10 Summer Jazz Camps for High-School Students

High school is the most appropriate time to experiment with new things and learn anything and everything you want and can get your hands on. From planning spontaneous, adventurous trips to engaging in creative activities, high-school years add fun and zeal to the simplest activities.

The advancement and recognition of creative skills have led to more than ever opportunities in creative fields for high schoolers. Music is a form of art and self-expression, and Jazz music is a perfect opportunity to unleash your creative self and engage in self-reflection. Jazz music is one of the oldest forms of music rooted in African rhythmic rituals and European harmony. 

Learning Jazz and exploring its multiple facets can open doors to many opportunities in the musical field. Summer Jazz Camps for high-school students is a perfect place to begin your Jazz journey and make your summers fun and musical. In this article, we have curated a list of some amazing and ideal summer jazz camps for high schoolers. Let’s have a look at it now and find the camp of your choice.  

Making the high-school fun and musical with summer jazz camps

Summer Jazz Camps are all about fun, rhythms, and lots of musical learning. If Jazz interests you and makes your heart beat faster to learn and play those amazing tunes, join summer jazz camps and learn the essence of Jazz. Here is a list of some amazing summer jazz camps to further hone your Jazz skills- 

1. Grammy Camps (Los Angeles, CA)

Grammy camps are hosted by one of the world’s most prestigious and iconic musical award shows, the GRAMMY itself. Grammy Camps cover various musical formats in its camp, including Jazz. Applications for Grammy open every year, and the camp lasts for five to seven days at the Thornton School of Music, University of Southern California. 

If you are a high-school student looking for a musical career, Grammy Camps are the best opportunity for you to learn Jazz from some of the famous Jazz players and industry professionals across the globe. The camp focuses on refining your musical skills and preparing you for a bright and successful career in Jazz music. Grammy camps are indeed a one-of-a-kind opportunity, though it is also one of the most competitive Jazz programs with low selection rates. 

2. Stanford Jazz Festival (Stanford, CA)

Stanford Jazz Festival is a perfect opportunity for high-school students to meet some great Jazz professionals and learn the best of Jazz from them. Famous industry professionals graced the Stanford Jazz Festival: George Brooks, Jackie Ryan, Patrick Wolff Quartet, Dayna Stephens, Anthony Fung, Ralph Moore, and many more. 

Stanford Jazz Festival is an extensive musical festival that takes place at the campus of Stanford University. The festival began in 1972 and is still attracting high-school students from all over the world for the best Jazz experience. If you are a high-school student, the Stanford Jazz Festival is an ideal opportunity for you to learn Jazz music and experience the rich history of the music.

3. Skidmore Jazz (Saratoga Springs, NYC)

Another highly prestigious Jazz camp for high schoolers is Skidmore Jazz. Skidmore Jazz has some renowned Jazz players, such as Peter Bernstein, John Scofield, Vic Juris, Pat Metheny, Jimmy Greene, etc., as their prestigious Jazz faculty members who provide an incredible Jazz experience and learning to the students. 

Skidmore Jazz takes place at the Arthur Zankel Music Center, which is present at the State-of-the-art music facility at the renowned Skidmore College. The location also has an electronic music laboratory, recording studio, recital hall, and concert hall. Skidmore Jazz provides private and semi-private lessons to the students to refine their Jazz skills and prepare them for a successful Jazz career. Putting the cherry on the cake, Skidmore Jazz also provides music scholarship assistance to the students. 

4. Berklee College of music summer programs (Boston, MA & Los Angeles, CA)

The list of summer Jazz camps for high-school students is incomplete without mentioning Berklee College of Music summer programs. It is a five-week extensive program that prepares high-schoolers for the industry and helps refine their skills to match the industry standards. 

Berklee College of Music’s summer program is a lot of fun and full of learning experiences with a special emphasis on the pre-professional Jazz experience for the high-schoolers for a bright musical career. 

5. Jazz at Lincoln Center (New York)

Jazz at Lincoln Center is among the most prestigious and amazing summer Jazz camps with very competitive selection rates. Jazz at Lincoln Center provides tuition-free, two-week sessions for high-school students from grade 9 to grade 12. Students get an opportunity to learn Jazz from some of the most notable industry experts with decade-long careers and plenty of accolades designated to their names. 

During the program, the students are divided into two groups and in various combo groups for an open public performance which is sometimes collaborated with other students of the different programs. The total student intake in one session is 42 students. 

6. USC Summer Camp Jazz Intensive (University of Southern California)

USC Summer Camp Jazz Intensive at the University of South California is the best opportunity for high schoolers to explore and refine their musical interest. If you want an amazing musical summer experience, USC Summer Camp Jazz Intensive got you covered. This week-long program equips high schoolers with experiences in ensembles, history, rhythm training, and improvisation of Jazz, along with private lessons with USC’s Jazz faculty. 

