About StringPlay
Join students at StringPlay Online, a summer camp based in Phoenix, Arizona, for a week-long (now virtual) exploration of musical creativity! Founded in 2013, StringPlay provides a fun, creative, and educational environment where students learn new musical skills and approach music in new ways. In our one-week camps, students learn a new fiddle tune by ear, fun accompaniment techniques like chopping and shuffling, improvisation skills, and more! StringPlay is open to violinists, violists, cellists, and bassists who completed grades 7-12 in the 2019-2020 school year.
Apply by June 8, 2020!
In our one-week online camps, students will:
learn new skills through live online classes each day with StringPlay’s experienced and energetic staff
participate in a virtual collaboration video with staff and other camp students
share in a community of like-minded students who are also stuck at home and curious about expanding their musical abilities!
Material and skills to be covered include:
a new fiddle tune, taught and learned by ear
accompaniment skills, including chopping, shuffling, chords
improvisation, in clear, simple ways (don’t worry, nobody will be forced to take a solo!)
...and more!
This summer, we are offering TWO camp experiences:
Week One (June 22 - June 26): an introductory program for students who are new to these creative skills.
Week Two (June 29 - July 3): for continuing students from Week One who want to explore further, and any StringPlay alumni or other students who already feel comfortable with these creative skills!
To watch student performances from previous years of StringPlay, check out our YouTube channel!
The Virtual Set-Up
At StringPlay Online, we've been working to condense our students' favorite aspects of camp into a remote learning experience held through Zoom. The two-hour daily structure of each day at camp will follow a general pattern:
Daily Learning Experience
Led by StringPlay Director Taylor Morris, students will learn a fiddle tune by ear, as well as various accompaniment techniques that will allow the students to perform in a camp-wide, virtual performance.Supplementary Classes
Throughout the week, StringPlay Faculty will lead break-out classes on different topics related to developing students' individual musical creativity. Students will study Groove with Carlito Stewart, Ornamentation with Courtney Pinski, and Improvisation with Adam Gurczak and Cameryn Baum.Daily Small Group Time
To build our online community, students will be placed in small groups that will meet daily. Each group will be led by a dedicated faculty member, who will do their best to ensure that all students' questions are addressed throughout the camp. Students will also participate in community-building activities to meet and connect with their fellow campers!Daily Review
At the end of each camp day, students will finish out altogether by reviewing their learning for the day and looking forward to the next day's activities!Optional "Office Hours"
It's common for students at our in-person camp experience to hang out for a little bit after camp, chat with the faculty, and have an opportunity to ask any questions that they didn't get answered during the day. In our online camp, faculty will stay on the Zoom call for a little bit extra each day to increase opportunities for students to connect, hang out, and ask questions!
To attend StringPlay 2020 Online, students need access to a stable internet connection (on a phone or computer) and access to Zoom (a free video software). For participation in the optional camp performance, to be filmed by students individually after the camp finishes and then compiled by StringPlay staff, students will need a pair of head phones and access to two devices (one to listen to a play-along track and one to video record). All students who submit their tuition payments by June 8th will receive a camp t-shirt!
The Faculty
Taylor Morris, fiddle (Director)
Adam Gurczak, bass
Carlito Stewart, cello
Courtney Pinski, fiddle
Cameryn Baum, cello
The Cost
Week One | June 22 - June 26, 2020 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM, Daily Mountain Standard Time (AZ) Tuition: $175 (includes camp shirt!)
Week Two | June 29 - July 3, 2020 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM, Daily Mountain Standard Time (AZ) Tuition: $175 (includes camp shirt!)
Early Bird Discounted Tuition for students who enroll in both weeks of camp: $300! Once camp has begun, students in Week One may still register for Week Two at the standard tuition rate.
A limited number of need-based scholarships are available. Information about tuition assistance is located in the online application.