The annual Playathon helps to provide funds to LVMTA members' students who attend summer music camps. Enjoy reading these reports from the students who received scholarships for 2023. To see more information about the scholarships that we offer, visit our Scholarship Page.
Gavin:
This summer from the 10th of July to the 14th, I attended the Moravian Summer Music
Institute. This was an instrumental based music camp where students learn basic music theory, basic technique, and rudimentary ensemble playing. Students are given the chance to play in full ensembles featuring all members of the camp, smaller ensembles that are decided based on what instrument that student plays, and some are given the opportunity to play solos. We started the day by being taught some rudimentary dance principles in the main hall of the school, we then transitioned into a very basic introduction to music theory in one of the upstairs classrooms, after this we were taken to a keyboard lab where we learned some basic composition. After the composition we were given an hour break for lunch before going to our respective instrumental lessons which were followed by chamber practice. The day ended with a full ensemble rehearsal back in the main hall of the school. The aspect I enjoyed the most was playing in a piano chamber group where myself and one other piano student played music for three pianos along with the piano instructor. We played an arrangement of a Schubert quartet in A minor that I rather enjoyed playing. All in all I had a fun experience attending this summer camp.
Thomas:
Ever notice that your favorite films always have awesome soundtracks? I spent this entire
summer combining my interest in music with my interest in filmmaking. It started in June in a
program at Interlochen School for the Arts studying film scoring: composing music for films.
Through July I was at Northwestern University at the National High School Institute in a 5 week long program for high school filmmakers. In my capstone project, I directed a short film about a busker who falls in love with a deaf photographer. As part of this project, I composed music for my lead actor to play in his role as a struggling artist. Over the 3 weeks, I attended the Young Artists Piano Program at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. While that didn't directly involve film, a whole day of our program was disrupted when John Williams (famous for scores like Star Wars and Indiana Jones) visited Tanglewood and 18,000 fans created a 3 hour traffic jam that shut down our campus for a day. I feel incredibly fortunate to have been able to express myself and create a new form of art through combining both of these passions, and I hope to continue this work in the future.
Katherine:
My time at the Interlochen Vocal Intensive program can be described as nothing other than an amazing opportunity that allowed me to grow. The other students in the program were so
dedicated to their passion and really became my role models and friends. The various classes allowed me to observe the instruction given to students my level and above. Every teacher added a unique perspective to every voice that proved incredibly insightful to me and my personal growth as a vocalist. Not only was the instruction in the program inspiring, but the environment in which the program took place also gave me the opportunity to flourish and build independence. It gave me the chance to be accountable for my actions and property, manage my own time, and socialize with other camp members who were experiencing as much joy in their freedom and artistic stimulation as I was. Overall, my week at Interlochen was such an inspirational occasion that allowed me to mature and develop as a musician and a person.
Ethan:
My name is Ethan, and I attended the Kutztown Music Festival at Kutztown University from July 1 st to July 8 th , 2023. Please read on as I share my experience as a piano student at the music camp living on campus. The camp was super fun. I enjoyed playing both Saint-Saens’ Danse Macabre for 2 pianos 8 hands and Mel Bonis’ Suite en trio for flute, violin and piano with other students and learned to work as a team. I also made many friends and figured out my way around the campus going to workshops, masterclasses and practices. The faculty gave me the opportunity to learn one on one a lot of piano techniques for the pieces I was to perform. The concerts every night were also very interesting since I got to see many different instruments performed by both faculty and students like me, and listened to many famous pieces by composers from different musical periods. Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to attend this year camp. I hope with your support I will be able to again attend next year’s music camp to make beautiful memories in music and friendship.
Emily:
Thank you so much for awarding me with the generous scholarship. I was lucky enough to be accepted into PIMF this summer, a renowned music festival where students come from across the globe to learn from some of the best musicians in Philadelphia. I got to take lessons from Yu Xi Wang and Hanchien Lee, both esteemed piano soloists who attended Juilliard and Curtis respectively. Under their careful instruction, I improved both my technique and musicality, which helped to prepare me for my performance at the Grand Finale. In front of my new friends, teachers, and family, I performed Chopin's Nocturne in B-flat minor.  Attending music camp was a new experience for me, but certainly one I will never forget. In addition to the hours of daily practice, I spent time with new friends, all of whom were as motivated, dedicated, and passionate as me. The rapid improvement that I saw over the course of the two weeks proved to me that I am capable of much more than I believed, and also that pursuing a future in music is not entirely unattainable. After leaving PIMF, my passion for the piano has only grown, and I look forward to another year full of performances.