Still Time for Summer Music Camp

by Leah R. Garnett on Monday, July 13th, 2009 at at 1:20 am

Beginning guitar class at Meadowlark Music Camp.

If you have vacation time that you’re not sure how to use, think seriously about signing up for a week at a summer music camp for adults (or adults and families). Getting a chance to play with other adults – both casually and in formal group settings – is an invaluable experience.  The camps seem to self-select for people who are fun, supportive, and easy going, so don’t worry for a moment that you’re not “good enough” to go.  Musicians of all levels – many are beginners – play with and support each other. 

Here are some camps that still have open weeks in July, August, and September:

• Interlochen Adult Band Camp. Interlochen, Michigan.
• Meadowlark Music Camp. Washington, Maine.
• Midsummer Musical Retreat. Walla Walla, Washington.
• Puget Sound Guitar Workshop. Bremerton, Washington.
• Rocky Mountain Fiddle Camp. Estes Park, Colorado.
• SummerKeys 2009. Lubec, Maine.
• Targhee Bluegrass Camp. Alta, Wyoming.
• Vermont Jazz Center Summer Program. Brattleboro, Vermont.
• Village Harmony 9-Day Adult Workshops/Choral Camp. Stannard Vermont; McKenzie, Oregon.
• World Rhythms Arts Program. Argyle, Texas.
• WUMB’s 14th Annual Summer Acoustic Music Week. Central New Hampshire.

Don’t forget your sunscreen, bug spray, flashlight, and cell phone so you can text home for care packages! Also, take a look at:

• Fall is the Season for Fall Music Workshops
• Some People Summer at the Beach; We Like Band Camp

Teachers at WUMB’s Summer Acoustic Music Week.

11 comments

1 amanda
Posted 02/04/10 at 8:49 am

this is a great source !
thankyou!

2 Leah R. Garnett
Posted 02/04/10 at 9:19 am

Amanda: I’m glad it was useful! Thx for the thx…

3 Michael
Posted 02/04/10 at 10:29 am

Don’t forget the Tritone Jazz Camps! http://www.tritonejazz.com/

4 Leah R. Garnett
Posted 02/04/10 at 10:39 am

Thanks, Michael. I’ll add that to the updated post for 2010; I’ll probably run it in March/April. If anyone else has suggestions for summer camps/workshops to add to the list, please add here or email me at contact@musicafter50.com Thx.

5 Old Fiddler
Posted 02/04/10 at 12:53 pm

Also, Maine Fiddle Camp, Northern Heritage Music Camp, the series of camps at Warren Wilson College in NC, Pine Woods, Ashokan, and many, many others… a quick google search will turn up scores of them all over the country…

6 Willi X Evans
Posted 03/07/10 at 11:42 am

How do you go about organizing these? I will soon be living in Old Hickory, TN outside Nashville and If there is a city that needs a music camp for musicians over 50, it’s Nashville….Give me a few pointers and I’ll run with this…

7 Tom Ryan
Posted 03/07/10 at 11:46 am

A great camp for songwriters of all levels is Summersongs.
Camps in CA and NY state, summer and winter. Lots of workshops, coffeehouses, song circles, etc. An extremely supportive community! If that’s not enough to catch your eye, it’s worth it just for the food–really!
>>>>> http://www.summersongs.com/ <<<<<

8 Eleanor
Posted 03/07/10 at 2:12 pm

Add the New Horizons Band Camps to your list. They have been a great learning as well as a fun experience. After attending a few, you feel like you attending to a family reunion. You meet so many fun people.

9 Mary Wittrup
Posted 03/07/10 at 3:48 pm

Hill Country Acoustic Music Camp Kerrville, Texas

10 Mary Wittrup
Posted 03/07/10 at 3:49 pm

Hill Country Acoustic Music Camp, Kerrville, Texas
hcamp.org

11 Leah
Posted 06/01/10 at 10:08 pm

This post was recently updated for 2010; take a look:
http://www.musicafter50.com/2010/05/music-camps-for-adults-are-serious-fun/

Leave a Comment