CAMP OVERVIEW
Eligibility
Summer Strings is open to students who have had at least one year of instruction on a string instrument from sixth to twelfth grade.
Orchestras
All students will audition for placement in one of six orchestras. Live auditions will be held on Sunday before camp begins. Commuter students will audition after the 1:00 Camp Meeting and Dorm students will audition after the 3:00 Camp Meeting. The orchestra placement results will be posted the morning of the first day of camp.
Those students who have completed one or two years of study are usually placed in the Concertino Orchestra or Junior Symphony. The remaining four orchestras are typically comprised of middle school and high school students.
Electives
All students must choose an elective which they will attend Monday through Thursday. The Theory, Advanced Theory, Music Literature, Beginning Vibrato, and Conducting classes are 30 minutes each day, and the All-State Masterclasses are from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.
Admission into Advanced Theory will be by exam only. The exam is given immediately after the Camp Meeting on the registration day, and results will be posted on Monday morning.
Only students in grades 9 through 12 are eligible for the All-State Masterclasses.
The following is a brief description of each elective:
Theory
The study of key signatures, Circle of Fifths, time signatures, rhythms, intervals, and chords.
Advanced Theory
Advanced study of intervals, chord structure and music composition.
Music Literature
Explore composer biographies, the stories behind music compositions and the evolution of music composition throughout history.
Beginning Vibrato
Grades 6-9. Classes for all string instruments (limited enrollment of 60 students).
Conducting
The study of basic conducting techniques and styles.
All-State Masterclass
Intensive instruction and assistance from UTA Music Faculty or other professional musicians on the Texas All-State Orchestra audition etudes. Students will be invited to attend an additional workshop in the fall for instruction on the audition excerpts.