SFCM Celebrates Its Inaugural College Fair

SFCM is celebrating its first-ever college fair, which in September brought together over 100 students and 22 colleges from across the U.S. and Canada.

Assistant Dean of Admissions James Encarnación and Director of Admissions Lee Anne Frahn began planning the event in spring of 2026 after their own admissions tours revealed a relative lack of similar events in the area. "We hoped this event would fill a gap by connecting prospective students in the Bay Area and the Pacific Northwest with some of the top schools in the U.S. and Canada," Frahn, originally from Washington, says. "It is really important to our team that we're not only sharing what makes SFCM special, but also educating prospective students about the many options within the arts in general. As they say, 'a rising tide lifts all boats,' and we can all strengthen the arts in the U.S. by providing educational opportunities."

Encarnación adds, "Ultimately, connecting to the wider educational ecosystem in the Bay Area and Northern California dovetails with SFCM's broader mission of building community through education and music. We're thrilled to be able to offer this valuable opportunity to aspiring young musicians!"

The participating academic institutions covered a large swath of North America, with representatives from Bard College, Boston University School of Music, California Institute of the Arts, Colburn School, Curtis Institute of Music, Eastman School of Music at University of Rochester, Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, the Glenn Gould School at Canada's Royal Conservatory of Music, The Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Juilliard School, The Manhattan School of Music, New England Conservatory, Northwestern University Bienen School of Music, Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Peabody Conservatory, Shepherd School of Music-Rice University, University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance, University of the Pacific, University of Redlands, USC Thornton School of Music, Vanderbilt University's Blair School of Music, and the Yale School of Music.

With over 100 prospective students and their guests taking in the scene in the Conservatory's Caroline H. Hume Concert Hall, Frahn says, "we were really pleased with the turnout and the excitement surrounding the event, and we hope to continue growing it in the coming years."

"This event was such a great opportunity for future musicians to network, meet people from different schools, and learn about institutions they hadn't considered before," one student attendee said. "I appreciated that SFCM invited a wide variety of schools—both conservatories and colleges with music programs—which really allowed students to broaden their horizons and really consider what program is the right fit for them. I would attend this again next year and would recommend it without hesitation to any young musician looking to go into music."

They added, "Please continue to host this event every year; I feel it's kick-started my musical future!"

Calling the event "amazing," one parent echoed that: "The faculty and admissions officers who attended were so informative and answered many questions we had. The fair led my daughter to consider schools she'd not previously been as informed about!"

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