<p>Ohh…so glad everyone is having a great time at Interlochen. My daughter and her cabinmates from last year say they have “Interlochen-ittus” They miss it soo much…what an incredible experience. Some one told her that it becomes a part of you…and it truly does. Hope you are able to go visit. I cannot tell you how much we enjoyed the WYSO performances…Kreesge and The Bowl are incredible places to listen to beautiful music on a cool summer evening.<br>
Anyone have a girl in Cabin 8? Not only was that my d’s cabin, but it was Norah Jones too! ; )</p>
<p>We don’t know the cabin yet, since we leave to take my younger D to Interlochen tomorrow morning, but I’ll be sure to pass on the info about Nora Jones.</p>
<p>One nervous and excited flutegirl is packing now…</p>
<p>She’s actually more excited about Sept (go figure) as she was recently accepted into the Cleveland Youth Wind Symphony and told by the directors that she was one of the best younger players he has heard in his 20 years of directing. So we’ll need to get her a passport eventually, since that group will be going to Spain and Portugal next summer.</p>
<p>I just hope I can find Moomers in Traverse City.</p>
<p>BTW - thanks for all the great info NotFromMe…it really helped quite a bit.</p>
<p>JD.</p>
<p>Yeahh Interlochen! It’s a great program for young players. I know A LOT of terrific college, graduate, and professional players who went there… Impressive alumni list. </p>
<p>I am off to Banff next Sunday, the 19th! Can’t wait. Rec’d an informational handbook today, but no schedules… apparently we find out most of the info when we get there.</p>
<p>Let your flutegirl know there is nothing musically to be nervous about. It is a wonderful atmosphere…and a pretty level playing field. There is plenty to be excited about because she will have an amazing time. I am sure she will have a wonderful experience with the wind symphony! D had the opportunity to meet and play for the director and she really liked him. She had an incredible experience with the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra…demanding, time consuming, (dare I say terrifying??)…and wonderful! Amazing music with gifted musicians! We did not know what to do the first Saturday she did not have rehearsal in June!! Everything ended within a week for her…orchestra and school…did not know quite what to do for a moment, until she had to start packing for BUTI…
There is a Moomers on the Interlochen campus!!! At least it was last year! And a little coffee place! Ahhhh…butter pecan ice cream and wonderful music! Who could want anything more?</p>
<p>Just got back from a wonderful long weekend at Tanglewood. Was able to hear the YAO rehearse one morning and of course hear them perform on Saturday afternoon. I thought they sounded great but heard some grumblings from some of the musicians about an imbalance in the violin section, some very high end musicians but also some average high school players. A lot of “yelling” at rehearsals about that specific section not being prepared. I heard this story from musicians of several different instruments and sections. They are their own harshest critics. As a non musician audience member I was very impressed with the whole performance. </p>
<p>S is very happy with the chamber program and his coach and has had opportunities for private lessons. The kids are really responsible for making their own private lesson arrangements. The “academic” office seems a bit disorganized regarding scheduling beyond the actual big performances and the daily rehearsal schedule. They often did not know until the evening before or even that morning where their rehearsals would be located. My S did not know when his chamber group would be performing until the afternoon before his performance, which was the day we left so we missed it.</p>
<p>The Orchestra got their new music on Sunday and many were busy practicing Sunday afternoon and evening to be prepared for rehearsal the next day. From the porch of our B & B we could hear a low brass group practicing, the music carrying through the woods. </p>
<p>They seem to be taking advantage of attending most of the BSO and TMC concerts.</p>
<p>Of course there were many complaints about the food, consensus is that it is the worst that any of these kids have seen (over their vast experience at schools, camps, etc.). Most of the spending money is going to eating out. </p>
<p>S says that quiet hour rules are STRICTLY enforced to the extreme, his floor really does NOT LIKE their RA. I don’t have enough info about the other personalities on their floor to know what the true issues are. Boys in the other dorm seem to like their RA a lot.</p>
<p>And I heard you ended up sitting next to team_mom! 
