:30-2:20 Hour 4

• 2:20 – 3:10 Play Down / Closing Ceremony

• 3:10 – 4:00 Grad Concert Rehearsals

• 4:15 Graduation Concert All festival participants are welcome to watch. Come support the graduates and see high quality performances from book 1-10!

Click here to register for the Festival. *Registration closes October 5th

*A parent needs to be present with all students under age 12. Students age 12 and over can attend the festival without a parent, though they need to plan to stay in the building for the day (and bring a packed lunch).

Travel Stipend: A $75 stipend is available for families traveling more than 3 hours (each way) to come to the festival. Please email us to request a stipend (sawsfestival@gmail.com)

Preparing for Festival: Students should do extra work reviewing all the pieces they know in their current book for the repertoire class. Book 1 and 2 students should have all the pieces they know reviewed.  In addition, all students should review what they know from this list for the Play-Down Concert at the end of the festival. Graduation participants need to have their graduation piece performance ready.

Please email sawsfest@gmail.com with questions/concerns