<p>Meadowmount or Heifetz are primarily "practice" camps. Around 5 hours indivdual practice per day with some chamber music - no orchestra. You are running very close to final application deadlines. I believe Meadowmount takes more "numbers" than Heifetz - bigger camp. I could be wrong on that vor cello, I know violins better.</p>
<p>I think I might have heard that Killington is mostly practice, but not quite as intense as Meadowmount/Heifetz. My cellist has never attended any of these camps, so I'm just repeating hearsay here. I think of Bowdoin as more chamber music than practice camp - am I wrong about that? </p>
<p>Tanglewood is not a practice camp at all. Lessons are catch-as-catch can, no required practice hours. Some kids do practice a lot there, but it's up to them to decide to do so (speaking from experience here).</p>
<p>Also, look into Aria - mostly high school players, lots of one-on-one and practice time. Sounds good.</p>
<p>S spent a summer at Kinhaven. It was a bit too rural for him, the kids play concerts bare-footed, but he always claimed the music was top notch. Lots of chamber groups. Definitely not a practice camp. Everyone has Individual, chamber and orchestra instruction. Saw lots of children of Juilliard & NEC teachers. Apparently the teachers came when they were younger & loved it and now send their children. They still love it. Great conducting- same conductors as D had at BUTI. If you're up for a rural experience, 6 weeks at Kinhaven - for kids who love music.</p>
<p>Sounds like Greenwood - also rural, 25 minutes from Northhampton, Mass., kids perform barefoot and dressed all in white (many girls in long white dresses), play chamber, orchestra, chorus -- mostly chamber and not a practice camp. Kids I've known have loved it.</p>
<p>I have gone to Kinhaven myself (eons ago) and my son went to Greenwood for a couple of summers. They are very similar - there are more kids from NYC at Kinhaven and more from Boston/New England) at Greenwood. They are both very rural and informal. Beautiful spots with talented kids and enthusiastic teachers. But they are definitely not practise camps. All emphasis is on chamber music and orchestra.</p>
<p>My son spent 3 hs summers at Indiana U Summer String Academy. This is a practise camp. Not as hard to get into as some of the others, I think, because they start at 12 (though 18) and some of the kids are less advanced, but they are all pretty serious since you practise 4+ hours a day. This is not to say that they don't have some real stars there - they do! It's just that the level is more uneven. The kids play in chamber groups which don't meet every day and the younger ones are in a chamber orchestra. It doesn't have the structured non-musical activities that a real camp has (no organized sports, etc) so the kids end up spending a lot of down time in the common spaces of the dorm. My son loved it, but I've heard of a few who find that aspect a little boring. The teachers are very good and it's a really good way to find out if your kid really wants to do music because that's just about all there is to do! There is a summer music festival there at the same time and they get to hear many of the concerts as well as have masterclasses with some of the participants. The Biava String Quartet (at Julliard during the school year) is in residence at the Academy and they are fantastic. My son had one of them for chamber coaching - this was a conservatory level experience. If you want more information, PM me. I can ask my son about cello teachers to request, etc. For all of these places, you would need to send in a video and/or CD of your son performing so it's probably a good idea to start planning that now.</p>
<p>My daughter attended WNO it in 2006 and liked it - it was a good program for high schoolers to get an idea of conservatory life. If you want to check out the culmination of the work of some of the students, you can check them out here - </p>
<p>I'm submitting my application for Brevard in a couple days. My violin teacher and her husband are both on faculty there and suggested I apply.</p>
<p>Good luck, all!! </p>
<p>I am sending my Sarasota application tomorrow, and then I MIGHT do the application for the Youth Orchestra of the Americas, but I'm not sure...</p>
<p>what do you guys know about the kent blossom festival?</p>
<p>Kent Blossom-</p>
<p>Selective. Generally conservatory students including some who had experience in programs like Sarasota. Last time I talked with a student (violinist) who had attended was 3 or 4 years ago. Had a great summer and thought the experience well worthwhile. Chamber as well as orchestra.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Cosmos, historically, solid faculty and a well balanced program. One of the "almost free" programs, I think you're out of pocket is about $150. The Miami Quartet is still in residence as faculty and chamber coaching, they're great musicians and fun to work with.</p>
<p>cool! great to hear. i really want to go. i was definitely happy with my recording, so i hope that things end up working out. they only take one bass though... that's pretty tough.</p>
<p>Has anyone had experience with Idyllwild? I would be applying to the Symphony Orchestra/Festival Orchestra.</p>
<p>i personally don't have any experience with idyllwild but two of my good friends have gone there and loved it. they even got scholarship money to go.</p>
<p>now that we're discussing specific festivals, i'll throw another one out there -- </p>
<p>has anyone had any experience with the norfolk festival? i applied for the new music workshop.</p>
<p>I have experience getting rejected from the chamber music session there =P</p>
<p>What is the response time for Interlochen? Some of the disciplines say two to three weeks after audition, but the voice programs say 4/15. Is that the same for orchestra too? It seems a long time to wait!</p>
<p>tchaik6-</p>
<p>My son, now in 9th grade, went to Idyllwild the past three summers and loved it. He's a trumpet player. He was not old enough for the Festival Orchestra, but did the two weeks before that. (Young Artists Wind Ensemble or something like that) </p>
<p>It's a beautiful setting and the faculty was very good. (My son spends the month after the camp quoting the trumpet teacher: "well Bob said," "well Bob said") </p>
<p>The Festival Orchestra conductor is Larry Livingston. He is great. He conducted an all-state orchestra that my daughter was in a few years back. He was revered by all! Smart, funny, and inspiring. </p>
<p>His bio:</p>
<p>ariamom-
My d was an instrumentalist at Interlochen last summer. It seems it was right around April 15 when we heard back. She had sent her application in early January also!!</p>
<p>Thanks notfromme! I was hoping that it might be a little sooner for summer planning purposes, but alas and alack! I can't imagine how many auditions they have to go through for any of the music programs so I'll just relax! Thanks--and good luck to anyone auditioning for Interlochen!</p>