Making the Most of Your Summer Vacation

Those lazy, hazy days of summer! Once the last concert of the academic year is finished, we all look forward to some much-deserved rest and relaxation. However, what is the diligent music student to do? Without the proper guidance, the weeks or months stretching ahead can look scary. They can either be a wonderful time to make great progress on an instrument or a time in which much ground can be lost. How do we avoid the pitfalls and use this time wisely for continued growth?

Setting Goals

The first challenge is to establish a list of goals. Throughout the school-year, ambitious students have no shortage of targets to shoot for. Region band and all-state auditions, honor bands, and solo and ensemble festivals are always on the horizon. Without these extrinsic motivators during the summer months, how can we keep an eye on the prize?

First, consult a trusted teacher. If a student can study privately over the summer, it will yield the best results. A list of goals for each week from a trusted authority is perfect! However, private teachers need vacations too, and even lessons often go on hiatus during school breaks.

If a student is not studying privately over the summer, they can still receive goals from a trusted source. A little prior planning will be in order. Ask a private teacher or band director for a summer practice plan, and any good instructor will be happy to oblige! The student can then work on their personal practice-discipline. Setting a goal for practice-hours per week and keeping to it is a great help, as is keeping a practice journal with day-to-day goals, tempos, etc.

Summer Camps

A great outside motivator during the summer months can be a music camp. There are a plethora of options for the student to choose from: Huge, medium, or small; local or out-of-state; day camps or overnight; camps with rustic cabins or university camps with dorm accommodations. Whatever the choice is, these events can provide an intensive and fun learning environment filled with wonderful professional teachers and other highly motivated students. Most camps provide opportunities for private lessons, chamber ensembles, and many other musically eye-opening activities.

The summer music camp is also a wonderful opportunity to “audition” potential college teachers. Many universities sponsor programs staffed by their own faculty during the summer months. A student considering collegiate music study going to any of these events can get a wonderful feel for working with the studio professor, the band and orchestra directors, etc. The list of summer music camps published by The Instrumentalist every March is a wonderful directory that students can use to explore their options.

Get Involved in Community Music Making

There are often many hidden opportunities for music-making around your own hometown during the summer months. Many municipalities support community bands that either play year-round or provide a concert series in the summer months. These ensembles usually play both band classics and fun pops arrangements for wide audiences. Many band directors, adult amateurs, and students staff these groups. Ask your directors if they know of any opportunities in your area.

In addition to being wonderful opportunities for regular rehearsals and performances during the summer, community groups are also great learning opportunities thanks to the other members. You may be sitting next to a wonderful music educator. You may also be stand-partners with an attorney or physician with a lifelong love of your instrument. There is ALWAYS much to be learned about performance and musicianship from such fellow instrumentalists.

Another great avenue for summer performance is in houses of worship. Choirs will often take a hiatus during the summer. Musical directors are usually looking for instrumentalists to fill the gap during this time-period for service music. There are few better opportunities to play for a large and supportive audience.

Listen & Watch

For many students, one of the most valuable assets in the summer is time: Time for relaxation, time for repose, time for rest. However, there is also time to catch up on listening and learning more about your instrument.

Along with practice and performance goals, set listening and reading goals. Why not listen to one great performance on YouTube every day? Surely hearing a thrilling piece performed by a master of your instrument that frequently will pay huge dividends. Also, you can set a goal of reading one or two articles regarding your instrument every week (the weekly WAVE email is a perfect place to start!).

The summer can pose challenges for musical advancement for the young musician. However, with a little planning and motivation, it can instead be a great opportunity for growth! Enjoy yourself and relax this summer, but take those opportunities for advancement so you can start the upcoming year running!

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