2011-2012 Season Sponsors

Prelude's current season is supported in part by the Fund for Arlington and the Community Fund for the Arts of the Arlington Community Foundation. This program is also supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, and by Arlington County through the Arlington Commission for the Arts and the Cultural Affairs Division of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources.

Testimonials

“What a magical concert. I do love chamber music so much and everything was wonderful. Thank you so much for this group. It has been indescribably helpful to my son. He constantly craves more difficult music now all the time!”

A Prelude parent (December 2010)

“The Prelude Youth Orchestra program has the most creative musical training curriculum of any youth orchestra I know. Jennifer Wade has crafted something really special, developing the WHOLE musician.”

Helen Fall, Past-President
Virginia String Teachers Association (VASTA)

“I’ve liked the pieces and how the 2 hours [of rehearsal] are different. I have had a lot of fun and look forward to it every week.”

14-year-old Prelude violinist

Jennifer Wade, Conductor

Jennifer Wade is a successful violin/viola instructor, maintaining a large, competitive private studio for students of all ages, and an active freelance musician, performing regularly throughout the D.C. Metropolitan area. Ms. Wade’s thoughtful and respectful approach to working with young string players has earned her recognition from professional colleagues and a number of educational groups, through her service as judge, guest clinician, and chamber music coach.

In recent years, Jennifer has served as a judge for the Northern Virginia Music Teachers Violin Concerto Competition, the District XII Orchestra Festival, the Fine Arts Apprentice Program, and the Reflections Contest. Additionally, Jennifer has worked with several local schools in leading sectional rehearsals and coaching chamber ensembles. Her professional affiliations include membership in the Music Teachers National Association, the American String Teachers Association, the Suzuki Association of the Americas and all local chapters of the aforementioned groups.

As a performer, Ms. Wade has played with a number of the area’s most prestigious ensembles including the Washington Concert Opera, the Cathedral Choral Society, the National Philharmonic, the Choral Arts Society of Washington, the Ammadeus Orchestra, the Virginia Consort, and many others. Her love of performing is matched only by her commitment to nurturing a new generation of classical musicians.

A native Arlingtonian, Ms. Wade has always held very close ties with the orchestra programs in Arlington County, both in and out of the Arlington Public School System. Having participated in many of these programs as a student, Ms. Wade is highly motivated to give back to the community in artistic and educational capacities. Drawing from her experiences as an Arlington student, and later from her experiences as a private teacher with the majority of her students living in Arlington, Jennifer sees a need for a high quality intermediate string ensemble. Meeting this need has been the impetus for the formation of Prelude.