Orchestra
String students must be able to play a major two-octave scale.
YMA Orchestra students get to learn and perform some of the world’s great orchestral music. Even students with limited experience will find success in our Orchestra program, where you’ll rehearse and perform alongside counselors and faculty members in a fun, supportive group. YMA has both a full orchestra and a string orchestra, and as long as you can read music and have a cursory knowledge of your instrument, you will have a great experience. Advanced players are put in positions of leadership, providing additional experience.
Because you’ll be in a group of musicians with wide-ranging abilities, you’ll experience mentoring at all levels and a unique camaraderie. Along with attending daily orchestra rehearsal, you’ll spend time in sectionals, you’ll get some individual practice time, and you’ll be placed in a chamber music group suited to your ability level. You can also request private lessons throughout the camp session to refine your skills and deepen your understanding of music.
Orchestra students perform at the mid-session performance for their fellow campers as well as the Final Performance for families. You may also opt to participate in student recitals throughout the session. Auditions on the first day will help faculty choose appropriate music for the session and determine your placement in orchestra.
Students are divided into groups according to their instruments and are assigned an instructor who is a specialist in that instrument. Through expert advice and daily personal attention, the students explore the possibilities of their instruments and deepen their understanding of music.
Instrumental music students also have the opportunity to work in chamber music groups. These small ensembles will work on chamber music suited to their ability levels with one of our counselors or faculty.
Each student is provided with individual practice time. With the many activities going on during the thirteen-day session, the practice periods are welcome opportunities for students to reflect and focus on their own development.
Band
YMA Band students get to learn and perform some of the world’s great symphonic band music. Even students with limited experience will find success in our Band program, where you’ll rehearse and perform alongside counselors and faculty members in a fun, supportive group. As long as you can read music and have a cursory knowledge of your instrument, you’ll be in good hands. If you have more experience, you might play in both band and orchestra or our new jazz intensive, providing a more rigorous, challenging body of music.
Because you’ll be in a group of musicians with wide-ranging abilities, you’ll experience mentoring at all levels and a unique camaraderie. After each morning’s band rehearsal, you’ll spend time in small group sectionals and/or chamber groups, you’ll get some individual practice time, and you can request private lessons throughout the camp session to refine your skills and deepen your understanding of music.
Band students perform at the informal Saturday Visitors' Day show and the Final Performance. You may also opt to participate in student recitals throughout the session. Auditions on the first day help faculty choose appropriate music for the session and determine your placement in band and orchestra.
Jazz
Regardless of your level of experience, the YMA Jazz program will help further your knowledge with jazz and improvisation. We offer two different paths, depending on your existing jazz expertise:
The Jazz Ensemble is a small group that focuses on deepening your improvisation skills and stylistic nuance in jazz and Afro-Cuban traditions. If you have intermediate-to-advanced proficiency on your instrument and familiarity with improvisation in bebop and post-bebop idioms, then this program is for you.
If you’re relatively new to jazz and improvisation, the Jazz Workshop introduces you to some of the basics and gets you more comfortable with the genre. We encourage participation from students on any instrument including voice for the Jazz Workshop. There are no special prerequisites in this program, other than an open mind and willingness to play.
As part of the YMA Jazz program, you’ll also participate in other relevant programs, including Band, Orchestra, Choir, or Guitar. Faculty in the Jazz program will take part in the other programs, too, so you’ll be able to gain an understanding of how these musical activities interrelate. You’ll have multiple opportunities to perform throughout the YMA session, including in the Final Performance.