<p>My DD just finished a two-week session at NYSMF. She will definitely return next year, probably for four weeks. As parents, we feel we received an excellent return on our investment for this camp. My daughter loved the atmosphere, made many friends -- it was a great way to introduce her to what the collegiate music experience might be. The first phone call we got from her, DD said that she had learned more about music in her first two days there than she had in her past four years in middle/high school. </p>
<p>My DD is going into 10th grade. She is a vocalist, who does want her future career to encompass singing. We are not particularly sophisticated or experienced in terms of her music journey, although she has been taking private voice lessons for three years, and my husband plays the keyboard instruments quite well. We have no other music camp experience to compare to. So read my comments knowing that.</p>
<p>I liked that there were several layers of adult guidance for all the activities my DD was involved in, which included several choirs, a musical theater workshop, and a filmmaking workshop. For the choirs, you had the conductor, who the kids worked with every day. Then you also had vocal teachers, who were college-level instructors, and who the kids also met with every day. There were also TAs for smaller group instruction during lesson time. I believe this is similar for instruments, as well. The conductors and lead instructors all seemed to have both impressive "paper" and performance credentials. What they were able to pull out of the students in two weeks' time was amazing -- the end-of-session concerts were very impressive. My husband did both jazz and classical during his HS years, at a large accomplished school -- and he said that his teachers would never dreamed of tackling such technically difficult songs. </p>
<p>DD qualified for both Select Choir, which was more technical/classical singing, and for Jazz Choir. She thoroughly enjoyed both, LOVED the sophistication of the arrangements and the harmonies, was thrilled to be working with so many students who shared her commitment to the craft -- I think the most important thing she came away with for her future is the appreciation for how important it is to understand what the song is trying to communicate, convey that emotion and connect with the audience.</p>
<p>She didn't seem to have a lot to unlearn -- so I was relieved to know that her private voice lessons here at home have been a good investment, LOL! </p>
<p>The administrators seemed to push that NYSMF was different from a lot of music camps in that NYSMF puts its emphasis on getting as many of its campers onstage, performing, as possible. They break instrument families (like I said, not I'm terribly sophisticated!) into many smaller ensemble groups to give different kids, at different ability levels, a chance to get quality instructor time and to perform on stage. I guess that's different from camps where only the stars get the solo time?</p>
<p>The age group runs from 10 to 25, although I would say that HS students would be about the ideal age group for this experience. I was surprised in the vocal ensembles to see how many college girls my daughter was in with. I liked that any competition was kept very low-key, because if she had been dropped into a pressure-cooker situation at this point in her life, that would not have been good for her. The atmosphere seemed very relaxed and supportive, and I will attribute that to the active adult presence both in and out of class. The administrators in charge were very energetic, totally committed to the camp, and quite down-to-earth. </p>
<p>If anyone has specific questions, I'll try to answer them. DD is at another camp this week, but as soon as she's back, I could get more details from her.</p>