Without any doubt, one of the best ways to gain pre-professional experience while a student in high school or college is to attend a summer program, camp, or festival.
This article explores 20 of the best summer music program options across various disciplines: classical performance and composition, jazz, popular music, classical voice, and music production and technology.
For each category, we’ll highlight some of the most representative programs available.
Without question, summer programs can be a tremendous boost to your resume’ when applying to colleges for music.
Why is that?
They demonstrate a commitment to one’s craft during the summer months and, for highly selective programs, indicate acceptance into an elite musical environment.
Believe it or not, schools actively recruit students at the top summer music programs as they are very interested in filling their rosters freshmen with the best performing arts students in the country.
While compiling a definitive list of the “best” programs is challenging due to individual needs and goals, this article aims to provide a starting point for exploration.
Drawing from personal experience and feedback from my own students who have attended many of these programs, I’ll offer insights beyond what’s typically found in program descriptions.
What I Considered When Selecting These Summer Programs
These are just some of the factors that went into how I decided to list these particular programs:
Track record of excellence, with alumni consistently attending top music & academic colleges in the US.
Accomplished faculty working either in a collegiate setting or performing & teaching professionally.
If the summer program is specifically affiliated with a college music program, that is a plus, but not a requirement. I often recommend students attend the summer programs affiliated with the colleges they are most interested in attending.
Is open to high schoolers; high schoolers comprise a majority of the program. While some programs on here accept college students as well, all of them are “high-school friendly.”
Some summer programs, such as the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado, are designed for college and professional-level training, so we don’t cover that one here. While Aspen does have some high school students, the majority of its students are much older.
Based in the United States. There are great programs as well outside the US, but the scope of this article does not include those options.
Classical Performance Summer Programs
The following programs boast faculty from major music organizations and top conservatories, consistently placing alumni in elite music schools.
With great musical offerings and favorable reputations, my own students consistently report high satisfaction with their experiences at these institutes.
Some of these also have composition programs in addition to performance, such as Interlochen and BUTI.
Interlochen Summer Camp (Interlochen, MI)
Interlochen is the gold standard among summer music programs in the US. While not the most selective, it remains highly competitive and offers a unique experience for young artists.
What sets Interlochen apart is its sheer scale and diversity.
Students from dozens of countries converge to study a wide range of artistic disciplines, including music performance, composition, audio production, dance, creative writing, filmmaking, and visual arts.
This multidisciplinary environment fosters cross-pollination of ideas and exposes young musicians to the broader arts world.
Interlochen’s faculty comprises both professors from major collegiate institutions and active professional musicians. This blend of academic and real-world expertise provides invaluable training for high school students.
National Youth Orchestra (New York, NY)
The National Youth Orchestra has emerged as the most coveted orchestral training program for high school musicians in the US. Its appeal stems from several factors:
1. It’s entirely tuition-free, supported by corporate and arts organization sponsorships.
2. Students perform across the country and internationally. Recent tours have included prestigious venues in New York City, Amsterdam, Montpelier, Copenhagen, and Prague.
3. Participants collaborate with world-renowned guest artists and conductors, including Joshua Bell, Gil Shaham, Emmanuel Ax, and Valery Gergiev.
It’s VERY CHALLENGING to be accepted to NYO or its jazz counterpart; that being said, students of mine who have been accepted are usually accomplished at a national level.
Boston University Tanglewood Institute (Lenox, MA)
BUTI, as it’s commonly known, attracts top young talent in classical music to the idyllic setting of Lenox, Massachusetts.
The program offers intensive training for orchestral musicians, chamber players, composers, and vocalists.
Tanglewood’s unique environment, where nature meets classical music, creates an unparalleled atmosphere for musical growth.
Students work with world-class faculty, many of whom are active performers in major orchestras and ensembles.
While much of the faculty derives from the excellent Boston University School of Music, BUTI does feature faculty from other schools in the country.
