Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 12:28 pm Post subject: Dorian Summer Music Camp and Bay View Music Festival
In my experience, I think kids get out of summer festivals/camps what they put into it. I attended Bay View Music Festival and had a great experience with Scott Thornburg but I know several other people (not trumpet players however) who didn't enjoy their summer.
I also think that there's a responsibility for the teacher to recognize whether or not a student would be successful at a serious camp or if they'd fit in better at a camp that may not be as stressful. As an administrator of a week long summer camp on a college campus, I wrestled with the daily schedule trying to find a good balance of rehearsal/coaching/lessons and down time. It was also used as a recruiting tool but I felt that even though our school materials were present, we didn't shove it down their throats (perhaps we were the exception!)
At Luther, we have a week long summer program and last time I had everything from a student who was going off to U of IL to study the trumpet to a few kids who were just looking for a fun experience. Although that may drive an ensemble director nuts, I think the college summer camps do a pretty good job accommodating that wide variety of students better than some of the private festivals.
With some research, I think teachers can find music festivals that will suit their students. Some kids are really gunning for that Interlochen experience but I also think some teachers think it would look good for them to have their kids go to a high powered camp like that. I try and look at who the teacher is, and if I know them or the director, drop them an email and find out what the community is like before I recommend it to a kid.
I attended the two week summer jazz camp at Eastman School of Music back in 2002. http://www.esm.rochester.edu/summer/highschool.php#Summer_Jazz_Studies
Attending this camp is one of the main reasons why I decided to attend Eastman for my undergrad (which I'm graduating from this month!), so you could put it under the category of just trying to recruit, but I wouldn't necessarily. It was a great chance for me to meet my future teacher Clay Jenkins and work with some of the faculty and local Rochester jazz musicians.
The other nice part about the camp is that it's during summer, the only great time to be in Rochester! It gets pretty cold during all the other seasons. Anyways, I highly recommend the camp for the young jazz musicians out there as the overall playing ability is high and the program is only several combos large.
I attended the Oberlin Trumpet Workshop. Mainly geared towards the serious high school musician, but there were several students only there for fun. Which is exactly what it was, I had a blast. Roy Poper was an incredible teacher and player and his counterpart from Rotterdam, Arto Hoornweg was phenomenal too. A great way to learn the teachings of James Stamp although they touched on other styles of teaching as well. Overall, a great camp. I would recommend to anyone!
Joined: 14 Jan 2005 Posts: 7771 Location: Des Moines, IA area
Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2010 6:19 pm Post subject:
Posted before, but kids are welcome to register again for the Bemidji State University Musicamp. Second longest running camp in the US. Contact Del Lyren at BSU ( dlyren@bemidjistate.edu ) or PM me and I'll see you get the info.
Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 10:05 am Post subject: IAA
Interlochen Arts Academy,
While not a summer camp, but rather a boarding school, was the single most memorable and productive musical years of my life and a defining point for who I am.
400 students, all serious, all talented, all stuck together in the middle of the woods. We made music every day of the week and were constantly getting together to jam, perform, listen to CD's, get our homework done (this was a high-school too!). We had juries, section placement, jazz/classical everything.
We also had a great time. I wish I could go back!!!! _________________ Interlochen Arts Academy GED '06
UCLA BA, BS '10
NYU MM '12
UMiami DMA '16
derekganong.com
Joined: 12 Oct 2010 Posts: 17 Location: North Carolina
Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 9:09 pm Post subject:
I thought I'd just share a bit about my Blue Lake experience.
Blue Lake as a music camp will vary quite a bit based on your audition when you arrive. When I attended (quite a long time ago) I was fortunate to place first among the Horn players for that session. Some of that was just dumb luck in that the reading piece they gave us was something I had played for my private teacher a few weeks before.
As a first chair player, this meant that I played with both of the orchestras (each of which had a morning and afternoon rehearsal), had brass sectionals, and played in a woodwind quintet. In other words, I got an enormous amount of playing and not a whole lot of free time. Had I placed at the opposite end of the scale, I would have had just 2-3 hours of rehearsal time and lots of free time.
For me it was just a good opportunity to play lots of great music, like Sibelius 2nd. I also got a discount on joining their international orchestra the following year which was an even better experience. Got to tour Europe and play great music again. I would imagine there are a number of places you could go to get higher quality instructors, but Blue Lake wasn't shabby at all, despite being somewhat in the shadow of Interlochen. If you are in the Michigan/Indiana/N. Illinois area it's worth considering.
