Andrew just wrapped up an exciting week with The Catoctin School of Music in Leesburg VA leading a weeklong intensive camp for kids ages 11 to 18. In tandem with CSM head and bassist extraordinaire Wayne Estes, Andrew helped lead campers through an exploration of song creation right through to recording production in state of the art studio. The group did units on applied music theory and rhythm, improvised music together, and worked together to arrange some of those musical ideas into a finished recording. Campers focused on many creative aspects including listening, lyric writing, performance, and arranging for different instruments. With occasional breaks for outdoor fun, lunch and nature walks, it was an incredibly fulfilling and exploration-packed week!
With the success of the inaugural offering of the camp, they plan to do it again next year as well as perhaps adding a second week for more advanced young musicians. Once again, registration will be extremely limited for this amazing opportunity and we'll announce it here sometime in May.
All photos courtesy of The Catoctin School of Music.
Andrew leads the intensely focused teens through an arranging session prior to recording.
On each of the last two days of camp, the students arranged and recorded pieces that they created together. Magic!
Among the experiential highlights: everyone got to play around with new instruments, including some exotic ones like the saw!
Campers certainly seemed to have a great bonding experience in their time in sessions and studio, as well as a great appreciation to Wayne Estes for organizing and offering the camp!