EMF, a classical music summer program based at Guilford since 1961, has record enrollment with 286 talented young artists between the ages of 14 and 23. There are about 63 faculty members including 10 new members, the largest number in program history.

“This will be the first year since 2019 that things will feel somewhat normal (after the COVID-19 pandemic). We are thrilled. The programming is spectacular this summer,” says Erika Frazier, Media and Communications Director for EMF.

The school includes a Classical Guitar Summit (July 15-29), which Charles A. Dana Professor of Music Kami Rowan founded in 2015 and continues to serve as a faculty member.

Beginning June 24 the festival will include 26 paid events over the five-week season, mostly on campus at Guilford, and many other free events on and off campus. On Saturdays, the Joseph M. Bryan Jr. ’60 Festival Orchestra Series with the Eastern Festival Orchestra led by maestro Gerard Schwarz will feature:

• William Wolfram, faculty member, piano, July 1
• Gil Shaham, guest artist, violin, and 2022 Rosen-Schaffel winner Winfred Felton, bassoon July 8
• Drew Petersen, guest artist, piano, and faculty members Jeff Multer, violin, and Julian Schwarz, cello, July 22
• Awadagin Pratt, guest artist, piano, July 29

The full schedule and ticket information is available on the EMF website.

Conferences, camps and workshops draw additional guests

Guilford is hosting a range of other activities including, currently, about 90 youth leaders in the Campus Greensboro Fellows two-day leadership training. This weekend the College welcomes eight doctoral students to its inaugural, six-day Dissertation Boot Camp, where faculty will assist them with dissertation writing. N.C. Yearly Meeting holds a conference involving about 100 Quakers in July.

As always, sports camps are abundant throughout summer in basketball, volleyball, soccer, softball and baseball. Twelve camps were scheduled on campus beginning June 12, along with several baseball tournaments. In addition, there’s a summer adult basketball league and informal basketball play, “Geezerball,” twice a week.

And all this is in addition to a second overnight session of Guilford Orientation the next two days for some of the 400 first years entering the College in August and their families.

Multiple campus improvement projects in process

Typically, summer is a time for sprucing up the campus before the new academic year begins. Larger projects this year include replacement of roofing on the north end of Frank Family Science Center, renovation of the grill downstairs in Founders Hall and repairs to the steam line that provides heat and hot water to many buildings. The outfield wall at McBane Field (baseball) has been freshly painted.

In early July the College launches the Workday platform for finance, human resources and payroll after a major, year-long project involving dozens across campus. Training on the new system for staff, faculty and students begins this week.