The Summer Strings camp is week-long all day orchestra program for students who are entering the 7th, 8th or 9th grade in the fall of 2023. We are focused on helping the students improve their individual technique as well as provide enrichment opportunities on their instrument.
Camp Dates: July 10 – 14, 2023 from 9:00am – 3:00pm
All students will participate in Orchestra, sectional and technique classes each day. Additionally, each student will select two electives from our list of classes to take each day. They will also all take part in recreation time.
Lunch is provided each day for all campers. The cost is included in the camp fee.
Cost per student: $200
Camp Director: Ms. Coramae Neely, Strack Intermediate Orchestra Director
Location: Klein Collins High School, 20811 Ella Blvd., Spring, Tx 77388
Busing: This summer, we will bus transportation to students in the southern part of the Klein district. The Bus will pick up students at Klein Intermediate at 8:00am and then pick up students at Wunderlich Intermediate at 8:20am. Students will be dropped offed of at Klein Collins High School. At 3:10pm, students will leave Klein Collins to be returned to the school they were picked up from. If you child will need to ride the bus, please indicate that when filling out the registration form.
REGISTRATION LIMIT: Due to the stage size, we a limited to a maximum of 160 students that can attend. Once this number is reached, Registration will be closed regardless of the dates listed below.
Deadline to register: Thursday, June 29, 2023 at 5pm
Financial Aid: Financial aid is available. Please download this form and turn into your orchestra director.
Classes
Orchestra: Students will rehearse with the orchestra for an hour and a half each day where they will work on preparing a program for the Grand Concert Friday evening. If we have to divide the students into two separate orchestras, students will be placed into an orchestra based on level of experience.
Sectional – In these classes the students will be divided by their orchestra part: Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola, Cello, and Bass. They will spend this time working on their parts in the orchestra music as well as a piece specifically for their instrument to perform at the Friday evening concert.
Technique – These classes will be divided by instrument (violins may be split further due to the high number of students). In here they will work on increasing their technical abilities on their instruments.
Recreation – For thirty minutes each day the students will spend time with Klein ISD coaches playing games and getting some exercise. It is a good way for students to blow off some steam in between classes.
Electives
Each student will select two electives.
Chamber Music – Students will be placed in small ensembles with their fellow camp students. Each ensemble will have a faculty coach who will hand select a piece for them to learn. Each ensemble will perform at a public venue on the morning of Saturday, July 15. Their faculty coach will work with them every day to help them prepare for their performance. Please NOTE: If you select Chamber Ensemble, your student MUST be able to perform on Saturday, July 15, 2023. They will be a part of an ensemble. If one student is missing, the whole ensemble will be unable to perform. Chamber ensembles are as much about teamwork as they are about learning the music.
Alternative Styles – In this elective, students will learn the basics of how to improvise on their instruments. They will learn how to “play by ear” and about the 12-bar blues. These are skills students should learn if they are interested in playing popular music.
Music History – Students will learn about music through the ages. The class will focus specifically on the evolution of orchestra music through time. Each day the students will learn about a different style or era of orchestra music. This class will help students understand why certain music sounds the way it does and how to tell the difference between different styles.
Music Theory – Students will learn how music works. This is where you can learn the “nuts and bolts” of music ~ like how scales are built, what intervals are, what chords are and how to build them.
Vibrato –Many students are often very excited and eager to learn what some people refer to as the ‘finger shake’. Vibrato takes an intermediate player and makes them sound very advanced. Vibrato adds fullness, rich color, and variety to your playing, but it is also very difficult to learn and slow to master. This elective will teach you vibrato or help you improve your skills.
How String Instruments Work – Ever wonder what a Luthier does? How are the instruments constructed? Who came up with the design? Why does the violin make a note higher than the cello? These and more questions will be answered in this elective.
Friday Evening Concert
On Friday evening, July 14, the camp will end with a concert at 7pm. Students will arrive by 6 p.m. wearing their camp t-shirt. There will be a short rehearsal before the concert doors open to family and friends. Students are encouraged to invite family and friends to attend the free concert. Attendees and students may wear a mask.