Pre-College Opportunities
Schoolwide
Dates: Ongoing
Webpage: Concurrent Enrollment
Questions: youthoptions@uwm.edu, (414) 416-4364
UWM offers programs for students interested in taking courses for college credit. To learn more about programs, admission processes, and deadlines, visit UWM’s Concurrent Enrollment page.
- Students must have a 3.5 GPA in their desired area of study and/or overall GPA. Students who are near this requirement may still be admitted with departmental approval.
- Students must be on track to meet UWM’s admission guidelines in regards to course completion.
Art & Design
Dates: Most Wednesdays during Fall & Spring Semesters
Webpage: Artists Now!
Contact: art-info@uwm.edu
A Wednesday evening lecture series designed for a broad audience with an interest in contemporary visual art. It presents a diverse group of artists working across traditional, hybrid and emergent disciplines. Join these nationally and inter- nationally recognized practitioners as they explore and expand the boundaries of creative visual practice today.
Dates: Summer Sessions
Webpage: ArtsECO Pre-College Program
Questions: artseco-admin@uwm.edu
ArtsECO stands for Arts Education/Community Ecosystem. Centered out of UWM’s Peck School of the Arts Department of Art & Design, it develops teachers as change-makers. ArtsECO is backed by a strong and sustainable community of arts organizations, non-profits and K-16 school partnerships. The program recruits and develops thoughtfully engaged, social justice-oriented pre-service teachers and supports them as they grow into inspired mentors who integrate the arts into the classroom. The program develops teachers’ abilities to leverage and share the rich assets of Milwaukee and Southeastern Wisconsin.
Dates: May–August
Webpage: Summer Workshops: Jewelry & Metalsmithing and Digital Fabrication & Design
Contact: Erica Meier, meierea@uwm.edu
Investigate a variety of techniques and processes and learn new ways to solve problems while exploring your creative potential.
Dance
Dates: Ongoing
Webpage: Free Dance Class Opportunities
Questions: dance-admission@uwm.edu
Interested in learning about a day in the life of UWM dance majors? Join us for a Technique class with first year majors to discover what it’s all about!
Dates: Nov. 19, 2022 | Feb. 3, 2022 | Feb. 4, 2022
Webpage: High School and Studio Workshop Days
Questions: dance-outreach@uwm.edu
Join us on the UWM campus for a behind the scenes look into the creative process of dance including a performance by the UWM Dance Department, a Q&A session with choreographers and performers, and workshops designed to showcase life as a Peck School of the Arts dance student.
Dates: July 26–30, 2021 (8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.)
Webpage: Summer Dance Intensive for High School Students
Questions: dance-outreach@uwm.edu
This week-long face-to-face workshop is led by dance professors whose portfolios range from Cirque du Soleil to Switzerland, Beijing to the Pilobolus. High school students will work with acclaimed dance educators in daily workshops to prepare for college auditions, performance competitions and build esprit de corps among emerging dance artists.
Film
Dates: June 19–23, 2023 OR June 25–30, 2023 (9 a.m. – 4 p.m.)
Webpage: Summer Film Camps
Questions: Lilly Warren, film-admission@uwm.edu
The Department of Film, Video Animation & New Genres is offering TWO summer film camp programs in June of 2023! The Summer Film Camp Day Program offers daily production activities June 19-23 and The Summer Film Camp Overnight Program offers daily production activities and evening entertainment with overnight accommodations June 25-30.
Limited enrollment available to rising 9–12 graders.
Dates: December 16–17, 2022, 7:00 p.m.
Webpage: Senior Screenings
Questions: film-admission@uwm.edu
Preview bodies of work from undergraduate seniors, and get to know current students and faculty. This bi-annual festival, hosted at our award-winning Union Cinema, shows work from the current semester’s graduating class.
Music
Dates: November 18–22, 2022
Webpage: Middle School Honors Band Festival
Questions: ms-honors-band@uwm.edu or (414) 229-5641
This festival provides the region’s top middle school instrumentalists an opportunity to work with each other and with nationally recognized wind band conductors. In addition, students participate in master classes with the UWM Department of Music’s performance faculty, and they hear performances by UWM ensembles.