BUTI is highly selective, rejecting far more applicants than it accepts for its prestigious ensembles and institutes.
Castleman Quartet Program (Fredonia, NY)
The Castleman Quartet Program has had an outsized influence on professional classical music.
Alumni of this small, selective program (only 32 participants annually) can be found in 86 professional orchestras (as principal players) and professional chamber ensembles.
Founded by renowned violinist Charles Castleman, the program offers intensive chamber music training for up to seven weeks.
Students are placed in rotating chamber ensembles, practicing and rehearsing up to 8 hours daily.
Faculty includes instructors from top music schools, and the program has hosted masterclasses by legendary musicians like Itzhak Perlman and Josef Gingold.
Brevard Music Center (Brevard, NC)
Often compared to Tanglewood in the Northeast, Brevard offers a similar immersive experience for young musicians in the South.
Set on a 180-acre wooded campus in North Carolina, the program enrolls 400 students each summer.
Brevard combines intensive training with public performances, attracting over 50,000 audience members to its productions annually. The faculty is drawn from top conservatories, universities, and professional orchestras.
The program offers both high school and adult divisions, providing opportunities for musicians at various stages of their development.
Boston Conservatory Vocal/Choral Intensive (Boston, MA)
This intensive program transforms young vocalists through rigorous 12-hour daily workshops.
Led by experienced Boston Conservatory faculty Michael Hanley, the program caters to both classical and musical theatre singers.
Students engage in comprehensive training from 9 AM to 9 PM daily, with a brief lunch break. The curriculum emphasizes technical refinement, covering crucial aspects like breathing, posture, proper sound production, and jaw positioning.
The program’s effectiveness is evident in its outcomes:
1. Participants consistently report positive experiences.
2. Students demonstrate significant improvement in musicianship and technique.
3. Alumni frequently gain admission to top-tier collegiate vocal programs nationwide.
I’ve had several students attend this program; all of them reported positive results and were accepted to great schools afterward.
Music Production & Technology Summer Programs
I chose these programs mostly on my experience with students attending them, their feedback, and the kinds of schools they were accepted into after attending.
New York University Summer Institute of Music Technology (SIMT) (New York, NY)
The Summer Institute of Music Technology (SIMT) at NYU Steinhardt offers an intensive two-week program for aspiring high school juniors and seniors interested in music and audio technology.
SIMT combines informative lectures and masterclasses with hands-on, collaborative projects. Students often collaborate with other students to produce original songs and tracks.
Students are challenged to create original musical works by applying new technologies and techniques to their existing knowledge.
Key topics include mixing and mastering, electronic music performance, sound physics, and recording techniques.
My students who attended SIMT or one of its predecessors (like SEMI) have later been accepted into NYU, Berklee, and other excellent music production programs.
Drexel University (Philadelphia, PA)
Drexel offers two programs: the Music Industry Summer Program at Westphal College, which
combines music production and business topics, and the Summer Music Technology program, which focuses on technical aspects like sound synthesis and acoustics.
The Music Industry program is particularly recommended for students interested in music business or hybrid music business/production programs.
Drexel University’s college-level bachelor’s degree-granting music industry program is quite selective, among the most competitive programs at Drexel.
Carnegie Mellon University Summer Pre-College Music (Pittsburgh, PA)
CMU’s program offers two tracks: a recording techniques course centered on Pro Tools, and a music technology course covering MIDI, music notation, and recording.
Carnegie Mellon’s collegiate offerings do include a music technology program, which has a strong engineering emphasis.
Syracuse University Summer College – Sound Engineering and Audio Production (Syracuse, NY)
Run by respected media artist Michael Wilcox, this program offers complete immersion in recording techniques, including mic’ing, mastering, and editing.
This program’s curriculum aligns well with Syracuse’s undergraduate music industry program, which combines business and electronic music production.
Tisch Summer High School Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music (New York, NY)
This NYU program stands out for its comprehensive approach, covering music production, music business, and New York City’s cultural scene.
