My daughter completed her second year at Interlochen this past August. She was a junior one year and then an intermediate this year. She had an absolutely amazing experience and can’t wait to go back next year. She plays violin and sang in the chorus. The counselors do try to make it fun, it is not all grindingly hard work. I think that’s the right attitude so I’m fine with it. If I wanted her to become a concert violinist, I would probably get her a serious private teacher who works her three or four hours a day. She plays violin and piano to have fun.

The biggest difference between the two is if you pay the money you can get into Blue Lake. With Interlochen you have to audition and they are much toucher to get into.

Each year, Interlochen Arts Camp becomes home to the World Youth Symphony Orchestra, high-school age musicians working with renowned conductors from all over the world

Enough said

I wonder if my daughter would like the camp Bernstein experience? By next summer she will have been playing for 6 years. Choir is a newer interest though - she just started that this year

She is definitely not a cello prodigy but she really enjoys it and is significantly more advanced than kids in her school orchestra

Anonymous wrote:I guess I'm a total Interlochen "snob" having gone there four summers and worked there for one and would never consider sending my child to Blue Lake (esp. from this far away). We thought of it as being a "townie" kind of camp for Michigan kids who didn't get into Interlochen at the time (but wore nearly the same uniform ). Interlochen draws kids from all 50 states and something like 30 countries; it's like experiencing a wonderful small liberal arts college but as a child or teen. It really is unparalleled. I think what's nice about the junior program (the littler kids) is that there may be one or two true "standout" prodigies at that point but most of the kids attending are really normal and just show a fondness and aptitude for their art/music and they do a good job making sure the kids get normal summer camp recreation (swimming, canoeing, arts & crafts, nature, etc.)

I have to say you are truly revolting. I was very lucky that I had a very privileged upbringing for which I'm grateful, but I would never refer to other people in these terms.

I have a child who went to Interlochen for two years as a junior camper and loved it. That being said, there are some really great camps for junior strings campers that are on the East Coast. Look at PointCounterPoint (my kid also went here for two years -- they even have a one week junior camp for 8 and up), Kinhaven, Greenwood among others. My child loved Interlochen but surprisingly, we didn't find the music level to be as high as hoped. These other camps are serious and true camps, too. Good luck to your daughter!

A 10 year old would be in the Bernstein section of Bue Lake. It has a far smaller number of campers and fewer levels of orchestra. My kids didn't lime Bernstein but did like the experience as older campers which is called Central Camp. Almost everyone gets at least a partial scholarship many not need based. This makes Blue Lake far cheaper than Interlochen. At the Central Camp level in strings you will find kids at the all state level in big music states until about age 15 at which point they tend to go elsewhere or stop doing camps.

Oy, PP is a snob but also accurately sums up how snobs see the two camps.

Both are fine choices. Interlochen is....unique. It's amazing and and expensive and draws top-notch talent. It is the gold standard in performing arts summer camps.

But...you also have folks like PP, who are a little overawed by the prestige, and that can be a hard environment for a child.

Blue Lake is absolutley scrappier (great facilities, but nothing like Interlochen given that Interlochen also has a residential program) and draws more kids from the Midwest than from the East Coast or abroad.

From a place of expeirence, I'd do Blue Lake for a younger child and Interlochen for a teen.

I guess I'm a total Interlochen "snob" having gone there four summers and worked there for one and would never consider sending my child to Blue Lake (esp. from this far away). We thought of it as being a "townie" kind of camp for Michigan kids who didn't get into Interlochen at the time (but wore nearly the same uniform ). Interlochen draws kids from all 50 states and something like 30 countries; it's like experiencing a wonderful small liberal arts college but as a child or teen. It really is unparalleled. I think what's nice about the junior program (the littler kids) is that there may be one or two true "standout" prodigies at that point but most of the kids attending are really normal and just show a fondness and aptitude for their art/music and they do a good job making sure the kids get normal summer camp recreation (swimming, canoeing, arts & crafts, nature, etc.)

I attended interlochen as a girl and absolutely loved it. It is a super special place. I go every summer to vacation down the beach with my children. We go every day to the camp to listen to the music.

OP there was a recent thread on interlochen, if you run a search here you should find it.

I remember there were two parents whose children had attended and both had very positive experiences.

I went to Blue Lake around 1984!

If she wants to do music and visual arts, look at Buck's Rock.

Not at all recent, but I went to Blue Lake as an 11 year old in the summer of 1977. Had a great time. I had no idea the camp was still running.

anyone have experience a interlochen recently? I have 10 year old daughter who has been playing cello seriously for 5 years (and enjoys it) and also likes choir, theater , visual arts. She is young enough still to not have to audition. Wouldn’t do it this summer but maybe next. Just wondering about it and maybe Blue Lake Camp