As I watch the snow keep coming down, it’s hard to believe it, but it’s true: it’s time to think about Summer Music Camps.
In particular, I’m thinking about camps appropriate for students interested in advancing their understanding of vocal jazz – as soloists, as ensemble singers, and as improvisers.
I’ve looked around, and there are three camps I highly recommend for those students. All of these camps would be appropriate for high school students, for college students, and for educators interested in honing their jazz chops.
All three camps include faculty I trust and curricula that will offer intensive and extensive training in the skills I think are most important. And all three camps will be utterly joyful – thanks to the people, the immersive music making, and the locations. Four times I attended the Phil Mattson Vocal Jazz/Choral Workshops, and all of these promise to offer similarly memorable experiences. So, in alphabetical order…
New York Voices Vocal Jazz Camp
(July 29-August 4, 2019, Kalamazoo, MI)
With a faculty that includes all of the New York Voices as well as Greg Jasperse, Rosana Eckert, Jay Ashby, and Chris Buzzelli, this camp sounds amazing. For Michigan students, it’s delightful news that NYV has moved the camp into our backyard – it will be held at Western Michigan University for the first time this summer.
SMV Vocal Jazz Camp
(July 14-19, Creston, Iowa; July 22-26, Winnipeg, Manitoba)
This camp is the direct successor of the Phil Mattson Camps, and features faculty including Jeremy Fox, Lucas Mattson, Ryan Howe, and Cynthia Wahl as well as a vocal jazz ensemble from SWCC, the host school. The faculty are wonderful, the format is well-honed, and the atmosphere promises to be excellent at both locations.
UNT Vocal Jazz Summer Workshop
(June 23-28, 2019, Denton, TX)
Faculty including Jennifer Barnes, Rosana Eckert, and Greg Jasperse. Facilities at the University of North Texas, a legendary home for instrumental and vocal jazz. Having just spent some days immersed in the leadership style of Jennifer Barnes, I think this camp would be a fabulous option.
Here are two additional options offered to choral educators, specifically designed to strengthen jazz-specific skills.
The Jazz Harmony Retreat
(July 8-13, 2019, Creston, IA)
This is a weeklong “boot camp” led by Dr. Jeremy Fox and Dr. Justin Binek, designed to give educators the piano, arranging, and rehearsal technique skills necessary to incorporate more jazz into their choral program.
UNT Vocal Jazz Educator Seminar
(June 20-22, Denton, TX)
This intensive workshop precedes their Vocal Jazz Summer Workshop, and focuses on educator-specific skills with Jennifer Barnes and Janice Vlachos (Fairview HS, Colorado).
There are many other options, of course (Downbeat has a full listing every year in their March issue). These are the ones I feel most comfortable vouching for. If you have a camp you think I should add to this list, don’t hesitate to contact me.