Blue Mountain Chamber Music Festival
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Residential Camp

Covid Protocols for 2023
We expect to have live concerts this summer.
We will continue to update policies as we work towards a safe, healthy camp experience for 2023.


Residential Camp For Chamber Music
Mount St. Mary's University - Emmitsburg, MD
July 23 - Aug 5, 2023

​Click here for directions and the campus map


Click Here for 2022 Concert Program.

​Instruction
Blue Mountain Residential Camp offers world-class instruction in Voice, Violin, Viola, Cello, Piano & Flute. Other instruments may be accepted on a case-by-case basis.

Preparation & Performance
Our schedule is rigorously focused toward preparing musicians to give excellent performances with their chamber groups at the festival’s close. We take time to develop individualized schedules, thus providing maximum challenge, support and opportunity for each student.

Individualized Attention
Each student receives a minimum of 5 hours of small group or personalized faculty instruction each day, theory, orchestra and optional jazz ensemble or choir. Students also receive one private lesson per week included with tuition.

College Preparation Support
Students can choose from the following optional classes in preparation for college applications
  • Daily SAT class
  • Option to have time one period a day for supervised online study
  • Audition preparation class: This class gives daily support to preparing an audition either for an application to a music program or for an arts supplement video for the common app. An accompanist is available during the class and for one extra period daily. Filming of audition videos will be completed on the last day of camp.
  • 20 hours of community service (this would be completed through a range of tutoring or local community service)

Location & Housing
Mount St. Mary University in Emmitsburg, MD
Students reside in college dormitories.

Audition Requirements
Two contrasting works that represent the applicant’s highest level of technical and musical ability in voice, violin, viola, cello, piano or flute.

Application Procedure
All applications are due by April 1, 2023. Late applications will be reviewed at the discretion of the executive director. 


Supplemental Courses:
​

In addition to chamber music, we offer a wide selection of supplemental courses. 

Ear training:
  • Aural theory skills: chord recognition, rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic dictation, and sight singing.

Written Theory:
  • Written Theory skills: chord analysis, harmony and voice leading, inversions, formal analysis

Classical Vocal Ensembles:
  • The camp's primary vocal program: Learn and develop singing skills and perform music from the medieval age to the present day.  Two sessions will be offered, one treble choir for students aged twelve and below, the other for everyone else, with no audition required

Music Theater Ensembles (Voice Majors or Others by Audition):
  • Learn and perform ensemble repertoire from the musical theater and operatic traditions

History of String Quartets:
  • Survey of the development of the string quartet as a genre and a form, from the baroque dance suite to the modern miniature symphony

History of Opera:
  • A brief overview of the development of opera with a focus on the camp repertoire

Mindfulness: A Journey to the Present:
  • Learn mindfulness and meditation skills and develop comfort applying them in your playing and everyday life

Audition prep (Open to Juniors, Seniors, and students with significant upcoming auditions):
  • Prepare audition repertoire in a master class format, culminating project is creating a professional-quality application video

Click Here
​To SEE APPLICATION PROCESS 
AND tO APPLY
Daily Schedule
Focused on Learning
The Blue Mountain Festival schedule is rigorously focused toward preparing the serious young musician to give an excellent performance with his or her chamber group at the close of the festival.
Blue Mountain Festival takes the time to develop individualized schedules to provide the maximum challenge, support and opportunity for each participant.
Multiple faculty concerts and open faculty rehearsals also provide instruction and inspiration for our students. The amount of repertoire will vary according to the ability and experience of each player.
Students will be placed at appropriate levels for all theory lessons and masterclasses.

​Daily Schedule

The daily schedule for the Festival will include chamber coaching for each ensemble, a supervised personal practice period, an ensemble rehearsal period, a technique class or Masterclass and a theory or analysis class. At the close of each day there will be time for organized recreation, allowing Festival participants to enjoy time relaxing and playing sports together.