Dates: February 17, 2023 | 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Webpage: Prelude: Day in the Life of a Music Major
Contact: music-admission@
Prelude: Day in the Life of a Music Major is a FREE event for high school musicians featuring faculty performances, breakout sessions by primary instrument/voice, large ensemble rehearsals, an interactive music theory class, and more from the Peck School of the Arts Department of Music.
Dates: Friday September 16, 2022 (8 a.m. to Noon)
Webpage: Sing Out! Tenor-Bass Festival
Questions: Dr. Zack Durlam, durlam@uwm.edu
Formerly the Real Men Sing Festival, the Sing Out! Tenor-Bass Festival is now open to all current and emerging tenors and basses in grades 7–12. No advance preparation necessary. Students will be organized into a middle school and high school choir, and the morning concludes with performances from both ensembles. Interest and reading sessions are available for directors.
Dates: Ongoing
Webpage: UWM String Academy
Contact: uwm-stringacademy@uwm.edu
The UWM String Academy offers students between the ages of 4 and 18 a comprehensive musical education with a focus on the violin or viola.
Dates: Ongoing
Webpage: Suzuki & Pre-College Guitar
Contact: Elina Chekan, youthguitar@uwm.edu
Our Pre-College Guitar Programs offer comprehensive guitar and music instruction for children and teens of all skill levels aged 5-18. Through lessons and performance opportunities, students gain a solid foundation in classical guitar, equipping them with the basic skills required to be versatile in any style.
Dates: Mondays, Fall & Spring Semesters
Webpage: University Community Band
Questions: community-band@uwm.edu or (414) 229-5641
Director: Dr. John Climer
The University Community Band (UCB) is a concert band open to community members ages 18+ and to students at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Dates: Wednesdays, Fall, Spring & Summer Semesters
Webpage: University Community Orchestra
Questions: uco@uwm.edu
Director: Margery Deutsch
This ensemble invites advanced beginners or skilled amateurs (ages 12 and older) to rehearse and perform together. It is open to anyone who can read music and enjoys playing classical symphonic and pops repertoire.
Dates: Saturday, February 3-4, 2023
Webpage: Vocal Arts Festival
Questions: vocal-arts-festival@uwm.edu
An opportunity for talented high school singers to interact with, perform for, and join their voices with peers from around the region. Participating students will have the chance to learn and grow as both soloists and choral artists.
Dates: Sunday April 23, 2023 (12–6 p.m.)
Webpage: Wisconsin Saxophone Clinic
Questions: Nicki Roman, romann@uwm.edu
The Wisconsin Saxophone Clinic (WiSC) aims to empower and inspire saxophonists of all ages to pursue musical excellence through an accessible and inclusive day of learning.
Dates: Tuesdays, Fall & Spring Semesters
Webpage: Youth Horn Choir
Questions: Greg Flint, horn-studio@uwm.edu
The Milwaukee Youth Horn Choir provides the unique opportunity for young and talented horn players to explore the art of music making and horn playing on the UW-Milwaukee campus with the Associate Professor of Horn, Greg Flint. Participants will be placed into chamber ensembles, where they will rehearse music that is specific to the horn and perform a concert at the end of the eight week rehearsal cycle. In addition, horn players will learn about proper playing technique, tips for excellent intonation & rhythm, and general ideas about rehearsal etiquette.
Dates: Thursdays, Fall & Spring Semesters
Webpage: Youth Jazz Ensemble (UJAY)
Questions: Rosemary Walzer, rewalzer@uwm.edu
The UWM Youth Jazz Ensemble is an audition youth group featuring high school students from all over the Greater Milwaukee Area. The group provides the experience of being in a professional-style jazz ensemble, including instruction from UWM instructor and saxophonist Rosemary Walzer, as well as numerous performing opportunities.
Dates: Tuesdays, Fall & Spring Semesters
Webpage: Youth Wind Ensemble and Percussion Program (UWAY)
Questions: uway-info@uwm.edu
UWAY provides the regions finest woodwind, brass, and percussion students the opportunity to rehearse and perform the best of traditional and contemporary repertoire in an artistic environment with other likeminded musicians. Students are led by artist-faculty from UW-Milwaukee, and work closely with other musical members of the university community.