USC has some renowned Jazz players as their faculty with a rich Jazz experience of years. Applicants must fulfill the All-State Jazz Audition Requirements and provide the audition video with their application as a part of the admission process. The camp is a great opportunity to build connections and make lifelong friends with similar interests. 

7. Jazz Ensemble camp (Florida State University, College of Music)

Another fun and learning Jazz camp experience is provided by the College of Music at Florida State University. Jazz ensemble camp is a week-long camp that begins at 8 am and lasts till 5 pm. The camp has various activities and classes to keep children engaged. The classes include Jazz history, techniques, improvisation, and effective practicing. The camp also provides some amazing jazz performance opportunities at Ruby Diamond Concert Hall.

High schoolers can interact with music experts, attend faculty concerts, perform at Jam sessions, and do various other things. Based on the audition, you can also get a chance to get private lessons from the music faculty of FSU. The camp is open to students from 8th to 12th grade and provides day campers and in-house facilities. 

8. Summer Jazz Intensives (New York Jazz Academy)

Another amazing and popular New York Jazz program is Summer Jazz Intensives by NYJA. The program is open to high schoolers and adults both. It is an extensive program that goes on for various weeks. Students can choose one or two, or all weeks as per their convenience and wish. Each week has something new to offer. Hence, there will be no overlapping of the material taught.

Summer Jazz Intensives is a great opportunity to learn from industry experts and refine your skills for a successful career in Jazz. If they wish, students can also take private lessons or tutorial classes through appointments. Another amazing part of the program is that it is available online and offline. Applicants have to submit their application online, and upon selection, they can pay the tuition fees and enjoy a musical summer. 

9. Summer Jazz Camp (West Chester University)

Summer Jazz Camp is an awesome opportunity for all high schoolers to explore their Jazz interest and pave the way for a career in Jazz. Summer Jazz Camp is organized every year at West Chester University during July. The camp provides an opportunity to explore multiple facets of Jazz music and provides knowledge on various Jazz techniques and improvisations. 

The camp provides various opportunities, such as learning from expert visiting guests and attending masterclasses from WCU faculties. The camp also has various facilities like Bass and Jazz arranged by Peter Paulsen, saxophones by Jonathan Ragonese, trumpet by John Swana, etc. 

10. Jazz Performance and Improvisation Summer program for high-school students (Interlochen Center for the Arts) 

Interlochen Center for the Arts provides exceptional Jazz experiences, a hard-to-miss opportunity for all high schoolers. The jazz performance and Improvisation Summer program for high-school students perfectly combines knowledge, fun, and musical opportunities. The program provides various facilities, such as sectionals, improvisations, Jazz orchestras, small combos, and culminating performances. 

The program provides master classes with guest Jazz artists and the center’s faculties, opportunities to discover and create music, informal music performances, learning the creative and historical side of Jazz, and many other things. Interlochen Center of Arts has a state-of-the-art music facility with various recording halls, rehearsal studios, teaching studios, and practice rooms. 

How to choose the best summer Jazz camps for yourself? 

The list given above of summer Jazz camps for high-school students is extensive and highly appealing. Every institute has something special to offer that is hard to avoid. So, among these many amazing options, how to select one that fits you the best? 

We have listed some factors to consider when choosing a summer jazz camp. The factors include- 

1. Faculties 

The faculties are the most important when opting for a summer jazz camp. You can look for the experience and expertise of the faculties that will guide you in your camps. Also, look for possible faculty interaction opportunities and the chance to learn from industry experts. Learning and working with renowned musical faculties will look good on your resume and provide you with an experience like nothing else. 

2. Fee structure 

Another important thing to consider while enrolling in jazz camps is the fee structure of the camp. Various summer camps or summer programs provide scholarship assistance and financial aids that you can receive upon applying to that program. Also, it is better to compare the fee structure of your interested program and select the one which provides you with the maximum benefits. 

3. Facilities 

Look for the different facilities that the camp or program provides. Facilities like performance opportunities, masterclasses from experts, peer mentoring activities, recording music, etc. are among some facilities that are useful for refining Jazz skills and helping you build a career in Jazz. Look for the facilities that interest you and will take you toward your Jazz dream, and select the program. 

Wrapping up 

Jazz is all about complex and beautiful rhythms, pitch, and timbre. Jazz was created in New Orleans in the late 19th century and is still one of the most loved and popular forms of music that won millions of hearts. Summer Jazz camps beautifully deliver the essence of Jazz music, teach it to young hearts, and prepare them to be the next Jazz expert. 

Enrolling in summer Jazz camps is a complete package of knowledge and musical games and activities, lifelong friends, and connections with experts that will help you throughout your lifetime. So, what are you waiting for? Find the summer camp that interests you, matches your needs, and enjoy a musical Jazz summer.