Boston University Tanglewood Inst.

Hello! My name is Gillian Hilscher, I’m a junior in high school, and I play the viola. I was recently accepted to the Viola Workshop and Young Artists Orchestra at the competitive Boston University Tanglewood Institute, an eight-week conservatory-style summer program for aspiring young musicians from all around the world. Attending this intensive training program would allow me to study with some of the best classical musicians in the world, giving me the opportunity to learn, grow, and prepare myself for next year’s conservatory auditions.

I am extremely grateful to have received a $5,500 scholarship to this program, but I still need to raise $3,000 in two months to cover the remaining tuition. This puts a big financial strain on my parents, who have already spent so much on private lessons, youth orchestra programs, my instrument, and other expenses. I am so thankful for all of their support and would love to ease a bit of this financial burden. Any contribution toward the remaining tuition would be greatly appreciated, as it would make my attendance at Tanglewood possible. 

Music holds a very special place in my life, so I would be overjoyed if I am able to attend Tanglewood this summer and learn from amazing professionals and talented peers. I have been blessed with the opportunity to attend other prestigious summer music festivals for the past two years, so I know how life-changing these programs are. I was a member of the National Youth Orchestra 2’s inaugural season in 2016, and last year I earned the full tuition Interlochen Orchestral Scholarship to Interlochen’s Advanced String Quartet Summer Program (check out the videos below to listen to some of my performances with these two incredible ensembles!). The program at Tanglewood would challenge me and give me invaluable musical experiences that would otherwise be unavailable to me here in South Dakota. It would mean the world to me if you could give any amount to this fund and help further my musical study. Please share this page with family and friends, and thank you for taking the time to read my story!