It’s affiliated with the prestigious Clive Davis Institute, a selective college-level program centered around the music industry & entrepreneurship that has just a 12% acceptance rate with over 500 applicants per year.
Jazz Performance Summer Programs
Here are some of the finest summer programs for jazz performance…
Stanford Jazz Workshop (Stanford, CA)
The Stanford Jazz Workshop is a premier program for high school students seeking serious jazz performance study at a collegiate level.
Since its inception in 1972, this workshop has established itself as an ideal choice for young musicians looking to gain pre-college experience in a top university setting.
What sets Stanford’s program apart is its exceptional faculty roster, featuring a veritable who’s who of accomplished jazz performers and educators.
Instructors include renowned artists such as Roy McCurdy, an esteemed jazz drummer who teaches at USC Thornton.
Another notable faculty member is Sasha Berliner, a jazz mallet player who is also a faculty member in the jazz program at UC Irvine.
The workshop provides an immersive experience that goes beyond traditional instruction, offering students a taste of the professional jazz world while still in their formative years.
This combination of high-level teaching and real-world exposure makes the Stanford Jazz Workshop an exceptional choice for aspiring jazz musicians preparing for collegiate study and beyond.
Skidmore Jazz Institute (Saratoga Springs, NY)
Skidmore Jazz Institute stands out as one of the most sought-after programs for high school students aspiring to become professional jazz performers.
The program takes place at Skidmore College’s impressive Arthur Zankel Music Center, a state-of-the-art facility boasting a concert hall, recital hall, recording studio, and electronic music laboratory.
One of the key indicators of a summer program’s quality is its faculty, and Skidmore Jazz excels in this regard. The program’s instructors include:
1. Steve Davis, an accomplished jazz trombonist who played with Chick Corea, Art Blakey, and jazz sextet One For All.
2. Clay Jenkins, faculty member at the Eastman School of Music
3. Jimmy Greene, Grammy-nominated saxophonist.
Skidmore Jazz Institute offers an immersive environment for young jazz musicians to hone their skills, learn from industry professionals, and prepare for careers in jazz performance.
Summer Jazz Academy at Lincoln Center (New York, NY)
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Summer Jazz Academy stands as a beacon for young jazz musicians seeking to elevate their craft.
Situated in the heart of New York City, this prestigious program offers an unparalleled immersion into the world of jazz.
Students benefit from both group instruction and individual attention, honing their skills in various settings including small combos and big bands.
The program culminates in a public performance at a prestigious Lincoln Center venue, providing these young musicians with a professional-level experience.
Visits to iconic jazz clubs and venues complement the formal instruction, offering a holistic view of the jazz world.
Past faculty members have been some of the most recognizable names in jazz today, including Wynton Marsalis, trumpet player Terrell Stafford, and trombonist Vincent Gardner, among others.
Vail Jazz Workshop (Vail, CO)
The Vail Jazz Workshop, situated in the picturesque mountains of Colorado, has been nurturing young jazz talent since 1996.
Limited to just 12 students annually, the workshop provides an unparalleled opportunity for focused, personalized instruction.
All students who attend gain acceptance on a 100% tuition scholarship.
The faculty consists of professional jazz musicians and educators of the highest caliber, including program directors John Clayton, Dick Oatts (who also teaches at Temple University’s jazz program), Bill Cunliffe (faculty at CSU Fullerton), Wycliffe Gordon (director of jazz studies at Augusta University), among others.
Over the course of its 10-day duration, students engage in rigorous daily practice sessions, ensemble rehearsals, and music theory classes.
The program culminates with students performing at the Labor Day weekend Vail Jazz Party, where they share the stage with their instructors and other professional musicians.
This real-world performance experience, coupled with the chance to interact with and learn from established jazz artists, makes the Vail Jazz Workshop an invaluable stepping stone for aspiring jazz professionals.
Alumni of the program have gone on to successful careers in jazz, with many attending top music schools and becoming professional musicians.
