Background:
This program exposes high school students to the world of music. The great thing is, you don’t have to have a magical set of pipes or know how to play an instrument. There are career tracks in audio engineering, concert promotion, electronic music production, management, musician, music journaling, singing, and songwriting. GRAMMY Camp opens opportunities for a competitive industry and promotes diversity for future music professionals. Work ethic is emphasized, and program coordinators often check in with parents to ensure safety and feedback.
Program details:
Current GRAMMY Camp 2022 Dates: August 2-6, 2022
GRAMMY Camp is a 5-day industry program for high school students that want to pursue music as a career. Students from across the country apply for one of the eight offered career tracks
What will students experience with this program?
- Instruction from faculty mentors with tools, tips, and guidance for specific career tracks.
- Collaboration between various career tracks (e.g., songwriters with vocalists, audio engineers with vocalists, concert promoters with music managers)
- Discussions with professionals in the field (this year, students were able to speak to Jordan Sparks, The Foo Fighters, Silversun Pickups, and Lauren Spencer Smith)
- Career track-specific projects (creating songs, learning how to elevator pitch, learning how to use soundboards, and much more)
- Learning how to be successful in each track and how important drive and perseverance are
- Create a music event to perform for family and friends.
What does each day look like?
Campers start off meeting with their mentors in groups and are instructed within each track. For instance, the songwriters wrote their own songs and eventually collaborated with the vocalists to rehearse. In the afternoon, they continue instruction, but also have time to collaborate with campers on various creative projects, within and outside of their tracks, such as a mini documentary. This is a great way to teach the importance of networking.
Significance:
The value this program brings to our youth is once in a lifetime. Exposure to the ins and outs of this industry helps to prepare young adults for their future endeavors. This program also aims to diversify a male-dominated field, allowing female students to break the glass ceiling in music. The feedback from students upon observation of the final day was overwhelmingly positive. They all performed with confidence and their hard work during the program, along with their faculty mentors, allowed for a professional showcase with minimal hiccups. This was very impressive to watch. The students expressed how grateful they were to have participated in this program and were eager to continue their journeys into the professional world of music. Interviews with industry guests gave them a competitive edge, providing insight into what their experiences looked like and how dedication and passion are characteristics of a successful musician or music professional.
Industry guests:
Lauren Spencer Smith
Jordan Sparks
Silversun Pickups
The Foo Fighters
Why get involved, who runs the program?
Run by GRAMMY in the Schools which focuses on music education outreach programs of the GRAMMY Museum and Foundation. The final showcase was hosted by USC Thornton School of Music. Julie Han (the director of education), David Spears (VP of education), Austin (production manager), and Val (program coordinator) worked together to provide smooth running of the program.
Students, parents, teachers, press, sponsors, and music lovers are encouraged to get involved. Students and parents, get the opportunity to nominate a music educator from your school to receive the Grammy Music Educator Award. The press allows for media coverage for more to learn about and participate in the program. Sponsors now is the time to invest in our future musical professionals! By sponsoring, the continuation of this successful program is made possible. Contact the Development Office at 310-392-3777. And for teachers, you can apply to be a Grammy Signature School.
(GAAMMY Camp 2022 faculty mentors)
**Financial assistance is available for students who need it.