<p>Susan - The French Woods Festival looks appealing and looks like it might also allow my D to pursue her secondary interests in voice and dance, all in one place. We'll definitely add that to our growing list of programs to check out. I appreciate the suggestion.</p>
<p>North Carolina School of the Arts has a 5-week residential summer program for instrumentalists. Their vocal program is only 2 weeks. When my d attended, she roomed with a violinist from Hawaii and a pianist from Texas, so the program must be fairly well-known. You can request info at <a href="http://www.ncarts.edu%5B/url%5D">www.ncarts.edu</a> .Hope this helps.</p>
<p>There was an article in a recent NY Times about Interlocken Summer Program. Apparently there are going to be some changes in the numbers of faculty, and the weekly "challenge" auditions that have taken place in past years. The article stated that faculty will be reduced this year (although there was some disagreement as to the specific numbers) and that the program will be changing to meet current trends and needs. It was an excellent article. Both of my kiddos looked into Interlocken. Neither decided to apply in the end. I think there were lots of reasons....but the remoteness of the place was one, and the competitiveness at the expense of collegiality was another. I think it's a terrific place for the right students, don't get me wrong. But it's not for everyone.</p>
<p>Lexasmombkj - Thanks for the link about the NC School of the Arts. I'm not sure why we didn't think of that ourselves, since we live in NC. It may be just what we're looking for. I think for woodwinds, the program is only two weeks, which would be fine with us.
thumper1 - It sounds like this may not be the best year to apply to Interlochen. Since we're looking to come up with a manageable list of alternatives, the information in that article (and my D's likely aversion to the notion of wearing a uniform) may be enough to rule it out for us.<br>
Someone on the other summer program thread posted about the Walden School, which also looks interesting.
I appreciate everyone's help.</p>
<p>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. All the instrumental faculty is strong. The atmosphere is very caring, and the experience intense. It isn't too hard to get in. What instrument does your daughter play? I know most of the faculty; PM me if you want info. BTW, stay away from the Interlochen summer program in ANY year. It's a messed up place. Also, it's not nearly as competitive to get in to as they claim. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.sewanee.edu/ssmf%5B/url%5D">http://www.sewanee.edu/ssmf</a></p>
<p>I completely disagree with the above assessment of the Interlochen program. It is wonderful, well-staffed and at a great facility. My D worked there for 2 summers.</p>
<p>But did she study there? Two of my friends left Interlochen mid-session. They found the competitive atmosphere unpleasant, and inappropriate to the level of playing. "Great facilities" seems like a stretch-- living in cabins with 8 people for 8 weeks and practicing in basements isn't great in my book. Sorry to be cynical about such a well-known program, but its reputation among music teachers has been in serious decline for some time, and students feel it, too.
"Well-staffed" is certainly the right term-- last summer, Interlochen had 1 staffer for every 2 campers! Hence their notorious layoffs this winter.
I would like to note that the Interlochen ACADEMY is a different story. One of my friends who left early in the summer is now doing his senior year at the academy and loving it.</p>
<p>I have limited knowledge of specific summer music camps even though all my kids were heavily involved in our school's music program. However, the January 5th New York Times contained an article on dismissals and structural changes at Interlochen -- "A
Different Tune Is Being Played at A Music Camp". You can only access the article by paying for it.</p>
<p>My s attended Point CounterPoint in VT, specifically a chamber music camp. There is an audition (by submitted tape). It's a small camp with an intimate atmosphere and excellent teachers. The quality of music is good and there are a lot of recreational activities for down time. He loved it there and learned a lot. It is rural, however, so I wouldn't recommend it for someone who likes a lot of creature comforts. It's also near Middlebury College and the camp faculty put on concerts there that are open to the public.</p>
<p>My D plays the bassoon. I looked at the website for Point Counterpoint, and it looks like it's only for strings and piano (if I read correctly), so that wouldn't work for her, but it sounds like an appealing program for someone who plays the right instrument. The Sewanee program looks good, too. We've got a long list of websites to explore this weekend, when my D has a bit more time.</p>
<p>Re: Interlochen. Other programs may have slightly better facilities but none has the tradition and prestige that go along with Interlochen. The faculty is still top-notch and the experience is unparalleled.</p>
<p>I've been lurking but I decided to post on this thread. I have a daughter that plays the flute. She's ok, takes private lessons, is interested in her music. She wanted a summer music program where she could play but also have a fun summer camp experience. Interlochen is lovely but we had heard that it was very competitive (flutes are always competitive but heard that Interlochen is esp. so).</p>