My students who have been accepted – just a few – were among the most gifted I’ve ever seen.
NYO – Jazz (New York, NY)
NYO Jazz, part of Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestra family, launched in 2018, and like Vail, is completely free for accepted students.
Under the artistic direction of trumpet virtuoso Sean Jones, NYO Jazz offers a comprehensive, tuition-free summer experience.
The program begins with a rigorous two-week training residency at Purchase College, SUNY, where students work with a faculty of leading jazz masters.
Following the residency, the ensemble embarks on a tour, which includes both domestic and international performances.
Past tours have taken the group to prestigious venues across Europe and Asia, allowing these young musicians to serve as cultural ambassadors for American jazz.
The caliber of guest artists involved with NYO Jazz is extraordinary. In its inaugural year, the ensemble was joined by pianist Dianne Reeves, and subsequent seasons have featured collaborations with other jazz luminaries.
Jazz Performance & Improvisation Summer Program at Interlochen (Interlochen, MI)
Set in the renowned Interlochen Center for the Arts, this three-week program provides a unique opportunity for young musicians to hone their skills in a supportive and inspiring environment.
Under the guidance of accomplished performers and educators, students engage in a rigorous curriculum that includes jazz improv, theory, history, and even open mic nights.
The program emphasizes both large ensemble work through the Jazz Orchestra and small group experiences in combos.
Students benefit from state-of-the-art facilities, including The Music Center with its two 3,500 square-foot rehearsal halls, recording studios, and practice rooms.
Contemporary Music Summer Programs
Although there aren’t nearly as many contemporary performance summer programs as there are classical & jazz options, here are some great options for high school students that my students have attended.
Berklee College of Music Summer Programs (Boston, MA)
Berklee College of Music offers many summer programs that are among the most sought-after by high school musicians nationwide.
These programs, reflecting Berklee’s philosophy of aligning curriculum with current industry trends, provide students with invaluable pre-professional experience.
The flagship 5-week “Aspire” summer performance program is particularly popular.
It emphasizes contemporary popular and jazz ensemble experiences and serves as a significant pipeline for Berklee, with approximately 25% of attendees eventually applying to the college.
Berklee’s summer offerings extend far beyond traditional performance, catering to diverse interests within the music industry.
The Music Production Workshop, a weekend course focused on technology, stands out as one of the few high school summer programs dedicated to audio recording, MIDI composition, and sound design.
Other specialized sessions cover a wide range of disciplines, including:
– Instrument-specific programs (guitar, bass, keyboard, etc.)
– Songwriting
– Film scoring
– Music business
By offering hands-on experience in both performance and behind-the-scenes aspects of music production and business, Berklee’s summer programs provide a comprehensive glimpse into potential career paths in music.
Grammy Camp (Los Angeles, CA)
Sponsored by the organization behind the Grammy Awards, this 5-day residential music camp is held at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music.
What sets Grammy Camp apart is its diverse focus.
While excelling in performance education, it’s also one of the few programs offering a concentration in music journalism.
The camp covers a wide range of popular music genres, including rock, pop, jazz, Latin, R&B, and blues, providing a comprehensive experience for students interested in contemporary music styles.
There is also a songwriting track as well.
The program is noted for its selectivity, with a small enrollment of students per program.
I have had many students attend, and all of them had a positive experience meeting and collaborating with other students and faculty.
University of Miami Frost School of Music Summer Programs (Coral Gables, FL)
The Frost School of Music offers several excellent contemporary music summer programs, which are rare at other summer programs.
These include programs called Songwriting, Rock Bands, and even Music Production. These programs are on the shorter side, lasting only about a week each.
However, students of mine who have attended have gained quite a bit of experience in their time at Miami.
All students in the Songwriting & Rock Bands course take a music business class, complementing the performance aspect of their program with introductory training in what it takes to have a music career.
Rock Bands students on practicing, collaborating, and covering music, while Songwriting students focus on lyric writing, producing, and performing their own original music.
