fbpx

Summer Camps

Make music in GTCYS this summer! Week-long camps for beginning to advanced students.

Scroll to the bottom of the page for details on this summer’s exciting new Mariachi Camp!

2023 Summer Camps: July 17 – 21, 2023

GTCYS’ summer camps are now open for registration! Our four weeklong camps are for beginning to advanced strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion students. Half-day sessions on July 17-21 are filled with music, social activities, and summer fun at the University of Minnesota’s School of Music in Minneapolis.  The week culminates in a free public concert at 12:30pm at Ted Mann Concert Hall. Need-based tuition assistance is available. Click here to view the full audition and summer camp flyer information!

Full details and descriptions are below.

NEW! Summer Brass Ensembles

Co-Directors: Jason Tanksley & Jonathan Brandt
Meets: 12:30pm – 2:30pm, July 17-20 with 12:30pm concert on July 21
Cost: $25 registration fee + $225 tuition; tuition assistance available. Discounted rate of $150 for students who also participate in one of the morning orchestra camps.  

GTCYS’ new Summer Brass Ensembles will serve beginning, intermediate, and advanced horn, trumpet, trombone, and tuba students ages 10 – 18. This camp provides a unique brass experience designed for students with at least one year of playing experience.

Registration for Summer Brass Ensembles is now closed.

If you are auditioning for the 2023-24 GTCYS season, your audition video will be used as your playing sample. If not, please prepare a solo using the parameters below:

Solo: Prepare one piece of music that demonstrates your best abilities. Selections can include solos, studies, school music, or other pieces. Your solo selection should not be more than 2 minutes in length. If your solo is longer than 2 minutes, please make appropriate cuts within the music.

Summer Philharmonia

Conductor: Mary Sorlie
Meets: 9:00am – 12:00pm, July 17-21 with 12:30pm concert on July 21
Cost: $25 registration fee + $330 tuition; tuition assistance available  

Summer Philharmonia introduces beginning violin, viola, cello, and bass players ages 7-12 to playing in an orchestra. This camp is designed for students who have been playing their instrument for at least one year. Students must be able to read music. No playing sample needed.

Registration for Summer Camp is now closed.


Summer Sinfonietta

Co-Conductors: Tamara Gonzalez & Dan Mollick
Winds/Brass/Percussion Specialist: Diane Hallberg
Meets: 9:00am – 12:00pm, July 17-21 with 12:30pm concert on July 21
Cost: $25 registration fee + $330 tuition; tuition assistance available  

Summer Sinfonietta is a full orchestra camp open to strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. This camp is best for string players ages 12-15 with at least two years’ playing experience, and best for woodwinds, brass, and percussion students ages 13-16 with at least two years’ playing experience. Playing sample video required (see below for details). 

Registration for Summer Camp is now closed.

This camp is best for string players age 12 – 15 with at least two years’ playing experience.

Students should be comfortable playing with a range of articulations in music including up to 3 sharps and 2 flats concert pitch.

Students should be able to play in the full range of their instrument in first position and have some experience in other positions.

This camp is best for woodwinds, brass, and percussion students age 13 – 16 with at least two years’ playing experience.

Students should be comfortable playing with a range of articulations in music including up to 3 sharps and 2 flats concert pitch.

If you are auditioning for the 2023-24 GTCYS season, your audition video will be used as your playing sample. If not, please prepare a solo using the parameters below:

Solo: Prepare one piece of music that demonstrates your best abilities. Selections can include solos, studies, school music, or other pieces. Your solo selection should not be more than 2 minutes in length. If your solo is longer than 2 minutes, please make appropriate cuts within the music.

Summer Symphony

Conductor: Mark Russell Smith
Meets: 9:00am – 12:00pm, July 17-21 with 12:30pm concert on July 21
Cost: $25 registration fee + $330 tuition; tuition assistance available   

A fulfilling and rigorous full orchestral experience for the advanced student, Summer Symphony is similar to the Philharmonic and Symphony levels in GTCYS school-year orchestras. Students will be immersed in challenging orchestral literature, striving for musical expression at the highest level. This camp is best for students ages 15-18, with exceptions for younger students playing at a very advanced level. Playing sample video required (see below for details).

Registration for Summer Camp is now closed.

If you are auditioning for the 2023-24 GTCYS season, your audition video will be used as your playing sample. If not, find your instrument below and follow the instructions to prepare your playing sample. All playing samples will include scales, a solo, and prepared excerpts, as listed below:

ViolinViolaCelloBass
FluteOboeClarinetBassoon
HornTrumpetTromboneTuba
PercussionHarp

Which Summer Camp Orchestra should I register for?

Registering for a specific orchestra does not guarantee you’ll be placed in that orchestra, but this guide below will give you an idea of where you’ll have the most fun this summer!

OrchestraInstrumentationAge LevelPlaying LevelPlaying Sample
Summer Brass EnsemblesBrass OnlyAges 10-18At least one year playing your instrumentPlaying sample: solo piece of your choice
Summer PhilharmoniaStrings OnlyAges 8-12At least one year playing your instrumentNo playing sample needed
Summer SinfoniettaFull Orchestra (strings, winds, brass, percussion)Strings:
ages 12-15
Winds, brass, percussion: ages 13-16
At least two years playing your instrumentPlaying sample: solo piece of your choice
Summer SymphonyFull Orchestra (strings, winds, brass, percussion)Ages 15-18Advanced playing levelPlaying sample: scales, solo piece of your choice, and prepared excerpts

Playing Samples for Summer Camps

Playing sample videos are required for Summer Sinfonietta and Summer Symphony to help conductors get to know you as a player and match you with a camp level. No playing sample is required for Summer Philharmonia. Playing sample requirements are listed under the camp descriptions, and videos will be due June 22. Students auditioning for the 2023-24 school year orchestras will not need to prepare an additional playing sample.


New! Summer Mariachi Camp

Conductor: Cristela Frias Koski
Meets: 9:00am – 12:00pm, August 7 – 11
Cost: $275 tuition; tuition assistance available  

We are beyond excited to share that GTCYS will hold our first ever mariachi camp this summer! This camp will be led by mariachi expert Cristela Frias Koski in collaboration with the GTCYS Harmony program, at Riverview Spanish/English Dual Immersion Program, 160 Isabel Street East, Saint Paul. String students in Harmony, Philharmonia East & West, and Sinfonia East & West are invited to participate!

Register Online

Regístrese para el Campamento de Mariachi aquí

Serving Community.
Supported by Community.

Explore stories from students, staff, families, donors, and alumni. Learn about our programs and community impact.

Learn More
Skip to content