One of each. A 7th grader and an 11th grader.

Anonymous wrote:I am a musician. I know of two students in the past 5 years who auditioned for Interlochen. Neither was accepted. They ended up going to Blue Lake. Also, Interlochen is a feeder school for Juilliard and Eastman. I also attended IAC, which helped me get into Juilliard.

Which level did those students audition for? Intermediate or high school?

I'm a classical music lover, played violin which I was a child and have visited both camps as an adult. A huge BSA Scout Reservation is very close to Blue Lake and my family stays in cabins at a nice family camp there every July. We always make a point to stop by Blue Lake and take in a student performance. They do not attempt to portray themselves as an Interlochen-style operation. That said, I observe the program to be of high quality, the facilities to be very nice and the students to be quite happy. My daughter plays flute in her school band in DC and I would be happy to send her there.

Anonymous wrote:Like I was saying, any of the two camps are going to be fun. If I knew my child was very serious about music and was looking forward to a career in music I would choose Interlochen for sure. If my child just wanted to have some fun and play music, I would say go for Blue Lake.

+1 This is the right answer. The camps are different, and each is a better fit for a different type of kid. There's nothing wrong with enjoying music but not wanting or needing the highest level instruction available on the planet. Just as there's nothing wrong with wanting that.

Percy Grainger and Aaron Copland both taught at Interlochen.

It is an experience that you will never forget. A stellar place!

Anonymous wrote: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.

+1 I could have written the same post.

Any place where a kid can go and learn to love music more, is a worthy endeavor!

Like I was saying, any of the two camps are going to be fun. If I knew my child was very serious about music and was looking forward to a career in music I would choose Interlochen for sure. If my child just wanted to have some fun and play music, I would say go for Blue Lake.

Camp Bernstein the junior section of Blue Lake has a single orchestra I believe. If you are concerned it might not be advanced enough call them and ask what the repertoire will be next summer and exact arrangement, who will conduct and lead the cello section. My kids liked the Central Camp for older kids but not Bernstein. They found it confining since younger kids are carefully monitored. As a parent you might like that. Food at Blue Lake is not good. The setting is pretty and cabins are spartan. Central Camp attracts some all state string musicians from Illinois, which is a competitive state, far more so than our are. In Central Camp you really want to be in the top orchestra or the smaller audition only program.

Unfortunately for me, my dream of becoming a pro musician was interrupted by a severe auto accident. I was laid up for a long time and had to start looking in a different direction. It is still almost impossible to play the bassoon without constant pain in my hands and arms. Sometimes I feel all that time and effort ( and money!) spent at Interlochen and Juilliard was a waste of time. It was an experience I will treasure for the rest of my life however. My parents were only middle class so they had to sacrifice a lot to get me to these schools. I remember my dad working almost 18 hour days and selling some of his prized possessions to get me just to Interlochen. Now as they are aging, I am taking care of them.

I live in Michigan. I am a musician and a teacher at a public school. I am well versed between the two. I also attended Interlochen from 1992-95. I have been a private music teacher for 15+ years so I have dealt with kids choosing Blue Lake or Interlochen. Blue Lake is not too expensive. They do have scholarships but you have to audition for them. You DO NOT have to audition to get accepted into Blue Lake. It is basically a first come, first serve kind of thing. I do know that music majors will have to perform a short audition piece when they get there to find out what position in the band they get. So almost everyone who applies to Blue Lake gets in.

Interlochen is different. To get into the Academy is VERY difficult but I am talking about the Arts Camp at Interlochen (which is longer in duration than Blue Lake btw). You must first send in an audition piece and a portfolio. IF you get accepted (the acceptance rates are very low) you must audition again when you get there. You must also audition again if you are trying for a scholarship. It is EXTREMELY expensive even to attend the arts camp.

I have had a student who had a friend who tried to get into Interlochen but was not accepted. She ended up going to Blue Lake. In my opinion, there is no comparison between the two. I have went numerous times with my son to Interlochen Alumni events. I have met Jewel Kilchner and Josh Groban (who are among the list of Inerlochen Alumni). Interlochen is also a feeder school for places like Juilliard and Eastman. I was eventually accepted into Juilliard and Interlochen had a lot to do with that. I am not saying anything negative about Blue Lake but when someone comes up to me (which happened at the music store a couple of days ago) and says that Blue Lake is way more prestigious than Interlochen, it drives me mad. Just do some good research and you will find the truth.

I am a musician. I know of two students in the past 5 years who auditioned for Interlochen. Neither was accepted. They ended up going to Blue Lake. Also, Interlochen is a feeder school for Juilliard and Eastman. I also attended IAC, which helped me get into Juilliard.

I have just read up on both, and Interlochen is a boarding arts school - so a very established institution with year round tutors and staff while Blue lake is strictly a summer camp - and one which is down to earth and campy as well as having lots of arts options and its also vastly cheaper to attend.

I disagree with the poster who said it was for "townies". It doesn't look like that and last time I checked, "townies" couldn't afford a camp that cost over $1k for a 2 week session which is what it costs there.

Maybe that was your perception as a kid growing up with socially aspirant parents. Who knows.

Excuse me, but there is nothing similar to Interlochen. That's just how it is.