Building on the long and storied history between Interlochen Center for the Arts and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO), DSO musicians will work closely with Interlochen students this summer as part of Interlochen Online’s virtual Arts Camp, which will take place from June 28 to July 19, 2020.
“We are thrilled that the DSO will join us for Interlochen Online this summer,” said Trey Devey, president of Interlochen Center for the Arts. “This is an extraordinary opportunity for young artists to make music with and learn from world-class musicians.”
“When we learned of Interlochen’s plans for a virtual Arts Camp, we felt an immediate groundswell of support coming from our musicians and staff to get involved and help out,” said Anne Parsons, DSO president and CEO. “Thanks to the innovative spirit of cooperation between our organizations, so many young people will be able to benefit from high-quality, music-based learning experiences this summer, and I want to especially thank our wonderful DSO musicians for stepping forward so swiftly and completely.”
“The DSO Musicians were thrilled to renew our relationship with Interlochen last July, and we’re heartbroken that we aren’t able to return in person this summer,” said Jeremy Epp, DSO principal Timpani. “We remain committed to fostering the bonds between our two institutions and look forward to collaborating with Interlochen students through streamed performances, classes, and other projects. Many DSO members found inspiration in the experiences they had while students at Interlochen, and we are excited to again have the opportunity to nurture a new generation of performers.”
To nurture young artists during this unprecedented era of social distancing, while sustaining a cherished tradition, the 93rd season of Interlochen’s renowned multidisciplinary summer arts program will take place exclusively online. Over the course of the three-week virtual camp program, DSO musicians will work closely with Interlochen campers in a variety of formats. Each week, DSO musicians will lead orchestral repertoire workshops for each instrument with intermediate and high school students. These workshops will also touch on practical tips for performance careers, such as practice habits and audition preparation.
DSO musicians will also record select movements of chamber music works for small ensembles that students can listen to and practice with as they study specific repertoire. The partnership will also include virtual recitals by DSO musicians and Interlochen faculty, and an arts leadership roundtable in which DSO management and education personnel will join leaders from Interlochen for a discussion with students about creating a life in the arts.
The DSO’s association with Interlochen dates back to 1926, when Detroit’s Orchestra Hall hosted the National High School Honors Orchestra, the ensemble that evolved two years later into the founding orchestra of Interlochen Arts Camp. Today, 21 members of the DSO are alumni of Interlochen Arts Camp or Interlochen Arts Academy.
Like Interlochen’s traditional Arts Camp, the online camp will feature one-of-a-kind master classes, seminars, and coaching led by world-class artists and arts leaders; private arts instruction as well as collaboration with peers; virtual performances, exhibitions, screenings, and readings by students and faculty; daily “virtual cabin” social activities; and synchronous Camp-wide convenings. Programs will be offered in acting, musical theatre, theatre design and production, creative writing, visual arts, dance, filmmaking, classical music performance and composition, music production and engineering, songwriting, jazz performance and improvisation, and general arts for students in grades 2-12.