I am on the faculty for the Miami University (Ohio) Summer Jazz Workshop in July. This is a great camp for the high school jazz student who wants to develop skills in improvisation and combo playing.
http://arts.muohio.edu/music/summer
Joined: 23 May 2009 Posts: 635 Location: Boston, MA
Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 9:14 pm Post subject:
Wanted to echo the Blue Lake shouts.
I wasn't a camper there, but have been involved in several other capacities. The whole experience has been life-changing. The people I've met at Blue Lake are some of the best people I know. In people that I know who were campers, I see all kinds of lasting impact, especially from the international programs. Staff members stay close and return often. Faculty all get along and the Festival groups are a lot of fun.
If someone is wondering whether they should apply as a student, staff, or faculty, the answer is yes. _________________ Andrew Harms, DMA
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Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 9:17 am Post subject: Summer Camps
Thank you all for listing so many wonderful music camps. I just finished revising the ITG Youth Summer Camps webpage where you will be able to find a concise list complete with links.
Joined: 26 Nov 2004 Posts: 412 Location: Gadsden, AL
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 10:03 am Post subject:
I'll be teaching at Blue Lake Fine Arts Music Camp this summer (August - 4th session) in MI. I will be directing the Gold (Top Jazz Ensemble). I'm really looking forward to it! _________________ Music Director/Instructor Gadsden State Community College
DA (In progress), University of Northern Colorado
MM University of New Orleans
BM East Carolina University
Joined: 08 Feb 2004 Posts: 1455 Location: Metropolitan Opera
Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 9:21 pm Post subject:
I taught last year at the Sewanee Summer Music Festival for the first time.
I did not know what to expect (I was "subbing" for another guy), and was pleasantly surprised with both the students (trumpeters ranging from two in the 8th grade, up to college players) and the faculty; dedicated teacher-performers all. The "vibe" was good and there were plenty of playing opportunities for everybody. There are two symphony orchestras, rehearsing daily and performing weekly (good rep, too), as well as chamber music; all brass players are in quintets or other chamber groups, and are coached daily and perform weekly. There is also a concerto competition, with winning players performing with the festival orchestra in the final week (I think there were 6 or 7 students who performed). I should also mention a big brass ensemble concert in the last week which takes place in the beautiful gothic chapel (faculty & students together).
The campus is beautiful (University of the South) , the dining hall food was quite good(!) and there are outdoor activities in addition to a busy schedule of performances. Weekly private lessons and guest groups performing in concert round out the itinerary. It was lots of work and lots of fun...for all of us. I'll be back in 2012
I attended the Boston University Tanglewood Institute in high school (BUTI). It was awesome. Great musicians and great people. Also very beneficial to go and hear the BSO on a regular basis.
I went to lots of band camps in Texas. When you get awards and honors, they start to pay for you to attend their camp. The summer between my junior & senior years, I went to 4 band camps and didn't pay a dime for any of them because I made state.
The most fun camp I attended was the University of Texas at Austin. Not only was it free, but their top band was completely made up of all state kids, which was great fun for me. I remember the music was difficult but fun to learn and the group was very good.
What I would like to know about is Southern Methodist University's camp called "Blast of Brass" available for middle school, high school, & college kids. Check it out at www.blastofbrass.com - they have some sound clips and it makes me want to send some of my students there! Anybody been?
This camp is amazing. Every year they have featured artists- Usually principal players in major orchestras. Every day of the week, students have a masterclass or recital with the featured artists. Students audition to be placed into their ensemble - either a regular small or large ensemble; or the choice ensemble for the most advanced classical players. At the end of the camp, a concert is held for everybody and their parents to listen, and the students can perform. The choice ensembles compete, and whichever choice ensemble had the best performance wins. The faculty is amazing, trumpet players like Adam Miller who is a graduate of The Juilliard School and performer with the Imperial Brass Quintet, and Tim Andersen who Plays with the Dallas Wind Symphony and subs regularly with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, are truly inspiring. The camp really aims to have advanced players, and not once have I heard a bad player in the performances.
"Blast of Brass" is also the name of the professional ensemble which consists of the faculty members. At the end of the camp, the professional ensemble performs; and its always amazing.
Joined: 25 Jun 2012 Posts: 9 Location: Southbury. CT
Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 10:58 am Post subject:
I taught at Litchfield Jazz Camp for six years and the kids learned a tremendous amount, plus had fun. I think it's all about teaching the theory and approach to the horn by having them play and listen as much as possible. Kids don't listen to other players, or themselves, enough. _________________ The Trumpet Diva
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