<p>Last summer she went to <a href="http://www.bluelake.org%5B/url%5D">www.bluelake.org</a> Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. It's in Michigan, too far away from SC and is only ten days, but it was perfect for our daughter. I wonder is opportunities like this exist all over the country. My daughter was so happy there. Finally someplace that had other kids interested in what she was interested in. At her HS, band is really small and there is no place for kids who are somewhat interested in instrumental music. She did not find camp competitive and there is a place for all levels.</p>
<p>Blue Lake has uniforms just like Interlochen. My daughter was very resistant to the idea and fought me tooth and nail. In the end it was not a big deal. Once she got there and found out everyone else looked the same and began to have fun, the uniform became secondary. I would not let the idea of uniforms be a factor is deciding where attend camp.</p>
<p>I liked Blue Lake because it was only 10 days and not all summer. It is also very affordable and there are many scholarship opportunities.</p>
<p>My daughter's teacher was very impressed with how much she grew musically over the summer. My daughter can't wait to go back to camp this summer.</p>
<p>My D (the Interlochen kid) went to Blue Lake as her first music camp ever. She liked it a lot- and chose it because it wasn't all summer. She did say she thought it was better for instrumentalists than vocalists. It was a good experience, though, and easy to get to from Grand Rapids.</p>
<p>We sent son to Berklee in LA the summer after his freshman year. We thought the 24/7 music would help him decide if he really wanted to major in music-he is now a music performance major. Son loved the experience. The kids were given schedules and it was up to them if they attended or goofed off. Good experience all around for our son. He did say there was one dorm with lots of pot, I think there was one kid sent to ER via ambulance--they were on their own at Claremont Mckenna-it is now in Fullerton. Son always wanted to return but it always conflicted with school or band.</p>
<p>My son attended the 4 week ARIA International Summer Academy at Ball State in Muncie, IN. The festival is for advanced students and young professionals, ages 15-32. He was 16 and had a great time. There were about 18 high school musicians and 60-70 college students. ARIA was previously held in Canada but moved to BSU a couple years ago with Mihai Tetel the director. This isn't a camp atmosphere, but there was a separate floor, counselors and some activities for the students who were under 18. My son felt he received great instruction and benefitted from the many masterclasses and recital opportunities.
The faculty come from Eastman, Oberlin, CIM, Peabody, Rice, Northwestern and Yale to name a few. Because each instrumental department is small, the students are able to spend a great deal of time with the instructors. The instruments included are:piano, violin, cello, flute, clarinet, bassoon and guitar. One may attend for private lessons only, or may register to be assigned to chamber groups as well. The dorm was air conditioned and the music building and concert hall just opened this fall. My son felt this was a no frills festival which was definitely worth his time and money.
The web site is: <a href="http://www.bsu.edu/music/aria%5B/url%5D">www.bsu.edu/music/aria</a>
Good luck with your search.
Chris</p>
<p>ARIA has such an amazing faculty.</p>
<p>ARIA does sound like what we're looking for in that we don't particularly want a "camp" atmosphere. The description of being for young professionals, however, makes it sound as though it would probably be beyond my daughter's reach, at least this summer. Since she's never gone to any sort of intensive summer music program before, she should probably start with something less intense. And because programs such as this are for college students as well, it sounds like it will be an option for several more years as well. Now I really wish we had started exploring this sort of thing a couple of years ago.</p>
<p>nceph-I would recommend that if your daughter is the least bit interested she email the director with any questions she may have regarding the playing level and the high school program. This is a festival that is geared toward individual study with studio classes for each specific instrument. My son's impression was that there was a huge range of ability and that the younger students were very good high school musicians not prodigies. Because this will be the third or fourth year ARIA has run in the US, they are still trying to attract applicants, not turn them away. Just my thoughts.</p>
<p>Greetings to all CC parents. Another thread revolving around the unmotivated, gifted child has inspired me to write this one. I would love to find a summer music program for S (Walden School in Dublin,NH was mentioned in other thread) but expense will likely limit our options. Any CCrs know of any shorter term music programs which deal with theory, composition or performance? </p>
<p>/</p>
<p>Last year my son attended a two week program called Marrowstone through the Seattle Youth Symphony. He enjoyed it very much. I don't know all the details about it, but they have a website: <a href="http://www.syso.org/Pages/Summer.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.syso.org/Pages/Summer.htm</a></p>
<p>Because they needed trumpet players last year, my son was able to get a nice scholarship that made it affordable for us.</p>