Honors Program

Program Description
This Program offers talented and serious young musicians the opportunity to interact with world reknowned faculty and guest artists. With grants from Friends of the Young Musicians' Camp, Citizens Interested in the Arts, the Miami-Dade Department of Cultural Affairs, and The State of Florida Division of Cultural Arts, this Program seeks to bring together students from diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds to provide them with a college-level experience.

The Honors Program is offered in the areas of Classical Chamber Music, Classic Jazz ( Instrumental and Vocal), Latin Jazz, Composition, and Musical Theatre. Admission is by audition and teacher recommendation. Materials may be submitted on dvd, cd or YouTube and MUST be postmarked by MAY 1. Students will attend 3 classes from the pre-college program and the rest of the day ( 1:30 – 5:00 pm) will be spent in the Honors Program. In this intensive program, classes will also be held on the weekend, starting with the Sunday before the session begins ( 6:30 – 8:30 pm) and the following Saturday ( 11:00 am – 2:00 pm) and Sunday ( 5:30 – 8:30 pm). Due to this rehearsal schedule, it is suggested that participants stay in the dormitory. Students are expected to devote evening hours to practice and class assignments. The Honors Program participants will be showcased in a separate Honors Recital. They will receive coaching from our Honors faculty in a small group setting. We highly recommend that students who are considering the Frost School of Music for college, take a private lesson with a UM faculty member. This can be arranged upon request.

• HONORS MUSICAL THEATRE PROGRAM:
  This is an intensive program open to high school students who are interested in gaining an advanced level of performance experience. The Program will provide campers with the opportunity to work with a voice and acting coach and a choreographer. It will include voice production, acting and movement, as well as 3 classes from the pre-college program ( music theory, vocal techniques and a choice of jazz vocal ensemble, classical vocal ensemble or piano ensemble. The session will culminate with a staged musical production.


• Audition Requirements: 2 accompanied musical selections – one musical theater style piece and the other may be classical or jazz.


• Faculty: Felicia Kurtz, Sandra Portal-Andreu


• HONORS CHAMBER MUSIC PROGRAM
This is an intensive program open to high school students who are interested in gaining an advanced level of performance experience. Under the direction of UM Professor of Chamber Music and Accompanying, Dr. Paul Posnak, students will work on a daily basis in small chamber groups. They will also have a special class in form and analysis as it relates to performance practice using the compositions they are studying. In addition, participants will attend 3 classes in the pre-college program: music theory, master-class/performance styles, and large ensemble. The selected participants will be expected to arrive at the camp with the pre-selected music fully prepared.


• Audition Requirements: 2 solo works of contrasting style(short to medium length or a movement from a larger work).


• Applicants for the Honors Program in Percussion will need to submit a tape consisting of a two-mallet or four-mallet marimba/xylophone/vibraphone piece, a snare drum piece, and a work for timpani. Selections should reflect the student's highest skill level.


• Faculty: Paul Posnak, piano, ( session B), Mei Mei Luo, violin ( session B), Luisa Bustamante, cello ( sessions A&B), Suzan De Gooyer, flute ( sessions A&B), Frank Cooper, harpsichord ( session B), Miriam Stern, Violin, (session A), Rafael Padron, classical guitar ( session A), Nobleza Pilar, classical voice ( sessions A & B) ,Brian Potts ( percussion), plus additional UM faculty depending on instrumentation.


• HONORS CLASSIC JAZZ:
  This is an intensive program open to high school students who are interested in gaining an advanced level of performance experience. Under the direction of world famous multi-instrumentalist Ira Sullivan, this program is geared towards advanced jazz students who are seeking a performing career. Participants will attend 3 classes in the pre-college program: *Music Theory ( levels 1-3), Jazz Improvisation ( levels 1-3) for horns/Rhythm Section Workshop for drummers and bassists/ improv for pianists and guitarists and Jazz Band or Jazz Guitar or Jazz Piano Ensemble and spend the rest of the day ( 1:30-5:00 pm) in the Honors Ensemble and Honors Jazz Performance Class, and Honors Jazz Composition.


• Faculty: Ira Sullivan, saxes, flute, trumpet, flugelhorn, advanced jazz improvisation, Brian Murphy, piano, composition, Lisanne Lyons, voice, David Feinman, guitar, composition.
  
  
• Audition Requirements: 2 contrasting standard tunes 1 ballad and 1 tempo of your choice by any of the following composers: Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker or John Coltrane. The student should perform the melody and then improvise either a capella, with a live rhythm section or with an Aebersold accompaniment. Rhythm section players: Guitar, Bass, Piano - same as above. Drummers: show examples of 4/4, 3/4, bossa nova, and swing playing. A solid time feel will be given more weight than the ability to solo. Vocalists should send a demo of 2 contrasting pieces, performed with accompaniment. Time length: 8 minutes.
  
  
• HONORS LATIN JAZZ PROGRAM
  This is an intensive program open to high school age students who are interested in gaining an advanced level of performance in the Latin Jazz idiom. Under the direction of Nicky Orta, with other Latin jazz faculty, this program is geared to talented jazz students who are considering a career in music. Admission is by audition only.


• Faculty: Nicky Orta, bass, Felix Gomez, piano, Brian Potts, percussion, plus additional faculty TBA.


• Audition Requirements: 2 contrasting Latin Jazz songs or standard tunes using Latin rhythms (e.g. songo, mambo, samba, bossa, etc.) by any of the following composers – Paquito D’Rivera, Michel Camilo, Eddie Palmieri, Dizzy Gillespie, Poncho Sanchez, Arturo “Chico”O’Farrill, Chuco Valdez, Tito Puente, or Machito. The student should perform the melody and then improvise either a capella, with a live rhythm section or with an Aebersold accompaniment ( exp. Volumes 64,69,74,or77) Total length 5 minutes. Vocalists should send a 5 minute demo of 2 contrasting pieces, performed with accompaniment.


• HONORS COMPOSITION PROGRAM
  This program is designed for high school students interested in developing their composing skills. Under the direction of Dennis Kam, Chairman of the Theory and Composition Department of the Frost School of Music, participants will receive daily instruction in a small group setting. The course will cover different kinds of compositional materials and styles, formal structure, and principles of variation/development in music.

• Faculty: Dennis Kam ( session B), Dave Feinman ( session TBA)
  
  
• Audition Requirements: Candidates should submit one or two compositions in any style.

Honors Program YouTube Videos

(Tenor Madness)

(Strollin)

(Serpent's Tooth)

(On a Misty Night)

(Chicago Blues)

(Cry Me a River)

(Dig)

(Tell Me a Bedtime Story)