Instrumental
  • 8:15-8:45 Breakfast
  • 8:45 Mandatory Morning Meeting
  • 9:00-10:15  Quartet Coaching
  • 10:30-11:45 Trio Sonata Coaching
  • 12:00-12:45 Lunch
  • 1:00-1:50 Theory
  • 2:00-3:10 Supervised Practice
  • 3:15-4:20 Chamber Orchestra
  • 4:30-5:30 Recreation (Hiking, Volleyball, Tennis, Arts and Crafts and Other Outdoor Activities and Relaxation)
  • 5:45 Dinner
  • 7:00 Evening Activities (Jazz Ensemble, Music Theater, Concerts, Games and Movies)-older students will have additional practice time and lessons
  • 9:30 Lights out for 13 & under
  • 10:30 All campers in their rooms
  • 11:00 Lights out
Vocal
  • 8:15-8:45 Breakfast
  • 8:45 Mandatory Morning Meeting
  • 9:00-10:15  Vocal Warm-Up
  • 10:30-11:45 Secondary Piano
  • 12:00-12:45 Lunch
  • 1:00-1:50 Theory
  • 2:00-3:10 Practice
  • 3:15-4:20 Small Ensemble
  • 4:30-5:30 Recreation (Hiking, Volleyball, Tennis, Arts and Crafts and Other Outdoor Activities and Relaxation)
  • 5:45 Dinner
  • 7:00-8:00 Large Vocal Ensemble (Opera Scenes, Musical Theater Excerpts)
  • 8:15-10:00 Evening Activities (Jazz Ensemble, Concerts, Games and Movies)-older students will have additional practice time and lessons
  • 10:30 All campers in their rooms
  • 11:00 Lights out
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Performances
 2022 Recitals and Concerts - Update coming soon..
Recitals locations TBD

​​For 2021 Recital and Concert program, please click here.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the underlying philosophy of the Festival?
The Blue Mountain Festival is based on the principle that learning, personal growth and musical performance thrive best in a non-competitive atmosphere of challenge and support. The faculty values each student not only as an aspiring musician, but also as a human being. We firmly believe that working together in musical ensembles teaches important values such as respect, communication, patience, good judgment, teamwork, organizational skills, and goal setting. It is our desire to create an environment where a rigorous structure will help students gain the technical skills they need and where great music and positive feedback will provide them with the inspiration to enjoy both practice and performance.

What is the origin of the Blue Mountain Festival?
The Festival was founded in 2003 when it inaugurated its first season.

Do you accept beginning students at the camp?
At this point we do not.

How are the students supervised during recreation?
During recreation time students are supervised by the Directors, Camp Manager, Camp Nurse and the counselor staff. The ratio of campers to staff is 4:1.

What have parents said about the camp?
“My daughter attended the inaugural summer camp session in 2003 and loved every minute of it! The balance between theory and performance practices leading up to her solo and chamber recitals during the last week of camp was perfect for her. The entire experience carried over very smoothly to her school year music program at Westminster Conservatory in Princeton where she now regularly plays with a chamber ensemble. Beyond that, she has made lasting friendships with her campmates, whom she looks forward to seeing and playing with again during the 2005 Festival.”   -- Robin Fried

What performances can I expect my child to participate in during the camp?
All students participate in the final chamber concert. Other performance and Masterclass participants are determined by the faculty. It is not to be assumed that only the most advanced students are chosen for additional performances, rather the decisions are made based on which students have repertoire prepared for an outstanding performance at each individual level.

How can I make a Tax deductible donation to the Festival?
Donations can be made anytime through our paypal link or by sending a tax-deductible donation to:

     Blue Mountain Festival
     PO Box 2373
     Boothwyn, PA 19061
​

A donation receipt will be provided for all donations.
​
How will my donation be used?
Donations can provide a scholarship for a musically qualified student or help pay the music teaching staff during the Festival.
​
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Blue Mountain Festival • PO Box 2373  • Boothwyn, PA 19061 • Phone: 484-372-0658  • Email: BlueMountainFestival@gmail.com 
(c) 2020
  • Home
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