Camp
Making Memories, Making Music
Why We Camp
At the start of each season, camp is the first opportunity for all of our constituents to come together. Staff, Board members, parents, musicians, coaches and conductors all converge at the camp location for orientation, rehearsals, sectionals, games, meals, campfires, jokes, stories, leadership training, and, of course, music. The camp concludes with the first performance of the year. The importance of camp to the organization cannot be overstated. The musical and social progress realized over a span of 2 to 3 days is remarkable, laying the foundation for the year to come. Expectations and goals for the season are established, and the musicians leave camp inspired, focused, and ready for a year of making great music.
How it Started
The first CSYSA Music Camp was a one day camp held in 1992 to explore the benefits of a day of activity focused on making music. All participants thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and plans were made to include a music camp as part of the yearly schedule. As the organization developed, so did the camping experience. Currently, in order to accommodate the different groups, three camps are held: Orchestra Camp for Ovation Youth Orchestra and Youth Symphony; Band Camp for Pikes Peak Winds and Bravo Winds; String Camp for Vivace, Allegro, Amadeus, and Wolfgang. All musicians in these groups are required to attend camp. Camps are overnight, multi-day experiences held in a mountain setting.
Auditioned groups attend camps in late summer up in the Rocky Mountains. The orchestras and bands attend 3-day camps, and the strings groups attend a 2 1/2 day weekend camp.
