<p>Tanglewood looks like it’s free for everyone who gets in – but they state on their site that they expect these participants to be between 18 and 30!! Hardly a great environment for a high school musician. They do incredible work there, but it doesn’t seem to be especially designed for developing excellent young performers … you have to already be in the top 0.001%. </p>
<p>If you’re looking for a program that will challenge your abilities, both in the ensembles and in private instruction, I can recommend NYSMF (New York Summer Music Festival) without any prejudice. Never mind that I’m the place’s Director of Communications, I’m an actor, not a musician, and I am continually astonished at the levels our students achieve during camp.</p>
<p>NYSMF has a ton of students from advanced pre-college music programs like Juilliard, MSM, and LaGuardia. Many of the faculty also have roots in those programs, and also teach during the year at places like Curtis and perform in groups like the NY Phil, the Philly Orch, and the NY Pops.</p>
<p>A few of NYSMF Visiting Artists also spend time at Tanglewood, like violinist Pamela Frank, but take the time to run over because they like the program and the people so much. Our lineup of Visiting Artists easily represents the finest collection of professional musicians ever seen in the area. You’d have to travel all the way to NYC, Chicago, Philadelphia, or Boston to match the lineup at NYSMF during the summer.</p>
<p>Most importantly, NYSMF doesn’t forget that summer is also a time to have fun. So while everyone takes their music very, very seriously (they have to in order to put on 30 concerts a summer!), we all want this to be a place where you can explore new aspects of music and creativity. Like violists who have never played jazz; or trumpeters who are interested in composition; or singers who are curious about filmmaking and writing original songs. Plus hanging out with new friends, meeting people from different states and countries, and having pizza-eating contests.</p>
<p>Check the program out at <a href=“http://www.nysmf.org%5B/url%5D”>http://www.nysmf.org</a>. There’s a lot for the strictest band geek or orch dork, as well as for the beginning saxophonist. Hope to hear from you!</p>