Summer Camps & Intensives
IN THE BAY AREA
BMuZ Jazz Camp | GRADES 6-10 Work on improving jazz skills and creating grooves, improvising, sight reading, and playing with good sound quality and group awareness. Activities include big bands, group warm-ups, improvisation, sectional rehearsals, listening sessions, musical and non-musical games.
BMuZ is no longer run through the City of Berkeley, it is now run through New Apollo Youth Symphony Orchestra (NAYSO).
Website: https://www.newapollomusic.org/bmuz
JazzSchool Girls Jazz and Blues Camp
Open to girls entering 6th through 12th grades (5th grade per consultation). The camp provides a supportive musical environment where girls have fun and develop self-confidence. Campers hone improvisational, technical and ensemble skills while meeting new friends and creating music with other young musicians from the Bay Area and beyond.
Website: https://cjc.edu/jazzschool/intensives/summer-youth-programs/girls-jazz-blues-camp/
JazzSchool High School Intensive
Six to eight musicians are coached by an ensemble of professional musicians in performance, improvisation and arranging/composition skills
Website: http://cjc.edu/community-music-school-youth/summer-youth-programs/high-school-intensive/
Lafayette Summer Music Jazz Workshop
Since 1998, the week-long Lafayette Summer Music Workshop has provided an intimate and inspiring environment for learning and playing jazz. Master classes, improvisation workshops and jazz combos are led by some of the preeminent professional musicians in the field.
Websites:
https://gijf.org/lsjmw/
https://lafayettejazz.wpcomstaging.com
San Jose Summer Jazz Camp (San Jose, CA)
Summer Jazz Camp is a wonderful opportunity for middle and high school students to learn about every aspect of jazz, including music theory, improvisation, composition, ear training, performance and much more. Each student participates in both a small ensemble and big band, and one advanced ensemble is chosen to play at the San Jose Jazz Summer Fest each August.
Website: https://sanjosejazz.org/educations/summer-jazz-camp/
Stanford Jazz Institute (Palo Alto)
Offers workshops, camps, and programs for a wide range of ages. Topics include combo improv and performance, jazz theory, applied theory and more
Website: https://stanfordjazz.org
Jam Camp West
Jazz Camp West is an exciting, creative and fun 7-day (6-night) music, dance and vocal program held in the beautiful redwoods of Loma Mar, No CA. Designed for 10-15 year olds of all skill levels, Jam Camp provides campers with an extremely high quality music education curriculum taught by leading professionals. Classes are designed for all skill levels, including complete beginners as well as experienced campers. In addition, fun outdoor activities and creative adventures round out each day.
Website: https://www.livingjazz.org/jam-camp-west
OUTSIDE OF THE BAY AREA
Cazadero Music Camp (Cazadero, CA)
Jazz band is one of three large ensembles at Cazadero and participation is by audition only. Auditions are held each week in order to give as many campers as possible the opportunity to participate. Jazz band instrumentation normally consists of trumpet, trombone, saxophones, and rhythm section (bass, guitar, piano, and drums). A Jazz Workshop elective is available for any and all instruments and performs at camper ensemble night.
Pacific Music Camp (Stockton)
Program: Master classes, theory, emphasis on jazz ensemble work
Website: https://music.pacific.edu/music/community/pacific-music-camp
Teagarden Jazz Camp (formerly known as the Sacramento Trad Jazz Youth Camp) (Sacramento)
The camp is open to young musicians, between the ages of 12 and 20, who play any instrument.
Website: https://sacjazzcamp.org
Arrowbear Music Camp
Our programs include orchestra, band, choral, jazz and chamber music with campers ranging from ages eight to early college.
Website: https://www.arrowbear.com
California Baptist University Summer Music Camps (Riverside, So. CA)
CBU Summer Music Camps provide high-level musical training for young musicians through intensive, week-long camps. These camps focus on musicianship, pedagogy, theory and performance through daily rehearsals and classes. Open to junior high and high school students, the CBU camps foster growth and character in each musician while building the great tradition of music appreciation.
Website: https://music.calbaptist.edu/music-camps/
OUT-OF-STATE
Centrum/Jazz Port Townsend (Port Townsend, WA)
Website: http://centrum.org/jazz-port-townsend-the-workshop/
Litchfield Jazz Camp (New Milford, CT)
Website: http://litchfieldjazzfest.com/jazz-camp/
NYU Summer Electronic Music Institute (New York, NY)
Website: ttps://steinhardt.nyu.edu/programs/jazz-studies/summer-intensives/jazz-improv-workshop-new-york-city
Berklee College of Music Five-Week Summer Performance Program (Boston, MA)
