Monday, February 11, 2013

Summertime's Coming - Music Camps and Festivals

Written by: Amy Tobin, violinist and manager, Fein Violins

For a lot of people, summer is a time for lazing by the pool, taking it easy, and being away from all of the more 'intellectual' activities of school, study, or work. Even if you still work, there is something different about summer that makes you take things a little more easy and be a little more laid back.

For a lot of musicians, however, the summer can be a bit treacherous. When it comes to playing an instrument, taking 3 months off can be a real hinderance to progress, if not set you back a bit entirely. For that reason, many younger musicians tend to take advantage of the opportunity to focus entirely on their instrument, without having to split time between practicing and studying and the other things that can compete for time and attention.

If you are new to the idea of summer music camps or festivals, I am going to outline some of the different options for you. Some of these I have been to, some of these I have had other colleagues attend, and others I have only a passing knowledge of. It's certainly not an exhaustive list, but hopefully it will open you up for discovery of different options for the summer months. Whatever your interests, however, there should be something here to catch your eye!

1. Interlochen National Music Camp

Image result for Interlochen Music School's Kresge Auditorium
Interlochen Music School's Kresge Auditorium
I have to start with Interlochen since it is so near and dear to me. I attended the summer program here for two years, and it was AMAZING! The program itself