The development of emerging artists is an essential part of the mission of Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts. In 1991, Will Crutchfield gathered together young singers and began producing opera in the Music Room. The following year, then Artistic Director André Previn initiated the Rising Stars Program by inviting eight young instrumentalists to join distinguished artists for a week of chamber music activities. Shortly thereafter, Misha Dichter and Peter Oundjian began conducting master classes as part of the annual summer International Music Festival. Through these programs Caramoor has identified some of the finest musicians of the next generation and helped them cross the threshold from their student years into the early stages of their professional careers.

Now in its seventeenth year, the Rising Stars Program is co-directed by Pamela Frank and Peter Oundjian.
Ms. Frank and Mr. Oundjian search for young musicians with the talent, personality, and musicality to best benefit from this program and place them in ensembles for an intense week of rehearsals and coaching sessions. The week culminates in two exciting public performances.  This year, violinist Pamela Frank is assisted by distinguished artists—violist Atar Arad and cellist Ronald Thomas—who mentor and coach the young musicians and perform with them in the ensembles.

Following their participation in these workshops, the Rising Stars have been invited to return to Caramoor to give recitals in the Music Room and to participate in the Festival. A select few have appeared as soloists with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s during the Festival.

These return visits have been fulfilling for all involved and prompted the question of what to call this ever growing body of Rising Stars alumni. The answer came during the concluding week of the 1999 Festival, when 24 Rising Stars came together under the name Caramoor Virtuosi.  The Virtuosi are now the resident ensemble for one week of the Festival every year and perform concerts in both the fall and spring during the Caramoor Indoors series.

As the years have passed, alumni of the Rising Stars Program have established themselves in the world of classical music performance, building reputations and making connections with audiences around the world.