PP once more hunting and pecking on my phone! Sorry for
Formatting.

Also, with Interlochen, the level of instruction goes way up with the level of placement. The top string kids are getting the more senior instructors. The high schoolers are being placed with the really world class instructors. My kid loves the immersive experience and full symphony rep, but her instruction is just as good at home until this past year, when she finally had enough seniority to request a senior
Instructor.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry to hijack, but have any of your kids gone to Interlochen camp in the summer? My DC wants to apply for French horn, just wondering how competitive it is for middle school.

Its supposed to be very competitive but its insanely expensive which is why we'd never do it.

Different poster here with a percussionist. Interlochen, outside of strings, is not /that/ competitive in middle school.
Even strings aren’t that competitive to get in, but the kids getting the top spots are extremely good. My kid has gone for three years in middle school and has the top percussion spot each year. She’s solidly competitive at the top levels in the state, but she was by no means number one in the state, especially as a sixth grader. In high school, to contrast, I’ve noticed the absolute top kids from the state are firmly in the middle of the Interlochen ensembles.
We get almost a full ride due our personal situation, but yes, it’s very expensive to full pay. It’s an amazing experience. Like, where else is my kid going to sit in on master classes from a top professional orchestra, or, as a middle schooler, play in a full
Symphony. But you have to balance the cost to what you have available
Locally.

If you have other questions, maybe start a thread in the camp section. I’m
Happy to answer anything.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry to hijack, but have any of your kids gone to Interlochen camp in the summer? My DC wants to apply for French horn, just wondering how competitive it is for middle school.

Its supposed to be very competitive but its insanely expensive which is why we'd never do it.

My kid has— if your kid plays in one of the orchestras discussed here, they shouldn’t have a problem getting in.

But is it worth the extraordinary cost?

What cost? It's the cheapest activity my child is in.
You mean the years of thoughtful practice? Well, your kid has to want it, duh.

***Would you ask this of an athlete?***
(No, because you're probably a biased idiot who worships sports and dismisses all other efforts)

I think the question is specifically about Interlochen, which is $10,000 for four weeks.

My apologies. Interlochen is worth it if the kid wants to go, absolutely.

How does the quality of instruction compare to advanced day camps available in the DMV, eg MCYO Strings and NatPhil?

Summer music programs like Interlochen tend to draw from world-class faculty. The student pool is also more diverse. Just take a look at the audition requirements; you'll get a good sense from that, the kind of students these tend to attract. The violin repertoire for middle school kids is the following:

Lalo Symphonie Espagnole, 1st movement
Bruch Violin Concerto in G minor, 1st movement
Mozart Violin Concerti no. 3 or 4, 1st movement, plus cadenza
Bach E major Partita, Predudio (1st movement)

Anonymous wrote:This is just my curiosity, but does anyone have a side by side comparison of what sort of repertoire these orchestras are playing? DD has looked at the audition pieces for MCYO, AYPO, etc. that she would be eligible for, and have not found them particularly challenging.

They're not when played solo. During the audition, to get a good spot in your section, you need to play the excerpts perfectly at the stated tempo (or as near to perfect as you can). They are the most important part of the audition since they will be played during the first concert of the year - the conductor needs to know you take the pieces seriously and have paid attention to every marking.

When the kids practice in a group, what's easy solo becomes harder, because they need to pay attention to the conductor to start at the same time, sustain tempo, and follow any dynamic or tempo changes s/he gives. They also need to listen to each other, otherwise they risk being too loud or too quiet compared to the other sections/instruments, or they can rush or slow down too much. Orchestral groups and chamber groups require a different set of skills compared to solo performances. A lot of attention is directed towards the other players and the conductor, so naturally pieces need to be easier than solo repertoire.

So it's great your daughter finds them easy! It means she's probably a good fit for those orchestras.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry to hijack, but have any of your kids gone to Interlochen camp in the summer? My DC wants to apply for French horn, just wondering how competitive it is for middle school.

Its supposed to be very competitive but its insanely expensive which is why we'd never do it.

My kid has— if your kid plays in one of the orchestras discussed here, they shouldn’t have a problem getting in.

But is it worth the extraordinary cost?

What cost? It's the cheapest activity my child is in.
You mean the years of thoughtful practice? Well, your kid has to want it, duh.

***Would you ask this of an athlete?***
(No, because you're probably a biased idiot who worships sports and dismisses all other efforts)

I think the question is specifically about Interlochen, which is $10,000 for four weeks.

