Orchestra

2024 Calendar

Session 1
June 26 – July 7

Central Camp: Grades 9-12
Junior Camp (Camp Bernstein): Grades 7 – 8

Session 2
July 10 – July 21

Central Camp: Grades 9 – 12
Junior Camp (Camp Bernstein): Grades 7 – 8

Session 3
July 24 – August 4

Central Camp: Grades 7-9
Junior Camp (Camp Bernstein): Grades 5 – 7

Session 4
August 7 – August 18

Central Camp: Grades 7-9
Junior Camp (Camp Bernstein): Grades 5 – 7

The Orchestra Program is designed to challenge string students of all proficiency levels. Students are grouped by ability within one of several orchestras after submitting a placement video prior to the camp session. Our orchestra conducting faculty selects a challenging repertoire for each level of ensemble, featuring works by traditional and contemporary composers including Grieg, Telemann, Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Beethoven, Vivaldi, Schumann, Vaughan Williams, Dvorak, Elgar, Ireland, Bruch, DeFalla, Coleridge-Taylor, Still, Piazzolla, and Mendelssohn.

Students receive five hours of intensive daily full rehearsals, sectionals, and technique classes. Students can complete their instructional day by choosing a Minor, allowing them to experience another area of interest while at camp. Students also have the opportunity to attend Summer Arts Festival performances, as well as participate in recreation, camp activities, and attend arts-focused educational events in the evening.

 

Orchestra Sessions 1 and 2

During sessions 1 and 2 (High School level), the ensembles include Camerata, Masterworks Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra, and Concert Orchestra.

The Camerata offers the most advanced string players a professional orchestra experience. Camerata members rehearse daily with Blue Lake’s faculty and staff in the Summer Arts Festival Orchestra and perform significant works of standard repertoire on the Saturday evening Blue Lake Public Radio worldwide broadcast for the radio audience and an audience of 1,500 in Stewart Shell. The Camerata also performs its own recital on the final Sunday of the session. In addition to ensemble and sectional rehearsals, members’ educational day includes private lessons, individual practice, and mentorship from distinguished faculty, conductors, and guest artists.

Camerata and Festival Orchestra Repertoire (Sessions 1 and 2)

Session 1 Camerata, Dr. Raphael Jiménez, conductor
Andrés Gaos, Impresión Nocturna; Peter Warlock, Capriol Suite

Session 1 Festival Orchestra, Dr. Raphael Jiménez, conductor
Ludwig van Beethoven, Symphony No. 7 in A Major; Miguel del Aguila, The Giant Guitar

Session 2 Camerata, Dr. Alexander Jiménez, conductor
Florence Price, String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor; Edward Elgar, Sospiri; Jean Sibelius, Suite Caractéristique

Session 2 Festival Orchestra, Dr. Alexander Jiménez, conductor
Hector Berlioz, Hungarian March; Ralph Vaughan Williams, The Lark Ascending; Johannes Brahms, Symphony No. 4 in E Minor

Camerata Auditions

Members of the Blue Lake Camerata are selected via video audition and notified in the Spring, with preferred placement auditions due by February 28th, and second round auditions due by March 28th. Significant scholarship aid toward camp tuition is available for those who qualify. To submit your audition, complete the scholarship application at Scholarships.

The Masterworks Orchestra challenges advanced high school musicians with original, unedited, standard orchestral repertoire by studying and performing one major work during the 12-day session. The 2024 repertoire for Session 1 is Dvorak – Symphony No. 8 in G Major, Op. 88 and for Session 2 is Borodin – Symphony No. 2 in B Minor. Masterworks strings are selected via video audition just prior to arrival at camp.

Masterworks Winds & Percussion Auditions

Strings who are enrolled as Orchestra majors in Sessions 1 or 2 are automatically considered for Masterworks placement once they have submitted their pre-arrival placement video prior to the camp session. Advanced student winds and percussion are selected via video audition and notified earlier in the Spring, with preferred placement auditions due by February 28th, and second round auditions due by March 28th. Significant scholarship aid toward camp tuition is available for those who qualify. To review audition requirements and submit your audition, visit Scholarships.

Instrumentation for Session 1, Dvorak: 2 flute, 2 oboe, 2 clarinet, 2 bassoon, 4 horn, 2 trumpet, 3 trombone, tuba, timpani

Instrumentation for Session 2, Borodin: 3 flute, 2 oboe, 2 clarinet, 2 bassoon, 4 horn, 2 trumpet, 3 trombone, tuba, timpani, auxiliary percussion, harp

The High School Symphony and Concert Orchestras provide student members a range of challenging orchestral repertoire. Student strings are placed in these ensembles based upon a pre-arrival placement video. Student winds and percussion interested in orchestra must initially enroll in “Band” and are also selected based on their pre-arrival placement videos. Those ranking the highest in their sections are assigned to Orchestra Winds & Percussion. These students perform in two orchestra wind sections (symphony and concert) and will participate in sectionals, technique classes, and chamber music ensembles as scheduling permits.

 

Orchestra Sessions 3 and 4

During sessions 3 and 4 (Intermediate/Middle School level), ensembles include Symphony Orchestra, Concert Orchestra, and String Orchestra. Each of the Intermediate orchestras provide students with a range of challenging orchestral repertoire. The repertoire for all the orchestras will be announced on opening day of the session, and previous repertoire has included selections such as: Schubert’s Rosamunde Overture, Bizet’s Carmen Suite No. 2, Verdi’s Overture to Nabucco, Piazzolla’s Libertango, Lucas’ Tatarian Dances, Stills’ Danzas de Panama, Britten’s Simple Symphony and Coleridge-Taylor’s selections from Africa Suite. Students are placed in ensembles based upon their pre-arrival placement video. Student winds/percussion ranking the highest in their sections are assigned to Orchestra Winds & Percussion. These students perform in two orchestra wind sections (symphony and concert) and participate in sectionals, technique classes, and chamber music ensembles as scheduling permits.

 

Junior Orchestra Program

Blue Lake also offers a string orchestra program for younger students with less musical experience at Camp Bernstein. For more details, see Junior Camp.

 

Blue Lake International

During the summer season, each orchestra student will have the opportunity to apply for the International Youth Symphony Orchestra, which will tour Europe during the following summer as part of Blue Lake’s International Exchange Program.

Orchestra Conductors 2024

Session 1
Blue Lake Camerata – Dr. Raphael Jiménez, Oberlin Conservatory, Oberlin, OH
Masterworks Orchestra – John Riegel, Hilliard Darby High School, Hilliard, OH
Symphony Orchestra – Willie McAllister Jr., retired, Farmington Hills, MI
Concert Orchestra – Dr. Diego Piedra, Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN

Session 2
Blue Lake Camerata – Dr. Alex Jiménez, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
Masterworks Orchestra – Brad Pfeil, Neuqua Valley HS, Naperville, IL
Symphony Orchestra – Keith Dodson, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI
Concert Orchestra – Jessica Fiedorowicz, South Haven Public Schools, South Haven, MI

Session 3
Symphony Orchestra – James Roach, retired, Kalamazoo Public Schools, Portage, MI
Concert Orchestra – James Gross, Grosse Pointe South High School, Grosse Pointe Park, MI
Marek String Orchestra – Dr. Luis Fernandez, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Appleton, WI

Session 4
Symphony Orchestra – Peter Lograsso, retired, Northbrook School District 27, Westchester, IL
Concert Orchestra – Dave Farquhar, Villa Park School District, Lombard, IL
Marek String Orchestra – TBA

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