summer camps

January 9, 2005 at 11:16 PM · You might consider attending the Bowdoin Festival. They have a first class faculty. They offer chamber music, in addition to solo work. There is also a festival orchestra that the students can play in.

January 9, 2005 at 11:18 PM · Take a look at the wonderful Sewanee Summer Music Festival, in my hometown. The violin faculty is great, and the new director, conductor Victor Yampolsky, studied violin with Oistrakh and used to be Principal Second of the Boston Symphony.

http://www.sewanee.edu/ssmf

January 9, 2005 at 11:54 PM · Encore is an excellent camp in Ohio. lots of CIM teachers there.

http://www.cim.edu/specProgEncore.php

January 10, 2005 at 12:10 AM · does anyone have thoughts on the north carolina school of the arts summer session?

January 10, 2005 at 12:13 AM · Marrowstone, in Bellingham, WA, has a great orchestra and chamber camp that runs 3 weeks in late July and August. Master classes, multiple orchestras and chamber groups - my daughter loved it. It's run by the Seattle Youth Symphony program.

January 10, 2005 at 02:24 AM · Jude,

Do you have any information on any other changes made at SSMF? I've been before, and was just wondering what else changed. I've heard rumors about Mr. Dinkins conducting fewer concerts. But he also had a stroke, so...

January 10, 2005 at 03:25 AM · Hey Jake,

I remember you! Dinkins is only conducting two concerts next summer. Jim Fellenbaum, director of orchestras at UTK and a Yampolsky student, is doing the other three. I'm so sorry to hear about Mr. Dinkins's stroke.

There are many other changes. The festival is no longer very local. The administration is handled almost exclusively by Mark Savage, who as you know is a newcomer to the Sewanee way of doing things. Yampolsky obviously lives rather far away. There is a lot of new faculty, though not as much as at Interlochen! The Shaffers are gone, for one thing, as is Dr. Roberts. He's been replaced by a bone player from the Orch. Phil. de Montreal, who also teaches at McGill! I'm highly dubious about the repertoire for next summer. There's too much, and it's too hard. Also, the Sewanee Symphony will do the Concerto Concert, rather than Festival, which seems like a bad idea. AND the minimum age is now 15. Brian Bak, if you're reading this, laugh with me... I guess the idea is to attract more college students, but I don't see how that can happen all at once. They're trying to make a radical change in the nature of the festival, and it seems artificial to me. Oh, well. That rep IS amazing. Take a look.

P.S. If you don't remember who I am-- I'm the local guy with the long brown ponytail. In 2004, I went to another festival, but sat in with Sewanee for the Ravel concert just for the fun of it.

January 10, 2005 at 03:38 AM · I can also recommend the Texas Music Festival. It's almost all college kids, but I went there this last summer, between my junior and senior years of high school. The teachers are amazing-- I studied with the Concertmaster of the Iceland Symphony, who unfortunately won't be back there this summer. The level of playing is good-but-not-great for a college to graduate school level group, but for a high school student, it's an amazing opportunity, and you have a lot more freedom than at a high-school oriented camp where there are many strict and annoying rules. I had a lot of fun and learned a lot.

January 10, 2005 at 04:01 AM · Hi. I was just at California Summer Music last summer. A good place to learn is at Meadowmount. I went there about four years ago and decided to explore different places. I'm thinking about returning there this summer. You can get more information at:

www.meadowmount.com

January 10, 2005 at 05:15 AM · Karin, when did your daughter go to Marrowstone? I went there this past summer.

As far as camps, yes, Marrowstone is great. Lots of amazing faculty and lots of challenging orchestral works.

Interlochen Arts Camp is also good, at least when I went there. It's changed lots now, due to a new president.

I've had lots of friends go to Meadowmount, and it's really well known, which could be a bonus on a resume. (However, it's probably better to pick a camp based on your needs over its popularity) There are really well known faculty at Meadowmount and apparently you really improve a lot.

A friend recently told me about Aria, and it's a camp focusing on you and your instrument, so there's a lot of solo opportunities. I haven't really looked into it but you could probably find it on a serch engine.

Really, there are so many different places that focus on different aspects of musicianship. It's probably easiest to figure out what you want to get out of a camp (and whether you want to focus on solo, chamber, orchestral or a combination) and then go from there, just to narrow your search down a bit.

Good luck!

January 10, 2005 at 06:51 AM · My daughter (Anna) was there this last summer for the last two weeks. She loved it, and her teacher and I were impressed with the quality of the staff. She learned a lot more than she expected to, and met a whole bunch of kids like her - and now has friends at orchestra. It was great.

January 10, 2005 at 03:58 PM · I went to Meadowmount several years ago, and I don't really recommend it. A lot of their top teachers have left, and they really are not what they used to be. Pracitce monitoring, etc-all the stuff that it is famous for, is a joke now.

January 10, 2005 at 10:28 PM · Hi Henry,

I wouldn't totally agree with you. I think it can often depend on the particular dorm (if under 18) that you are assigned to. Often there is one particular dorm (one each for guys and gals) that is notorious for "trouble" or "undisciplined" practice habits or just for being difficult.

Take it from a staff member: Meadowmount is what you make it.

