Frequently+Asked+Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some answers to some frequently asked questions about the Academy. If you have any questions that are not answered on this page see the form at the bottom of this page.

Q - Should my student pack a lunch each day?

A - Maybe. We will break each day for approximately one hour for lunch and leisure time. At that time students will be offered a healthy and nutritious meal provided by Caroline County Public schools food services. Students may also bring a snack to tide them over until dinner. Students are also encouraged to bring a water bottle that they can refill throughout the day.

Q - My child is a beginning musician, or my child is an advanced musician. Should they attend the academy?

A - "Absolutely! everybody should join!" One of our primary goals is to provide a unique experience for a diverse group of musicians of all ability levels. We will have two separate bands, enrollment permitting. We work carefully with our incoming guest conductor and instrument-specific instructors to coordinate programs for both a Jr-High group and a Sr-High group as well as an orchestral strings ensemble. What we can assure you in this setting is that the students will get a valuable musical experience playing great music under the leadership of a fantastic conductor.

Q - Will the academy provide a strong platform for future music education?

A - We have brought in highly qualified performers/teachers to give individual (if possible, but otherwise very small group -- think 2 or 3 students) lessons EACH day of the camp. Does your student take private lessons already? If not, then this alone is a VERY valuable experience. If they do, it is still a valuable experience and you should know exactly HOW valuable as most private lesson fees in the area can run anywhere from $15-25 / 30 minutes. So, the lessons from the Academy alone could be up to a $75 value. If your child is interested in a career in music or music education then we are fully prepared to offer, in addition to other features of the camp, conducting lessons on a daily basis. Again, if we are simply crunching numbers here -- 30 minutes with each of these teachers giving conducting lessons each day could be around a $90 value built in to the camp. We also plan on providing small-group performances. Our specialists are prepared to try and offer as many duet/trio/quartet/etc. experiences with challenging music to enhance student performance.

Q - What will my child be doing during the day?

A - Throughout the days during camp, when students are not immediately involved in group rehearsal, small group rehearsal, or private lessons -- we will be having a variety of "workshops" or short classes on a variety of specific musical topics. Some of these classes will be on the subjects of "complex musical theory", "reading difficult rhythms", "great practice habits", "advanced breathing techniques", etc. No matter WHAT level of background knowledge your child has, there will be something offered during this time that will be new and potentially helpful. Of course, the reality is that there will also be things discussed during some of these sessions that may NOT be new to your child if they already have a pretty solid foundational understanding of musical concepts.

Q - Who will be teaching my student?

A - Your child will be surrounded by about 10 trained music educators who, at any given time, would be available to answer any additional questions, provide guidance or mentorship in choosing colleges/programs, and help in any imaginable way to enrich the learning of an enthusiastic young musician.

Do you have a question that wasn't answered here? Send us an email with your question!