2026 STATE CONFERENCE

V I O L I N W O R K S H O P

SAturday, November 14, 2026

COORDINATOR: Tunde Gaal at gaaltunde@gmail.com

LOCATION: Princeton Theological Seminary 

IMPORTANT DATES:

• Audition Video Submission Deadline: Monday, October 19, 2026

• Workshop Date: Saturday, November 14, 2026

SCHEDULE (Tentative)

8:30 am - 9:00 am Registration and warm-up

9:00 am - 12:00 pm Master Class with Eric Wyrick

12:10 pm - 12:40 pm Teachers’ Panel

12:45 pm - 1:25 pm Princeton Violins Showcase with Jarek Powichrowski

1:45 pm - 2:45 pm Lunch - Mackay Campus Center

SPONSOR:

Violin Workshop is generously sponsored by Princeton Violins, LLC

Master Class with ERIC WYRICK

Congratulations to Our 2026 Violin Master Class Performers!

These young musicians will have the opportunity to work with the Concertmaster of the New Jersey Symphony Eric Wyrick on November 14 and further develop their musical artistry under his guidance.

Important Reminders:

• Performers are required to register for the Violin Workshop and stay for the entirety of the Master Class.

• The performance order, as determined by the guest artist, is listed below:

Performers and Repertoire

We congratulate all of our selected performers and look forward to their participation in this special musical opportunity during the NJMTA 2026 State Conference!

For more information and register for the workshop: https://www.njmta.com/violin-workshop

Violinist Eric Wyrick has been Concertmaster of the New Jersey Symphony since 1998. Recently retired from the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Eric had been a member of the internationally acclaimed ensemble for 38 years.

As soloist with the New Jersey Symphony, Wyrick has delighted New Jersey audiences with performances of the great solo violin repertoire ranging from unusual and underperformed works such as the Schumann, Strauss and Busoni violin concertos to presenting the complete Bach Brandenburg Concertos and the Vivaldi Four Seasons as soloist and leader. Wyrick has featured collaborations with contemporary local New Jersey composers Darryl Kubian and Steve Mackey in their solo compositions as well as a special revival of Princeton’s legendary Edward T. Cone Violin Concerto.

Eric has engaged in a multi-year career project, specializing in collaborative concerto performances: Double concertos of Bach, Brahms, Mozart, Rosza, Bottessini, Mackey, Schnittke and JP Joffre; and Triple concertos of Beethoven and Tan Dun.

As an active chamber musician, Wyrick can be heard frequently with the New Jersey Symphony Chamber Players and performs regularly with the Richardson Chamber Players.

Wyrick is a Lecturer at Princeton University and a frequent guest for coaching and masterclasses at music schools and festivals across the country.

MASTER CLASS:

• Audition Requirements:

• Eric Wyrick will select the students through an online video submission audition process 

• Young(any age) to collegiate students (teacher must be an NJMTA member) 

• Registration: Aug 10th to Sep 22th

• Video Audition Submission:

• Use a YouTube link (recording should be from no earlier than 6 months prior to November 1, 2025.)

• Make the video setting “public” or “unlisted”.

• In the video, applicant should be visible from the knee up

• Does not need to be a professional recording

• Recording of their best performance, piano accompaniment is not necessary

• Students who performed in the 2025 Violin Master Class are not eligible to audition for the 2026 Violin Master Class.

• Masterclass Requirements:

• Students do not have to perform the same piece in the master class, but the piece to be performed in the master class must be performance ready

• Must stay for the whole duration of master class

• An accompanist will be provided. Students are welcome to bring their own.

* All fees are non-refundable.

For any additional questions, please contact Tunde Gaal at gaaltunde@gmail.com

TEACHERS PANEL

”Strings Attached”: An Open Q&A Panel with Your Violin Teachers

Following the immense success of last year’s discussion, we are thrilled to bring back our interactive violin Q&A panel! 

Are you trying to navigate the daily realities of violin training? From managing tight schedules to keeping practice sessions productive, the musical journey comes with unique challenges. This interactive Q&A brings together a panel of master educators to share deep pedagogical insights and answer the questions you rarely have time to ask during busy weekly lessons.

Whether you are a parent supporting a young beginner or an advanced student preparing for auditions, our panel brings decades of collective teaching experience to help your studio families thrive. Each educator offers a unique teaching philosophy, providing diverse viewpoints on how to best support a student's growth.

This afternoon discussion is driven entirely by your questions. Come ready to gain valuable perspectives on:

• Smart practice frameworks shaped by years of studio experience across different developmental stages.

• Proven methods and teaching philosophies to maintain student motivation and prevent burnout.

• Practical tools and psychological insights for overcoming stage fright and performance pressure.

• Healthy balance between intensive music study, academics, and social life.

• Life skills and philosophies gained through music that apply far beyond the instrument.

Join us to hear your teachers' insights on how to build consistent habits, navigate hurdles, and above all, nurture a lifelong love for music!

Jarek Powichrowski

— Master Luthier, Violinist, and Lecturer
Founder and Owner of Princeton Violins, LLC

Jarek Powichrowski is a violinist, master luthier, and founder of Princeton Violins, LLC. His work brings together the artistry of performance, the precision of instrument making and restoration, and a commitment to helping musicians find a deeper connection with their instruments.

Jarek holds two Master of Music degrees, from the Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw and Mannes College of Music in New York, and continued his professional studies at The Juilliard School. His teachers included Irena Dubiska, Krzysztof Jakowicz, Ruggiero Ricci, Felix Galimir, and Lewis Kaplan. As a freelance musician, solo performer, and recording artist, he performed throughout Europe, Asia, and the United States.

In the early 2000s, he studied violin restoration in New York City with Brice Dupin de Saint-Cyr. In 2010, he studied violin making in Cremona, Italy, with master violin maker Luisa Campagnolo, establishing lasting professional relationships with contemporary makers.

This combined experience shapes his approach to every instrument: understanding its construction and history while listening closely to the needs of the person who plays it. His particular focus is final setup and sound adjustment, where small changes can significantly influence response, projection, tonal balance, and physical ease.

Through lectures, demonstrations, coaching, and educational events, Jarek helps teachers and students recognize how an instrument can support musical development and expressive freedom. At Princeton Violins, he also organizes masterclasses and clinics that bring performers, educators, and students together.

For NJMTA’s theme, “Beyond the Notes: Finding Meaning, Story, and Connection Through Music,” Jarek offers the perspective of both performer and craftsman. He explores how the relationship between musician and instrument can help transform musical intention into sound, allowing technique to serve expression and giving students greater confidence in telling their own musical stories.

https://www.princetonviolins.com/