<p>Several years ago when S looked at the various summer "camps" for music, it struck me that Bowdoin was particularly good for the array of faculty from different schools, more of a chance to make a contact and/or find out about who is who and where. The Indiana camp is not as long, right? Will the faculty be principally Indiana folks? FWIW.....</p>
<p>It's important to realize that an internet forum can provide a wealth of info, but the intended message can be misinterpreted much more easily than a direct face to face discussion would permit.</p>
<p>Inflection, tone of voice, facial expressions are all part of the process for most of us in processing words. </p>
<p>A quick reading may make one miss a point.</p>
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<p>From my reading, I suggest Veiux was actually attributing an earlier comment of Cosmos describing Tanglewood to Yellow Barn. See posts #171, 172 interchange of thumper1, rcmama, and then Cosmos response. That's where I see "great program" emanating.</p>
<p>Veiux, it appears you have a high level of training, experience and substantive knowledge of some world class programs, peers and mentors. It would also appear a significant talent is associated with that background. As I have said before, and as others here have echoed, you have valueable insights and can provide a wealth of information, probably of a level that many here have not yet seen or are just now beginning to enter.</p>
<p>I for one agree with a lot of the information and subjects you've touched upon.</p>
<p>But I also feel that in presenting such views you might consider a more explanatory, tempered approach.</p>
<p>It might serve in avoiding confusion or misunderstanding in the future.</p>
<p>Bowdoin does seem to put a lot of people on the waitlist. I was waitlisted there last year and am waitlisted for the second session this year - but I got into the first session to study with Julian Martin (who's just about my dream teacher), so I'm very excited. The emphasis on chamber music is right up my alley as well.</p>
<p>(To buzzer11: there does seem to be a strong emphasis on chamber playing at Bowdoin, so it wouldn't be the best choice if you really want to avoid anything but solo work. But the level of string playing there is pretty high and the faculty is top-notch.)</p>
<p>yea if you go study with Mr. Smirnoff or Itzhak Rashkovksy, you'll love it.</p>
<p>thumper, Sarasota and Menlo are chamber music festivals and are auditioned based, fellowship programs with limited enrollments, much like Yellow Barn, Ravinia, Kneisel Hall.</p>
<p>Menlo was I believe started (or control assumed) by Emerson's Dave Finckel and his wife, pianist Wu Han. They also offer a "high schoolish" aged program in addition to the International Fellowship program for college/grad/emerging pro level player/student. Music@Menlo</a> | Chamber Music Institute</p>
<p>Sarasota is similar, but does not offer the high school and lower aged program. It's run under the auspices of the Florida West Coast Symphony.
<a href="https://tickets.fwcs.org/public/load_screen.asp?screen=Student%20Information%20Home%5B/url%5D">https://tickets.fwcs.org/public/load_screen.asp?screen=Student%20Information%20Home</a></p>
<p>High level of competition and playing, noted faculty and alumni.</p>
<p>Sarasota's supposed to be really great. My bass teacher teaches there, and a bunch of my friends have gone and have really liked it. </p>
<p>The reasons why I'm pumped to get accepted to Yellow Barn are that I'm the only bassist who got in which means I'd actually get to play chamber music with "real" bass parts (no more playing stupid cello parts, no offense cellists), bassists basically never get to play chamber music so I'd love to have 3 straight weeks of that, it's in Vermont which is gorgeous, and the faculty is great. I also know a lot of kids who went last year who are terrific. </p>
<p>I don't understand why anyone would say that this isn't a great program for any reason. The kids I know who went last year are fantastic... and, maybe I don't know anything at all about violin teachers, but I thought that Donald Weilerstein is one of the top teachers? It may be hard for violinists to understand, but bassists really get NO OPPORTUNITIES to play chamber music, so being able to go do that for a few weeks with great colleagues is a huge deal for us! It's tough to find opportunities to play chamber music at my university, and when I was at Juilliard they wouldn't let us try out. The first time I really got some chamber music playing was at NY String Orchestra which completely rocked. </p>
<p>To give an example of our sad case, my bass teacher at home who's probably among the top bassists in the country (I think he's the best but that's just me!), doesn't even get to play chamber music that much. He did a recording of L'Historie du Soldat, and a Dvorak Serenade, plays with the Met Chamber Ensemble whenever they need a bassist, and plays with the Emerson Quartet periodically, and probably gets to do a handful of other things throughout the year including stuff at Sarasota and other festivals, but that's not nearly the amount of chamber playing that violinists get! They have string quartets for goodness sake - what do we have? The "Trout"! And other things too, obviously, but we're very limited in comparison. </p>
<p>And Veiuxtemps, I'm sure you didn't mean to be condescending, but you were. My attitude is that until you have a job in a top orchestra or something along those lines, don't degrade what other people are doing or what they're proud of accomplishing. </p>
<p>And binx, I'm a girl!!</p>
<p>Cosmos is a girl.
