Summer Music Institute Offers Two Camps in July

The Music Department is hosting its fourth annual Summer Music Institute, which is composed of two week-long camps for middle- and high school-students under the guidance of Buffalo State faculty and other professional musicians.

Both of the institute’s camps are open to students going into grades 7-12 who are proficient on a string, wind, or percussion instrument and are able to perform in ensembles. The Classics Camp takes place July 11–15, and the Jazz Camp takes place July 18–22. Both camps last from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., are held in Rockwell Hall, and cost $175 each. Scholarships are available.

Rick Fleming, associate professor of music and director of the college’s jazz and wind ensembles, founded the Summer Music Institute in 2013.

“Since we started, the camps continue to grow in both numbers and talent,” Fleming said. “We have students from throughout Erie and Niagara counties attending. Last summer, we had about 50 kids.”

The Classics Camp includes large ensemble rehearsals, theory and aural perception instruction, and special seminars in conducting, computer music, and African drumming. The Jazz Camp offers big band sessions, theory and arrangement instruction, jazz improvisations, and jazz combos.

“Students get the rare opportunity to play alongside musicians from other schools they otherwise wouldn’t meet, as well as musicians who’ve been performing professionally for years,” Fleming said. “It’s a great confidence-booster.”

Both camps culminate with a public performance on the Friday evening wrapping up the camp in the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall.

For more information, contact Fleming at (716) 878-6504.