Re: Inter-locken


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Posted by Joe -a lot of info here- S. on February 11, 2001 at 14:21:31:

In Reply to: Inter-locken posted by curious george on February 11, 2001 at 01:51:48:

I have some experience attending as a student and paying for it as a dad...both the camp and the school.

As to the summer CAMP, I think for the high school level (age 15 and over?) there are two orchestras and two bands. The top orchestra (pretty well-known world-wide) is the World Youth Symphony Orchestra, and the second orchestra (probably as good or better than many high school summer festival orchestras) is the High School Concert Orchestra. I know that there is also one - possibly/probably two - large concert bands.

For ensemble seating, one auditions on the Sunday before the camp gets rollin', so for the purpose of acclimation, rest, last minute practice, etc., one might wish to arrive on Friday or early on Saturday. Auditions are held by the private studio teachers on the respective instruments, I think.

On your formidable application, there is a very large section to apply for financial aid. The more in need of financial assistance your parents are, the better you play, and the more that Interlochen needs people who play your instrument, the more financial aid they will offer you. The Interlochen Center for the Arts is LOADED with scholarship money, but they don't pass it out like candy. - They try to spend it as "wisely" (in their view, obviously) as possible.

Also, one for each state, are the Emerson "Governor's" Scholar Awards, which pay full tuition (again, one awarded per state).

Along with your application, you need to send in a very good recording of yourself which represents your skills in absolutely the best possible light. This would be either along with the regular "financial aid" request or the "Emerson Governor's Scholar" competition (or sent with BOTH). If you apply for the "Governor's Scholar" thing, don't win, did send in an impressive tape, they need you, and your parents don't have much money, Interlochen will probably offer you a considerable standard "financial aid" package as a "consolation prize".

This is an eight week festival which is in the middle of the summer (later June through later August). The weather is beautiful, the private studio teaching is strong, the "weakest" large ensembles there are better than most any "all-state" ensembles, and you will feel compelled (and really want to) practice and improve. (I think there are weekly chair "challenges".) The food stinks (hopefully improved), the lakes are beautiful, there are plenty of ensemble, classroom, craft, and recreational activities, and this would be an experience of a lifetime.

Get crackin' on those application materials. Its getting to be pretty late to start thinking about applying.

The complete costs (tuition + lessons + discretionary money) by now I'm sure are around $4500 or more. Again, work for financial aid or the Emerson Scholar Award. (I know of some people who have gone door-to-door in their town selling candy that they bought from a local candy wholesaler and raised a couple of thou$and dollars towards expenses, because they wanted to go so badly.) I think Interlochen has some little "jobs" that students can do to cover some of the expenses, too (working in their shops, ushering at concerts, moving equipment, etc.). The Traverse City airport has a "lock" on the come and go dates for this huge summer festival, and you won't find many (if any) bargain fares). If you live some distance away, budget at LEAST $450 for your round-trip airline fare...Of course, there is Greyhound...or having your Dad drive you up there, or riding up there in a car with someone else from your part of the country.



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