My apologies. Interlochen is worth it if the kid wants to go, absolutely.

How does the quality of instruction compare to advanced day camps available in the DMV, eg MCYO Strings and NatPhil?

This is just my curiosity, but does anyone have a side by side comparison of what sort of repertoire these orchestras are playing? DD has looked at the audition pieces for MCYO, AYPO, etc. that she would be eligible for, and have not found them particularly challenging.

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Same here! We are trying to decide between DCYO and PVYO where we’ve been the last two years.

Which PVYO group? My son played in most of them (+MCYO later on); I might be able to give you a sense.

Generally speaking, PVYO is higher level than DCYO. But it might depend on the specific orchestra.

DP. How does PVYO compare with MCYO?

PVYO is a level down from MCYO.

Several levels down.

According to my child’s violin teachers, they are equivalent levels, but PVYO is less snobby. (Still waiting to hear back from both, but she encourages her students to go with PVYO, clearly.)

Then they don't know what they're talking about, or they're trying to be nice. If your kid is serious about their instrument and seeks more challenge, you might want to change teachers - they're not doing your kid any favors.

+1

Objectively untrue.

+2, we had to change teachers as the focus was very different. We use someone affiliated with the orchestra who plays professionally. We loved our previous instructor but it was very different. Our child thrived with someone much more strict, structured and really focused on technique. MCYO provides a list of instructors but their milage varies so ask your conductor for suggestions.

MCYO does not sound enjoyable at all. Making your kid switch from a teacher they loved to one who is really strict and structured is definitely not something I would do in order to maximize chances in a particular orchestra.

DP. It's not really about maximizing chances in a particular orchestra. That's sort of an ancillary benefit of excellent instruction.

I had posted previously about my DD, who has chosen the path of not playing for the more well regarded orchestra. However, she wanted to change her private instructor a couple of years ago. She loved her teacher, she was fiercely loyal to her, but in the end, she wanted to get more out of her instrument than the teacher was capable of providing. It was an angsty time for her, and the first few months with the new instructor was trying, but she loves her new instructor as well, and has made significant progress with him.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Same here! We are trying to decide between DCYO and PVYO where we’ve been the last two years.

Which PVYO group? My son played in most of them (+MCYO later on); I might be able to give you a sense.

Generally speaking, PVYO is higher level than DCYO. But it might depend on the specific orchestra.

DP. How does PVYO compare with MCYO?

PVYO is a level down from MCYO.

Several levels down.

According to my child’s violin teachers, they are equivalent levels, but PVYO is less snobby. (Still waiting to hear back from both, but she encourages her students to go with PVYO, clearly.)

Then they don't know what they're talking about, or they're trying to be nice. If your kid is serious about their instrument and seeks more challenge, you might want to change teachers - they're not doing your kid any favors.

+1

Objectively untrue.

+2, we had to change teachers as the focus was very different. We use someone affiliated with the orchestra who plays professionally. We loved our previous instructor but it was very different. Our child thrived with someone much more strict, structured and really focused on technique. MCYO provides a list of instructors but their milage varies so ask your conductor for suggestions.

MCYO does not sound enjoyable at all. Making your kid switch from a teacher they loved to one who is really strict and structured is definitely not something I would do in order to maximize chances in a particular orchestra.

Not PP you were talking to, but my kid hates it when instruction is not excellent. They want the best teacher, and I got them a wonderful private teacher: the fact that years of top-notch musical instruction gets my child in the first chairs of their MCYO section every year is almost besides the point - almost, because my kid loves MCYO. It's easy and fun for them. The boys and girls that sit besides her are really nice, and they get along great, and laugh and giggle during rehearsal.

There is this racially-tinged perception on DCUM that "MCYO=not fun and competitive", but my kid views it as a moment of fun relaxation with friends. She does WAY HARDER THINGS with her private teacher.

If your perception is that your child needs to struggle to get into their MCYO orchestra and that it's all hard work and no fun, the truth is that they're not quite at the right level. So either they're motivated to get better at their instrument to have a better experience in MCYO, or they can try to enter another youth orchestra and have fun there.

Because it's about the fun!

+1

It's very personal. My DC found it fun yes, but mostly extremely challenging, and my DC loves a good challenge. It's in his nature to want to achieve and to get better and better at his instrument, which is reflected in how much time he spends practicing (of his own volition). He loved the experience of playing with other excellent musicians. In an essay he wrote, he described the "state of nirvana I felt in the throbbing heart of the orchestra," which gave me some insight into what drives him.

