Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp offering new camp for beginner band students

June 21, 2024

MCP file photo

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief

BLUE LAKE TOWNSHIP, Muskegon Co. — Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp is offering a new camp this summer, intended for students with little or no musical experience who want to enter into band. The Mini Camp is a four-day camp for children who are in grades five through seven and will take place on Aug. 7-11. Campers will stay on the campus of Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp located in northern Muskegon County.

Through small groups and large ensembles, students will learn a range of foundational elements as they work toward a small demonstration for families on the final day. Campers will:

  • Learn fundamentals of reading and listening to music: notes, rhythms, dynamics, and musical vocabulary
  • Engage in a range of traditional camp activities, including recreation, singing, games, campfire time, and crafts
  • Learn how to assemble and properly hold the instrument with emphasis on proper posture and embouchure
  • Begin the process of learning beginning notes and basic scale(s) associated with their instrument
  • Receive one-on-one coaching in small group classes taught by expert faculty and staff
  • Participate in daily Listening Lab, highlighting quintessential examples of a professional ensemble sound, classic and contemporary wind band literature, and prime examples of tone production
  • Receive positive guidance and mentorship from college staff
  • Receive a unique take-home guide for their instrument, including fingering charts, scales, note-reading basics, and other helpful resources

Students do not necessarily need their own instrument, but are welcome to bring one. A limited number of instruments will be available for students to try. The camp is open only to flute, clarinet, alto saxophone, trumpet, trombone and percussion students who have no experience but plan to join band in the fall. Enrolling students are encouraged to consult with their school band director and secure their instrument of choice prior to enrolling.

The $450 tuition includes instruction with Blue Lake’s faculty, supervision by its college staff, materials and supplies for activities, and one uniform shirt. Additional uniform shirts are available for a charge of $15 each.

Blue Lake is offering a $100 credit using the code “miniband2024.”

Tuition assistance is available for students with a personal recommendation from an established music educator. Contact the Scholarship Office at scholarships@bluelake.org or 800-221-3796 ext. 202. A deposit of $90 is due at the time of enrollment, and the balance is due 14 days prior to the first day.

More information is available at www.bluelake.org.

_____________________

Please Support Local News

Receive daily MCP and OCP news briefings along with email news alerts for $10 a month. Your contribution will help us to continue to provide you with free local news. 

The easiest way is to sign up for an automatic monthly payment on Paypal. Click this link.

Alternative methods:

  • We can send you an invoice each month, which you can conveniently pay online or by check. If you are interested in this method, please email editor@mediagroup31.com and we can sign you up. You can also mail a yearly check for $120 to Media Group 31, PO Box 21, Scottville, MI 49454 (please include your email address).
  • We also accept Venmo payments.

We appreciate all our readers regardless of whether they choose to continue to access our service for free or with a monthly financial support.

If you would like to support MCP/OCP but do not wish to receive daily emails, please consider sending a contribution to any of the above methods or pay by Venmo (@masoncountypress).  We appreciate all our readers regardless of whether they choose to continue to access our service for free or with a monthly financial support.

_____

This story and original photography are copyrighted © 2024, all rights reserved by Media Group 31, LLC, PO Box 21, Scottville, MI 49454. No portion of this story or images may be reproduced in any way, including print or broadcast, without expressed written consent.

As the services of Media Group 31, LLC are news services, the information posted within the sites are archivable for public record and historical posterity. For this reason it is the policy and practice of this company to not delete postings. It is the editor’s discretion to update or edit a story when/if new information becomes available. This may be done by editing the posted story or posting a new “follow-up” story. Media Group 31, LLC or any of its agents have the right to make any changes to this policy. Refer to Use Policy for more information.

Please consider helping to fund local news. Mason County Press and Oceana County Press are available for free thanks to the generous support of our advertisers and individuals. Three ways to help us: Venmo: @MasonCountyPress; Paypal: MasonCountyPress@gmail.com; Mail a check to PO BOX 21, Scottville, MI 49454.

fb.com/stars