The primary purpose of the Institute is to be a premier training and mentoring program which also provides performance opportunities. The two outstanding college quartets received intensive, private coaching by the members of the Dover Quartet, the Festival’s quartet-in-residence. Beginning with its inaugural year, the Festival knew the importance of music education. Master Classes and tutoring for their Young Resident Artists program played an important role in the Festival’s first concert season. This program has not only thrived, but it has continued and expanded. The institute for aspiring musicians has been renamed in memory of the founder and former Artistic and General Director of the Festival, Christopher Rex, who passed in 2022. The Festival holds this premier training program for young artists the first week in June. This year the participants, coached by the Dover Quartet, are the Abeo Quartet and the Lieto Quartet.