</p>
<p>We were there the same day, for the TMC concert. Big storm - only bad weather of our entire 2 week road trip. But a great concert, and everything worked out well for us. (Team_mom gave us an unused indoor ticket for D, and she got the best seat of all of us.)</p>
<p>We stayed at the thumper1 Bed & Breakfast (after a night at the team_mom B&B). Amazing places, both. Apparently there are huge differences between the TMC and BUTI programs - S says TMC is best orchestra he’s ever played with. And the food is great, too (steak twice this past week). Some of the organization leaves him scratching his head - especially the TMC bus schedule. He’s glad he has a car.</p>
<p>We wandered in on Saturday during the BSO rehearsal. D was transfixed by the violinist performing the Bruch Concerto (which she is working on) - turned out to be Joshua Bell, rehearsing for Sunday’s concert. What fun.</p>
<p>It’s a small world. TMC is definitely something my S will aim for in the future! Too bad we didn’t get to meet you too. :)<br>
We heard Joshua Bell play the Bruch Concerto Sunday afternoon. Such a beautiful piece. My S had played one movement briefly a few years ago back when he was a violinist turning violist. The Dvorak 8 was also amazing.
We will be back in Lenox the final weekend of BUTI, August 5-8, maybe we will see you there.</p>
<p>Nope - only one trip for us, unfortunately. Wish it were closer and /or cheaper. Glad to hear the BSO concert went well. S attended; haven’t heard from him yet about it - but he thinks that working with the BSO is a definite highlight.</p>
<p>We are off to Interlochen in the morning. Looking forward to that butter pecan ice cream!</p>
<p>My D just finished three weeks in DC and it was a phenomenal experience. Very intense and there were days that were very stressful. Lots of homework and practices. We flew up to see her do the opera scenes recital and then she performed at the Kennedy Center the last night. It was something she will always remember. She learned a great deal and she said her Italian is much improved.</p>
<p>Two big thumbs up for Banff. </p>
<p>Great orchestra, faculty, facilities/accommodations, environment. </p>
<p>I strongly recommend applying.</p>
<p>Great article and slide show about BUTI:
[Music?s</a> Magnetic Pull | BU Today](<a href=“http://www.bu.edu/today/arts-entertainment/2009/07/22/music-s-magnetic-pull]Music?s”>http://www.bu.edu/today/arts-entertainment/2009/07/22/music-s-magnetic-pull)</p>
<p>Thanks Binx for the link, I recognize many faces in the video clip, and there is a great view of my S’s back!! :)</p>
<p>I hope everyone had a wonderful summer! D chose to do the two week BUTI program. She decided not to stay the entire summer due to college preparations that needed to be done. It has been years since she has been home for a summer and it has been wonderful! The downfall to family trips to the beach, week long trips to Iowa, gathering college things, is that practice time is lost. Although, she will say she is so glad she did this, especially this summer.<br>
She enjoyed BUTI even though the weather was horrible…and the food was even worse! She has attended several summer programs since junior high school and she has NEVER said the food was not even etible, until now. All of her spending money…and then some…went for food in town. But the program was worth it.
Interlochen still holds a special place for her. We listened to music from last summer and it brought tears her eyes. She keeps in touch with all of her cabin mates, who all are remembering their final week last year. They have kept in touch, visited during college auditions and are certain they will all get together again, even though they are from all around the world.<br>
I do hope everyone’s summer was filled with music and “magic”. One more trip to the beach for us, then the packing begins. Not sure if I am ready, but I know she is. The more time we spend at U of I, the more we know this is where she should be.<br>
Enjoy all the final summer concerts…it was such a bittersweet time!</p>
<p>Hey guys, I am having SUCH an awesome time at Banff. </p>
<p>The first orchestra week was terrific. We had 5 days to prep the concert (Schubert 9, Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4, and Don Giovanni Overture) with Joel Smirnoff conducting. It was a lot of fun. The orchestra did a great job, sounded fantastic, Joel was terrific, and the concert was almost totally sold out.
