Stone Mountain String Summit
October 23–25, 2026
All levels. All backgrounds. One shared joy: making music together.
The Stone Mountain String Summit is a welcoming weekend gathering for adult string players (18+) who want to make music, grow as musicians, and connect with others who share their love of playing.
Whether you have played for decades, are returning to an instrument you once loved, or picked up your instrument later in life, there is a place for you here.
Over the course of the weekend, participants will rehearse and perform together, strengthen their skills, learn from experienced musicians, and enjoy the simple pleasure of being part of an ensemble. The emphasis is not on competition or perfection, but rather on community, encouragement, discovery, and the joy of making music together.
Who Is It For?
The Summit is designed for adult string players of a wide range of experience levels.
You may be someone who played violin in school and has wondered what it would feel like to play again. You may have continued playing throughout your life but rarely get the opportunity to sit in an ensemble. You may have begun studying as an adult. Or you may simply be looking for a musical community where growth and joy matter more than proving yourself.
Wherever you are in your musical journey, you are welcome.
What to Expect
The weekend will include chamber orchestra rehearsals, opportunities for musical growth, time to connect with fellow musicians, and a culminating performance celebrating what we have created together.
We want the Summit to feel both musically meaningful and deeply enjoyable - a place where you can stretch yourself without being afraid to make a mistake, meet people who understand why playing music matters, and leave Sunday wanting to keep your instrument out of its case.
Why a String Summit?
There are remarkable adult musicians everywhere who simply need a place to play.
Some have never stopped. Some stopped twenty or thirty years ago and still remember what it felt like to sit inside an orchestra. Others discovered violin, viola, cello, or bass later in life and have been looking for people with whom they can make music.
The Stone Mountain String Summit exists to bring those people together.
Because music-making, individually or collectively, isn’t something we age out of.
And you don’t have to be a professional to experience the extraordinary feeling of creating something beautiful with other people.
Join Us
Come spend a Fall weekend in Stone Mountain making music with friends new and old.
October 23–25, 2026
Bring your instrument. Bring your curiosity. Bring whatever musical experience you have. We’ll make the music together.
Meet Our Music Director!
Rev. Joe Lee is a conductor, educator, pastor, and lifelong advocate for the transformative power of making music together. For nearly two decades, Joe served as the conductor of the Adult Strings Weekend in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, creating a welcoming ensemble experience for adult string players of varied backgrounds and abilities. The Stone Mountain String Summit grows directly from that beloved program, bringing its spirit of joyful music-making, musical growth, and community to a new home in Georgia.
Joe has spent decades conducting orchestras, choirs, youth ensembles, and professional musicians, but some of his most meaningful work has been creating spaces where people rediscover the simple joy of playing together. At the String Summit, his goal is the same: make good music, grow together, and make sure everyone knows there is a place for them in the ensemble.
Preliminary Schedule
Friday, October 23
Noon - 12:30 p.m.: Tips for First-Time Orchestra Participants (optional)
12:30 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.: Welcome & Introductions
1:15 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.: Chamber Orchestra Rehearsal
2:45 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.: Masterclass/Skill Builders
4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.: Chamber Orchestra Rehearsal
5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.: Dinner provided
6:45 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.: Sectionals
Saturday, October 24
9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.: Hospitality/Social
9:35 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.: Chamber Orchestra Rehearsal
11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.: Sectionals
12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.: Lunch provided with faculty performance
1:45 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.: Masterclass/ Skill Builders
3:15 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.: Special Topics
4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.: Chamber Orchestra Dress Rehearsal
5:45 p.m. - 6:15 p.m.: Light Dinner Provided
6:30 p.m.: Drive to Symphony Hall
8:00 p.m.: Attend the Atlanta Symphony - America @ 250: Rhapsody in Blue
**the concert ticket is included with registration fee
10:00 p.m.: Return to Stone Mountain
Sunday, October 25
12:15 p.m.: Arrive to Mountain Park UMC (worship ends at Noon)
12:25 p.m.: Soundcheck on Stage
12:45 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.: String Summit Grand Finale Concert
See you next year!!
Stone Mountain String Summit 2027: October 22-24, 2027
Nearby Hotels
Country Inn & Suites by Radisson
1852 Rockbridge Road SW
Stone Mountain, GA
Holiday Inn Express Atlanta-Stone Mountain by IHG
1790 East Park Place Boulevard
Stone Mountain, GA
Comfort Inn & Suites at Stone Mountain
5355 Stone Mountain Highway
Stone Mountain, GA
If you are interested in a higher-end option:
Stone Mountain Manor
1037 Main Street
Stone Mountain, GA