Preston

January 11, 2005 at 12:58 AM · Hi,

can someone please recommend a good summer camp for my 13 years old daughter? She went to PCP last year(first time to camp, that's why I picked a nearby one) and not much improvement. Thanks.

January 11, 2005 at 02:15 AM · I believe you, but when I went there there weren't serious under-18 dorms. Then again, it depends alot on the counselor, so it probably changes year to year. you were my brother Seamus' counselor, weren't you? are you the same Preston that took after me sometimes with Danchenko and is now at Yale?

January 11, 2005 at 05:21 PM · here are 2 resources that have info on camps & workshops

http://www.stringsmagazine.com/search/summer/index.asp

http://www.musicfortheloveofit.com/mwg/index.html

January 11, 2005 at 11:03 PM · One and the same! ;)

Although, I wasn't your brother's counselor. I was the over 18 Residant Assistant but would fill in on the counselor's days off.

Preston

January 12, 2005 at 12:31 AM · Greenwood music camp is an unbelievable experience. Its not by any means a practice camp but you rehearse independently with a chamber group that you get every week. Its truly inspiring.

January 12, 2005 at 06:06 AM · Are there any high-level solo-geared camps that run maximum 3 weeks?

January 12, 2005 at 07:31 AM · http://www.bsu.edu/web/cfa/music/aria/

that's the website for aria international. I received a high recommendation from a friend of mine, who is a clarinet player. So, I haven't heard directly about the violin program. But it's worth looking into; the faculty looks pretty decent, there are people from indiana, eastman, oberlin, etc. (I think last year's faculty was a bit more exciting, but I'm not sure).

January 12, 2005 at 08:11 PM · Chris,

Check out Domain Forget in Quebec, Canada. I think it's still 3 weeks.

They have had musicians like Francois Rabbath (bass...not violin), James Ehnes, Martin Chalifour, Regis Pasquer, Andrew Dawes, Desmond Hoebig (cello), etc. come and teach or give masterclasses. Good program with 2 - 3 lessons a week.

Preston

January 13, 2005 at 04:52 AM · I've heard good and bad things about Domaine Forget, but I'm applying there this year! The whole festival is two months long and covers a wide variety of genres and disciplines. The faculty on a whole is quite amazing.

January 22, 2005 at 05:36 AM · I am looking for a summer camp for my 8 year old. Unfortunately, his teacher will be away for the summer, and she would like him to have a teacher who teaches "Russian school". She probably doesn't want to confuse him with different techniques been taught while she is away. He is not at the level he can attend Meadowmount or Indiana University string academy. If anyone knows a good summer camp for his age group, any info will be appreciated.

January 22, 2005 at 02:11 PM · Alex,

I was wondering what you think of California Summer Music Camp. My quartet coach Scott Klucksdahl works there and he recommended that I go there this summer. Who did you study with there?

As for another camp for yourself, what kind of camp are you looking for...... a festival or a boot-camp type like Medowmount or a strictly chamber music camp? You should think about Sarasota Music Festival (Joe Silverstein teaches there) or there is a chamber music camp at NYU and the Vamoses will be teaching there this summer.

January 30, 2005 at 05:41 AM · Hi everyone, I recently applied to Kathleen Winklers studio for Academy of the West this summer. I also applied to this small program in Boston called Tchaikovsky Summer School, it is run by an all-russian faculty I believe. Can anyone tell me if they have heard anything about the latter? For that matter, does anyone know Igor Frolov or how he teaches?

February 24, 2005 at 11:39 PM · I would like to recommend the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival, running June 20-July 7. The festival is brand new, open to high school and college students, and will include orchestra, chamber music, and private lessons. I will be teaching there along with many of my close colleagues from the Los Angeles area. If you are interested, you can visit the website at hawaiiperformingartsfestival.org.

March 26, 2005 at 12:33 AM · SummerKeys is a wonderful adult summer music camp for very beginning to accomplished violinists, violists and cellists. The program includes private lessons or coaching, group classes, coached ensembles, optional performance class, lots of practice time as well as social events and faculty concerts. A professional accompanist is available for practing and performing. SummerKeys is located in Lubec on the beautiful coast of Maine. Weekly programs for violin/viola start August 1 through September 2. Weekly cello programs are scheduled for June 20 through July 1 and August 1 through September 2. Visit the Summerkeys website at www.summerkeys.com. You can register online or to receive a brochure contact Bruce Potterton at 973.316.6220.

March 26, 2005 at 01:24 AM · Bob Jones University has a good summer string camp if you are of the Christian persuasion. I taught at it years ago, before I turned Athiest (no, I'm not kidding). It depends on your level. They are not teaching the next Heifetz or Piatigorsky there, but the director, Jay Martin-Pinner, is very competent, and a terrific conductor.

Benjamin

March 27, 2005 at 01:34 AM · benjamin- you taught at bob jones and turned atheist? wow, there's something i'd never expect!

March 27, 2005 at 04:31 AM · I've attended Credo Chamber Music Camp for two years. It's really fun. It's at Oberlin college in Ohio, though it is not really associated with the college. The age range is from 13-22 or so. visit www.credochambermusic.org Oberlin is such a beautiful campus!!