We’re now in the middle of opera week #1 - The orchestra has been divided into two groups, one group is doing Carmen (a chamber version for only 15 players), and the other group is doing The Cunning Little Vixen by Janacek. I am in the Carmen group (as solo bass!) and rehearsals have been going well. Our first rehearsal w/ singers was last night and it was fantastic!! We have our first show on Friday and then 4 shows next week.
Our final week here is orchestra week #2 during which time we’ll be preparing Beethoven 7 and the Dvorak Cello Concerto. Should be terrific! </p>
<p>Orchestra is sounding fantastic. There are players from the US, Canada, France, England, Ireland, Russia… many places, it is nice in that way. The age range is 18 to 30 or so, which is quite wide but people get along well. The accommodations are fantastic. Great great great food (too great, maybe!), excellent rooms some w/ kitchens, all with private bathrooms and TVs, and of course the environment in Banff is gorgeous. </p>
<p>Two thumbs up. Five stars. Banff is the best.</p>
<p>Dear fellow music lovers, it is nice to hear your updates and thoughts. It is great to think of you Cosmos in a beautiful setting expressing beautiful music. And for you NotFromMe…</p>
<p>Our family is very quietly savoring and cherishing our experience at Interlochen this past summer. As the days go by our s periodically shares a memory or lesson he learned while there-and we all feel very rich for the experience he had and that we shared in just a bit when we visited. Yes, there was magic this summer, and profound meaning. We are pondering what the next right step for s will be.</p>
<p>Hi Ariamom. We enjoyed hearing your d sing. Very lovely.</p>
<p>Someone should have mentioned to tell camper not to wash the red sweatshirt with the white polos- he now has a plethora of pink polos! :)</p>
<p>Our d leaves for her junior year semester abroad tomorrow. This has been the first summer she has been home for a long while too. She is an athlete and has always trained. Sunrise, sunset…swiftly fly the years.</p>
<p>I’m in complete accord with Friend–I still get misty eyed when my daughter speaks about her days or looking at the photos taken. And Friend, your son was great too and I’m sorry we didn’t get to meet in person. My daughter was thrilled to wear a costume!</p>
<p>Phrases like “life-changing” used to make my skin crawl, but after this summer at Interlochen–I embrace it! She learned so much beyond music. And friends for life . . . soon to be seen on the audition trail!</p>
<p>My daughter gave a few laundry lessons on the topic of red sweaters!</p>
<p>Best thing D ever learned at music camp: how to unclog a toilet.</p>
<p>Yes…at Interlochen a clogged toilet in one of those cabins was a disaster!!! 
It is magical…isn’t it. I consider myself blessed just to be a spectator!! Are you staying for Les Preludes? Bring kleenex for yourself and your kids! It is the final note of music played for the season…My d still cannot listen to the Interlochen theme without a little lump in her throat. We let her stay in the cabin the final night…the rest of the girls in the cabin did the same thing, leaving at various times in the early morning hours. They were allowed a lap top to watch movies. They moved the matresses on the floor, ate the rest of the care packages, signed the floors of the cabin took millions of pictures and stayed up all night. We picked her up just as dawn was coming…beautiful. My d is not highly emotional, but as we walked down the dirt road from her cabin, my husband and I could see the sobs coming…she cried so hard that we too cried. Interlochen will always be with her…afterall…she fell in love with her flute teacher there and will be in her flute studio next year in college. Enjoy the final weekend…all you have to do is listen!!!</p>
<p>Another thumbs up (from a parent perspective) on Banff Summer Music Festival programs: yes, the facilities and food are excellent (the choice of desserts alone is staggering) and the view from the dining room is unsurpassed. I saw both the Janacek and Bizet operas (and even caught a glimpse of the sole bass player…hi Cosmos!), which were excellent; the costuming and choreography, and the staging of Cunning Little Vixen were particularly outstanding, along with the music (the Carmen was Peter Brooks’s chamber version). I also attended two nights of piano performances: the best I’ve seen at a summer program (including at Aspen).
The programs seem best suited to college-age and beyond.
One thing to mention is that family members, including parents, get a much reduced rate to stay at the Banff center, in very nice accommodations, with half price for the meals as well, so it is a terrific bargain. The staff at Banff are very friendly and helpful.</p>