Instrumental Performance Majors participate in classes and music experiences designed to develop them into well-rounded musicians. Students focus on the preparation and presentation of material for college auditions.

Instrumental majors receive a one-hour private studio lesson each week and participate in seminars to explore concepts and techniques of performance, discussing topics relevant to their concentration.

All students perform on the concert stage throughout the summer in faculty-coached chamber music groups, the Millennium Symphony Orchestra, the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, and others.

Vocal Performance Majors participate in a rich curriculum of performance and music support opportunities. Students focus on the preparation and presentation of classical repertoire, specifically for college auditions.

Voice majors receive a one-hour private studio lesson (with professional accompanist) and an additional half-hour private vocal coaching session each week through the summer, where they work on classical vocal technique.

Voice majors perform on the concert stage throughout the summer in the Concert Choir, vocal recital, and in voice masterclasses. They combine the skills gained from dance class, acting class, and private instruction in the performance of semi-staged opera scenes.

Composition Majors receive a private studio lesson each week and explore several areas of music composition through both classroom and individual instruction. Areas of exploration include theory, orchestration, and electronic music.

All composition majors meet in Composers Forum to hear lectures, participate in discussion, and present student works or works-in-progress. At the end of the summer, students participate in a recording session with professional musicians who will read student works.

Composition majors may audition for any summer instrumental ensemble to develop collaborative playing. Ensembles include the Millennium Symphony Orchestra, the Wind Ensemble, the Jazz Ensemble, and others.

Music Technology / Electronic Music Majors work in a private studio setting to develop the skills needed to be a successful studio engineer and/or create electronic music compositions.

Along with private studio lessons, these students work in a fully-equipped studio, recording live musicians. In these sessions, they are taught proper recording practices such as microphone selection/placement, advanced microphone techniques, and studio management. They learn the basics of Pro Tools as well as how to use industry-standard plugins necessary for post-production. 

Music Tech / EM majors meet in the weekly Music Tech Forum to hear lectures, participate in discussion, and present student works or works-in-progress. They also take Recording Techniques and Music Technology Lab courses, in which students study the properties of sound and learn the basics of digital audio, MIDI, sequencing, and multimedia by using several different computer programs. Basic and advanced concepts of notation software will also be covered.

Music Tech / EM majors may audition for any summer instrumental ensemble to develop collaborative playing. Ensembles include the Millennium Symphony Orchestra, the Wind Ensemble, the Jazz Ensemble, and others.

Students interested in jazz studies are encouraged to participate in the many Pre-College jazz opportunities, including:

Jazz Ensemble

Students in the jazz program participate in the Jazz Ensemble, lead by Grammy-award-winning saxophonist Eric DeFade. The ensemble focuses on jazz standards in a variety of styles and performs several times during the program.

Jazz Clinic/Combos

Mr. DeFade coaches student jazz combos and leads a course in jazz improvisation. Weekly clinics include a mixture of master classes, literature/repertoire discussion, and instrument-specific ensemble playing.

Jazz Choir

The Jazz Choir explores jazz vocal techniques and styles, and performs with the Jazz Ensemble during the program.​