BassDad has a beard.</p>
<p>What else don't I know?</p>
<p>bravo, cosmos!</p>
<p>My son was an alternate for Yellow Barn last year, and we took that as a big compliment. He would have applied this year except his youth orchestra's trip conflicts. The kids we know who were there ... one is at Juilliard this year; the others are younger and are very, very good musicians.</p>
<p>Thank you, Bachlover and lorelei2702. I guess I should say that I do not want to completely focus on solo music but simply put my priorities on it. So I think Bowdoin sounds good for me now. Does anyone know Mr. Sergiu Schwartz? I was assigned to him this summer.</p>
<p>!!!!!!!!!
Buzzer..... unless you like crying at your lesson I suggest you switch... private message me if you want a few more details.</p>
<p>Some comments on Bowdoin...</p>
<p>Son went there in the summer of 2002. He is a cellist. He has been to a wide variety of summer programs over the years (currently is a grad student in cello performance) and like Bowdoin quite a bit. They usually attract an excellent faculty and you will have great chamber music opportunities. However, he found the camp to be pretty unorganized. They don't communicate things particularly well. If you go, you have to make it completely your responsibility to know when and where you have to be everyday. It is not unusual for rehearsal locations to be changed and that not be communicated to you. Arriving early for rehearsals is a must because son would arrive and find that the location had been changed and he would have to go somewhere else. Other than rehearsals and lessons, your time is your own. It is up to you to be disciplined enough to use it wisely. When son was there, Bowdoin had quite a bit of a party culture. </p>
<p>He loved the chamber experience. He was able to play in a couple of chamber groups with faculty which was quite a learning experience and very motivating.</p>
<p>I think my D would do better with more structure than it sounds like Bowdoin has, so perhaps it's just as well that she wasn't accepted. She hasn't heard from Indiana yet, but I expect she'll be accepted there (has in the past, anyway). Does anyone know anything about Killington or Aria? She has also applied there--I think they might be less competitive to get into.</p>
<p>My daughter went to ARIA last year and she is a flutist. It was a great opportunity for her since she had individual lessons with 4 great flutists (Bonnie Boyd, Brad Garner, Amy Porter, and Walfrid Kujala). They each had an impact on her playing. She also enjoyed the chamber coaching and individual time to rehearse. I believe it is less competitive than other programs, but for our purposes it was perfect. It allowed her to make contact with professors at schools she was considering applying to for college. She did in fact take auditions at 3 of those 4 schools. I have no idea what ARIA is like for strings or piano, I can only say that our experience was a very positive one.</p>
<p>Anyone know when Eastern Music Festival and Brevard typically notify applicants for summer? We have to send in our answer to NYSSSA by April 7th.</p>
<p>I heard from EMF a few years ago earlier than I heard from BUTI, so my guess is that they should be notifying you pretty soon. I think BUTI tells people by the beginning of April at the latest (I think). </p>
<p>I'm still trying to decide about Yellow Barn - I have to tell them in 4 days!</p>
<p>bluepearl</p>
<p>My son went to IUSSA (indiana) for several summers because his then teacher teaches there. It is really good for just getting a lot of good practising in. It's much more structured than Bowdoin. I know of one cellist (friend of my son) who went to Bowdoin at 14 and his parents said he had much too much freedom - he went to IU the next 2 summers. Some of the teachers at IUSSA are better than others. If you decide to send her there and want more information, feel free to pm me.</p>
<p>BEK, yes one of the good things about ARIA is that there are teachers from several schools that my daughter will apply to. But on the other hand, I don't know that having a new teacher each week would be beneficial to her playing.</p>
<p>Having a different teacher each week did not detract from the experience. She learned important things from each of them, and took the best from each and incorporated it into her playing. She received 2 hour long lessons each week, plus 1 master class weekly and then regular chamber coachings. The rest of the time she and her chamber group scheduled additional practices and she practiced on her own.</p>
<p>One important thing she learned was where and where not to apply for college programs. She was very impressed with Brad Garner from Univ. of Cinti. and he did some amazing things with her embouchure, BUT my daughter decided he was just too intense for her and consequently she did not apply to that program...even though my husband and I are alums of the regular college there (medicine and speech path).</p>
<p>YAY! </p>
<p>I got into the Tanglewood Vocal Program! I'm so excited! (BUTI, not the crazy fellowship thing)</p>