Interlochen Arts Camp: Summer Orchestra & Wind Ensemble Programs
Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra students can apply to Interlochen Arts Camp with the application fee waived. Use the code GDYO27 when you apply. Applications are open now, and the priority deadline to complete your application is Jan. 15. After Jan. 15, applications will be accepted on a rolling basis based on program capacity.
Priority Deadline is January 15
Interlochen Arts Camp offers immersive summer orchestra and wind ensemble programs for students in grades 6-12 who want to grow as musicians, perform challenging repertoire, and learn alongside talented peers from around the world.
Students work in large ensembles with accomplished conductors, receive instruction and mentorship from experienced faculty and professional musicians, and build their skills through rehearsals, sectionals, musicianship study, and performance opportunities.
Interlochen Arts Camp also offers summer programs for students in grades 3-12 focused on creative writing, dance, film and new media, music, theatre, visual arts, and interdisciplinary arts. Programs range from one to six weeks on Interlochen’s campus in northern Michigan.
[Download the Interlochen Arts Camp Program Guide]
What do orchestra and wind ensemble students experience at Interlochen?
Interlochen’s orchestra and wind ensemble programs combine intensive ensemble study, expert mentorship, and frequent opportunities to perform.
Students spend their summer surrounded by other young musicians who are serious about their craft. Through rehearsals, sectionals, musicianship study, and performance, they develop the technical and collaborative skills needed to become stronger ensemble musicians.
Students also learn from accomplished conductors, faculty, guest artists, and professional musicians who bring real-world experience into the program. The middle school and high school program includes daily rehearsals, sectionals, small ensemble classes, weekly private lessons, dedicated practice time, and musicianship study.
Orchestra & Wind Ensemble for Grades 6-8
Interlochen’s Orchestra & Wind Ensemble program for students in grades 6-8 is three weeks
long, with two sessions offered each summer.
The program is designed for young musicians who are ready to strengthen their skills through
focused ensemble study while experiencing the energy and community of a residential summer
music camp.
Students rehearse daily and receive additional instruction through sectionals, small ensembles,
musicianship study, dedicated practice time, and weekly private lessons. They also develop
performance skills and explore music through Dalcroze Eurhythmics.
Middle school ensemble opportunities
Students in grades 6-8 can perform in the Intermediate Symphony Orchestra, Intermediate
Concert Orchestra, or Intermediate Wind Ensemble. During each three-week session, students
perform in at least two concerts while building their ensemble skills through daily rehearsals and
additional instruction.
Summer Orchestra & Wind Ensemble for Grades 9-12
Interlochen’s high school Orchestra & Wind Ensemble program is a six-week summer camp for students in grades 9-12.
High school musicians spend the summer immersed in ensemble performance while studying with distinguished conductors, faculty, and professional musicians. The program is designed for students who want to deepen their musicianship, take on challenging repertoire, and prepare for the next stage of their artistic development.
Students participate in large ensemble rehearsals, chamber ensembles, weekly private lessons, musicianship study, master classes, and performances throughout the summer.
High school ensemble opportunities
High school students can perform in the World Youth Symphony Orchestra, World Youth Wind Symphony, or Interlochen Philharmonic. Over the six-week program, students perform frequently in large ensembles and may also take part in chamber music and solo performance opportunities.
World Youth Symphony Orchestra students have opportunities to perform side by side with members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Experiences like these give young musicians the chance to learn directly from professional performers while experiencing the expectations and collaboration of an advanced orchestral setting.
Who teaches and mentors students at Interlochen?
Interlochen orchestra and wind ensemble students learn from accomplished conductors, experienced faculty, guest artists, and professional musicians.
Conductors provide leadership and mentorship throughout the ensemble experience, helping students interpret repertoire, strengthen ensemble skills, and grow as performers.
Faculty provide additional instruction through experiences such as sectionals, studio classes, musicianship study, and private study. High school students also have opportunities to participate in master classes and learn from visiting professional musicians.
What types of performance opportunities are available at Interlochen Arts Camp?
Performance is a central part of Interlochen’s orchestra and wind ensemble programs.
Middle school orchestra and wind ensemble students perform in at least two large-ensemble concerts during each three-week session.
High school large ensembles perform multiple concerts throughout the six-week program, with additional opportunities for chamber performances and solo recitals.
Students perform in state-of-the-art facilities across Interlochen’s campus, including spaces designed specifically for music rehearsal and performance.
Is summer music camp worth it for young musicians?
A summer music camp can give young musicians concentrated time to improve, perform, and learn alongside peers who are just as passionate about music as they are.
At Interlochen, students step outside their regular school or youth orchestra environment and become part of a community of young musicians from across the country and around the world.
That immersion can help students:
- Strengthen their ensemble and performance skills
- Learn from accomplished conductors, faculty, and professional musicians
- Gain experience performing challenging repertoire
- Build confidence as musicians and collaborators
- Prepare for the next level of school, youth orchestra, or college music study
- Form friendships with students who share their commitment to music
For students considering a future in music, an intensive summer program can also provide valuable experience with the pace, expectations, and collaborative nature of advanced musical study.
What makes Interlochen different from other summer orchestra programs?
Interlochen combines intensive music study with the experience of living in a community devoted entirely to the arts. As Interlochen Arts Camp celebrates its 100th season, students benefit from nearly a century of experience in arts education, refined into an exceptional summer learning environment.
Orchestra and wind ensemble students are surrounded not only by other musicians, but also by young writers, dancers, actors, filmmakers, visual artists, and interdisciplinary artists.
Within the music program, students have access to major ensemble opportunities, accomplished conductors and faculty, professional musicians, frequent performances, and specialized music facilities. High school musicians may also participate in distinctive experiences such as performing alongside members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
Together, those experiences give students the opportunity to grow both as individual musicians and as members of an ensemble.
Find the right summer music program at Interlochen
Interlochen Arts Camp offers summer programs for students in grades 3-12, with experiences ranging from one week to six weeks.
The Interlochen Arts Camp Program Guide includes dates and details for more than 100 programs offered in 2027.
[Download the Interlochen Arts Camp Program Guide]
Applications are now open for summer 2027. Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra students can use code the GDYO27 to waive the application fee. Complete your application by Jan. 15 for priority consideration. After Jan. 15, applications will be accepted on a rolling basis based on program capacity.