music camp

glassharmonica
Tue, 13 Dec 2011 09:32:22 +0000

If she wants to really progress in her solo work (which is something she needs to do if she is in Suzuki Book 8 at age 15) a camp may not be the best environment for her. Camps can be terrific for advancing orchestra and chamber music skills, or even musicality. But I can tell you, after 9 years of attending summer music programs, my daughter who is a sophomore at a conservatory is considering staying home to roll up her sleeves and really work. She learns a lot at summer programs, but 6-8 weeks with a lesson once (or twice if lucky) a week with a new teacher is not, she feels, enough time to get done the work she feels she needs to do. I think it is different for students who follow their own teachers to programs. They are able to continue work on various projects in an unbroken way. But if your daughter’s goal is basic woodshedding for the purpose of improvement AND if she can get the supervision she needs (i.e., her teacher is around at least part of the summer), she would probably be better off at home.

There are a few “practice camps”, such as Meadowmount. Your daughter may not be competitive for admission at her current level (Meadowmount does have some great cello faculty.)

If your daughter were looking for a great musical experience I would recommend a program like Kinhaven. But their emphasis is on ensemble playing and she would not receive the kind of lessons she needs to advance as quickly as she needs to, with college auditions in the not-so-distant future.