It's an amazing experience for kids who want it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry to hijack, but have any of your kids gone to Interlochen camp in the summer? My DC wants to apply for French horn, just wondering how competitive it is for middle school.

Its supposed to be very competitive but its insanely expensive which is why we'd never do it.

My kid has— if your kid plays in one of the orchestras discussed here, they shouldn’t have a problem getting in.

But is it worth the extraordinary cost?

What cost? It's the cheapest activity my child is in.
You mean the years of thoughtful practice? Well, your kid has to want it, duh.

***Would you ask this of an athlete?***
(No, because you're probably a biased idiot who worships sports and dismisses all other efforts)

I think the question is specifically about Interlochen, which is $10,000 for four weeks.

My apologies. Interlochen is worth it if the kid wants to go, absolutely.

I'm the PP who asked about Interlochen. It's expensive, but not that expensive. The three week sessions are $6,700. That is about the same cost as higher end sleepaway camps (although transportation costs will be higher for Interlochen).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry to hijack, but have any of your kids gone to Interlochen camp in the summer? My DC wants to apply for French horn, just wondering how competitive it is for middle school.

Its supposed to be very competitive but its insanely expensive which is why we'd never do it.

My kid has— if your kid plays in one of the orchestras discussed here, they shouldn’t have a problem getting in.

But is it worth the extraordinary cost?

What cost? It's the cheapest activity my child is in.
You mean the years of thoughtful practice? Well, your kid has to want it, duh.

***Would you ask this of an athlete?***
(No, because you're probably a biased idiot who worships sports and dismisses all other efforts)

I think the question is specifically about Interlochen, which is $10,000 for four weeks.

My apologies. Interlochen is worth it if the kid wants to go, absolutely.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry to hijack, but have any of your kids gone to Interlochen camp in the summer? My DC wants to apply for French horn, just wondering how competitive it is for middle school.

Its supposed to be very competitive but its insanely expensive which is why we'd never do it.

My kid has— if your kid plays in one of the orchestras discussed here, they shouldn’t have a problem getting in.

But is it worth the extraordinary cost?

What cost? It's the cheapest activity my child is in.
You mean the years of thoughtful practice? Well, your kid has to want it, duh.

***Would you ask this of an athlete?***
(No, because you're probably a biased idiot who worships sports and dismisses all other efforts)

Interlochen is cheaper than all your other kid’s activities? Dummy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry to hijack, but have any of your kids gone to Interlochen camp in the summer? My DC wants to apply for French horn, just wondering how competitive it is for middle school.

Its supposed to be very competitive but its insanely expensive which is why we'd never do it.

My kid has— if your kid plays in one of the orchestras discussed here, they shouldn’t have a problem getting in.

But is it worth the extraordinary cost?

What cost? It's the cheapest activity my child is in.
You mean the years of thoughtful practice? Well, your kid has to want it, duh.

***Would you ask this of an athlete?***
(No, because you're probably a biased idiot who worships sports and dismisses all other efforts)

I think the question is specifically about Interlochen, which is $10,000 for four weeks.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry to hijack, but have any of your kids gone to Interlochen camp in the summer? My DC wants to apply for French horn, just wondering how competitive it is for middle school.

Its supposed to be very competitive but its insanely expensive which is why we'd never do it.

My kid has— if your kid plays in one of the orchestras discussed here, they shouldn’t have a problem getting in.

But is it worth the extraordinary cost?

What cost? It's the cheapest activity my child is in.
You mean the years of thoughtful practice? Well, your kid has to want it, duh.

***Would you ask this of an athlete?***
(No, because you're probably a biased idiot who worships sports and dismisses all other efforts)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry to hijack, but have any of your kids gone to Interlochen camp in the summer? My DC wants to apply for French horn, just wondering how competitive it is for middle school.

Its supposed to be very competitive but its insanely expensive which is why we'd never do it.

My kid has— if your kid plays in one of the orchestras discussed here, they shouldn’t have a problem getting in.

But is it worth the extraordinary cost?

Like anything such as sports, which frankly costs a lot more for us, it's worth the investment depending on your family's financial situation.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry to hijack, but have any of your kids gone to Interlochen camp in the summer? My DC wants to apply for French horn, just wondering how competitive it is for middle school.

Its supposed to be very competitive but its insanely expensive which is why we'd never do it.

My kid has— if your kid plays in one of the orchestras discussed here, they shouldn’t have a problem getting in.

But is it worth the extraordinary cost?