Madison Music Camps open to instrumentalists, vocalists

MADISON – An excellent summer boost to both instrumentalists and vocalists, Madison Music Camps will return on June 12-16.

James Clemens High School will host the camps, “a fun, exciting and educational band and choir camp for middle school students and upcoming ninth-graders,” along with beginning students, James Clemens Band Director Keith Anderson said.

Three camps will occur simultaneously for beginning band, advanced band and choir. 

The beginning band camp is open to any student that wants to learn how to play a wind or percussion instrument for the first time. However, the camp is geared towards upcoming sixth- and seventh-graders.

For the advanced band camp, “students with one school year or more band experience playing his/her instrument can attend,” Anderson said. Band students must provide their own instruments. If needed, the student’s band director can assist in acquiring an instrument.

For the choir camp, anyone interested in singing in upcoming grades 5-9 can attend. Experience in a choir is not necessary.

Students in each camp will present a concert on the afternoon of June 16 for all family and friends. 

Campers can choose electives. Some options are show choir, beginning piano in the Jets new piano lab, conducting for band or choir in different time signatures, color guard in marching band and dance team.

In addition, music theory is another elective for learning about scales, chords and composing music. Other sessions include solo singing and bucket drumming with no percussion experience required.

Camp staff includes Stuart Tankesley and Harris Gessner, James Clemens; Marla Jenkins, Liberty and Discovery middle schools; Gwen Rakoff, Liberty Middle School; Jenny Merritt, Discovery; Jerry Potter, Lincoln County Schools; and Jonathan Willis, St. John’s Catholic School. Jenney Merritt from Discovery and Kevin Smart from Bob Jones High School also will assist.

Other accomplished, professional musicians will instruct master classes on specific instruments

Cost for a camp is $200 for the entire week. The fee includes a T-shirt, lunch geared to foods popular with youth and “instruction from some of the best musicians and teachers in the area,” Anderson said.

To register, visit jcjetsband.com. For more information about the band camps, email stankesley@madisoncity.k12.al.us. For choir, email hwgessner@madisoncity.k12.al.us.