Summer Music Institute Offers Unique Opportunity for Area Students

For the third year in a row, Buffalo State is offering a unique opportunity for area middle and high school students to study with Music Department faculty and other professional musicians through its Summer Music Institute.

The institute includes two weeklong programs for students going into the seventh through 12th grades—Classics Camp, held July 6–10, and Jazz Camp, held July 13–17. Both camps run from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in Rockwell Hall and cost $175 each.

In order to participate, students must be proficient in a primary string, wind, or percussion instrument and be able to perform in ensembles.

Rick Fleming, associate professor of music and director of the college’s jazz and wind ensembles, founded the camps in collaboration with Phil Aguglia, band director at Kenmore East High School.

“Since we started, I’ve noticed that students with greater musical ability are signing up,” Fleming said, “as well as students from a greater number of schools.”

Fleming, who attended music camp as a child and taught in camps as a college student, said dedicating an intensive week to study with other young musicians provides an unparalleled experience for students serious about music.

“The students’ school orchestra and band directors also will notice and appreciate the extra edge these student gain over the summer,” he said.

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. Both camps culminate with a public performance on the Saturday following the camp in the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall.

For more information, contact Fleming at (716) 878-6504 or fleminrl@buffalostate.edu.