About

Fiddler’s Fest is a weeklong summer music camp for young string players in the Metro-Detroit area. The camp was founded by students from Berkley High School in order to offer chamber music opportunities to music students in the area. The summer of 2019 will be the camp’s fifth summer.

The camp is located in Huntington Woods, MI and takes place from August 19th to August 23rd. The final concert will be on August 23rd.

The main goals of Fiddler’s Fest are to introduce students to playing in chamber ensembles, to learn how to collaborate in music, and to encourage students to continue practicing during the summer. With a focus on developing chamber music skills, students will be challenged with learning ensemble repertoire within a few days before performing music selections at the concert on the last day of camp. Additionally, Fiddler’s Fest focuses on promoting effective and healthy practice habits, including stretching, warming up with scales, and making the most out of a small amount of practice time.

For the summer of 2019, there will be two different programs within Fiddler’s Fest: Intermediate and Advanced.

The Intermediate Strings Program is for middle-school aged students or younger students with more substantial musical training. This program is for students who are capable at reading music and are working towards a solid foundation on their instrument.

The Advanced String Program is for high school students or advanced middle school students who are accomplished in their instrument. In both the Intermediate and Advanced String Programs, students will participate in small chamber ensembles and string orchestra.

Students will participate in smaller chamber groups as well as the string orchestra. The string orchestra will rehearse several group pieces, led by the coaches, with sectionals taking place on a daily basis. All participants will perform in the final concert on Friday afternoon (8/23) which will feature the chamber groups, string orchestra, and any campers who wish to perform a solo piece.