Some summer music programs require that the participants be at the site 24/7. It’s not an option for parents to visit except on specific days and times. So…just check to make sure what you choose allows this…if it’s what you want.
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Thanks. BUTI sounds more and more like the way to go as I’m talking to various people. I read some pretty iffy reviews of Interlochen, so I’m hesitant there.
Do you happen to know anything about Brevard? I believe it’s all focused on piano but not sure. Saw a poster for it outside her teacher’s studio.
We wouldn’t be visiting, just in the area. I’m okay for her to do an overnight but not out of state or more than 1-2 hours from us.
Thank you! Wondering about Brevard as I’m seeing posters for it in her music school. I just spoke with someone who did BUTI and loved it.
Yes, do you know anything about it?
Not for piano, but a friend’s daughter is interested as well and I am hoping somebody who attended gives more detail of their experience.
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Indiana’s string program has not operated for about the past 3-4 years. They restarted up again this year. It’s hard to say anything about it since it is sort of new again. I know one pianist there in the piano program who is ~15/16 and seems to be enjoying it.
In the past, enjoyment was very studio-dependent for the string program. I don’t think you could do both the string and piano programs simultaneously, though.
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Can I ask how you know so much about these programs? Are you a professor? Parent of musician? Musician? Just curious 
Lol, I played myself in high school and college so I attended several of them that way. My kids have applied and attended several as well. Beyond that, I pay attention and ask LOTS of questions from everybody in my kids’ precollege and scholarship programs about summer programs. Their scholarship program typically has one or more sessions where kids and parents talk about their experiences at various programs, so we get all the inside info on them each year.
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Gotcha, thanks!
Mine attended interlochen, Tanglewood and Brevard.
How would you (or your student) characterize the differences between those three? My student’s instrument is voice and they’re also interested in composition, but those three are on our radar.
I am hoping some voice/composition folks chime in, because my son is a classical instrumentalist so his experience at these three programs would be quite different.
Some general thoughts:
He attended Interlochen after sophomore year in HS. For my son it was transformative. Very high level private instruction on his instrument, excellent studio class and several master classes, heavy emphasis on reed making, high quality large ensemble and small ensembles. He also enjoyed being with students with other artistic specialties as they have dance, visual art etc. Beautiful but very remote area. He did not love the cabin lodging (without air conditioning). I do not know if this has been upgraded.
Mine only did the BUTI intensive. This was after junior year. Conservatory type schedule and dorm rooms. For some reason my son did not love BUTI, perhaps just not the right fit at the right time in his life.
He went to Brevard after his first year of conservatory. Only a small number of college age students were accepted as they limited the enrollment due to the pandemic. So his experience is likely not representative of a normal summer there. He felt the private lessons and studio classes were high level, really enjoyed his small ensemble and coaching. Orchestra was wonderful as well especially as he had been remote learning for the entire year prior. Really beautiful setting, rather rustic but fairly decent accommodations. Big bugs and snakes. 
I think when you look at summer programs, it is important to consider your kid’s age and how challenged they will be (and how comfortable they are with these challenges)
Feel free to message me if you have other questions.
Walden School in Dublin NH. Rigorous and magical at the same time. Classes (including contemporary music topics, electronics, theory, history special topics etc.) and world class musicians play student pieces. Six weeks with financial aid available. Instrumentalists and vocal performers have opportunities to perform. Very well-regarded at the college level.
Old news…my kid went to New England Music Camp for three summers, BUTI for two summers, Eastern Music Festival for 2 summers, and Aspen for one summer.
He really enjoyed them all for different reasons.
Classical brass player.
From a strings perspective, Interlochen is a bit less challenging than BUTI. BUTI is intense and somewhat unstructured for parts of the day, so the kids have to be mature enough to basically know what to do with their time. Not everything was well scheduled/planned. Busses from Groton to and from Tanglewood (performances) were sometimes late/hard to find. I think both camps have solid musical value. It depends more on the lifestyle “experience” you prefer. Also, know that BUTI dorms are worse than the Interlochen cabins in many ways, so don’t go for the great dorms, lol… 
I’ve been hesitating to weigh in on this one but I don’t have a very high opinion of the level of structure/supervision at BUTI based on a friend’s experience last year.
The kids seemed to have way too much free, unsupervised time on their hands and there was some underage drinking (to the point where EMTs had to be called) and then a mass expulsion. My friend’s daughter was also surprised by the level of playing (and not in a “wow everybody’s so good” kind of way.) Granted this is one data point but if the events of last summer didn’t cause the administration to do some major rethinking, I’d be cautious about sending a kid there (less because I’d assume they’d get into trouble and more because…for that amount of money and time…I think there are other programs that provide a more well-rounded learning experience).
The summer orchestra camp I’m most familiar with is Brevard and this scenario would have been way less likely to happen there given the support and accountability structure. I was a camper there decades ago but I interviewed the current director (a former classmate of mine) extensively last year about how they socially integrate high school kids and things seem rock solid there. They keep the students quite busy from morning to night with the goal of giving students a holistic college-level music student experience (e.g. theory classes in the mornings; multiple sorts of ensembles; attending most/all the performances; work study jobs for students who qualify, etc.)
I’ll also put in a good word for chamber music camps (e.g. Greenwood, Kinhaven, maybe Music at Menlo), which foster a different kind of musicianship (while drawing from equally talented students). While the experience of performing with a truly outstanding symphony is intoxicating, many kids who get into programs like BUTI and Brevard are already performing with strong youth orchestra programs. They could probably benefit from the nuanced expressive playing/ear training that tends to happen in good chamber music coaching. And it’s way harder to slip through the cracks.
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BUTI is wonderful; the value of all of these places comes from the young person’s motivation
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Kinhaven has a full symphony component that every camper participates in. It’s not just a chamber music camp - it’s got symphony, chamber ensembles, and large chorus, all of which perform weekly.
The supervision there was appropriate for high schoolers (and for middle schoolers, for the junior session). Not too overbearing, but not lax enough for them to get into trouble. And it was all so much fun that my kid loved it there, would have gone back every summer if it had not been interrupted by Covid.
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My kid went to BUTI for two summers and said it was the best two summers of his life. We went to all the concerts (we only live an hour away) and we’re totally in awe of the quality of the ensembles we heard. We went to the chamber music things as well. They were terrific.
My kid spent the vast majority of that “free time” practicing himself or with his chamber music group. He was very busy.
My kid had friends who attended Brevard and said it felt more like a summer camp than a music festival program.
I think what this all says is…different strokes for different folks.
I’m sorry your friend’s kid didn’t find this to be a great experience.
My S24 went to kinhaven for the first time last summer and absolutely loved it. When he came home he was more motivated to start his audition videos and his level had improved just from teh tons of playing and being with other motivated, wonderful musicians.
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