Unlike other musicians, pianists don’t often get the opportunity to be surrounded by fellow pianists and to learn alongside them. A pianist often finds himself/ herself alone at the keyboard for years, as it takes time and training to become proficient enough to accompany singers or instrumentalists, or even to play as part of an orchestra. Our new Summer Piano Camp, created by Teaching Artists Michelle Richardson, Wade Meyers, and Faith Zuñiga, aims to give young pianists a group of peers to learn alongside as they strengthen music fundamentals such as sight-reading, music theory, and piano technique.
Each student will receive private lessons with our Teaching Artist Faculty and have the opportunity to perform informally for their peers. Masterclasses will give the students an opportunity to try their repertoire for a friendly audience in an educational setting where they receive feedback from the faculty. There will be a performance open to the public at the end of the week!
The camp will be held at George Mason University’s School of Music, which is an All-Steinway School. Steinway pianos have the best tone quality and action, and are used by the majority of the top pianists in the world. Students attending this camp will be able to learn, practice, and perform on Steinway pianos, which will help them develop their technique and give them a first-class experience.
Pianists who attend will be able to share their experiences and musical ideas with each other, as well as make friends with other musicians their own age. Having supportive musical friends can be one of the most encouraging and motivational things for a young musician!
Summer Piano Camp is for students who have taken at least 1 or 2 years of private lessons and who are ages 8 – 18. The camp only accepts 20 students, which will ensure a small faculty to student ratio and ensure an individualized experience for every pianist. Young intermediate pianists will benefit just as much as older advanced pianists. The most important thing is that all students are willing to work hard, be open to new ideas and concepts, and want to share their music with others.
LEARN MORE ABOUT SUMMER PIANO CAMP AT MASON
Younger students who have no prior piano experience should make sure to sign up for our Summer Piano Adventures camp to start their journey!