What’s different about camps this year and why?
All of Longhorn Music Camp will be offered in a virtual (online) format for summer 2021. We are eager to get back to making music in person, but LMC typically sees enrollment throughout our summer that could exceed 400+ musicians and staff being in our facilities at the same time depending on the week (approximately 1,200 over the course of the summer). University officials believe–and we agree–that we are not yet ready to host crowds of this size on our campus given our current public health circumstances. We are planning to bring back Longhorn Music Camp in its normal in-person format in summer 2022.
But we’re tired of spending time on our screens this year. Why should we sign up for more of that?
We know the feeling, and we feel the same way. So that no one is spending the entire day on your screen, we have reorganized our camps in two different ways. First, our structured camps with multiple classes and sessions per day will be limited to approximately four hours of screen time per day, giving students time during the day for additional activities while still getting the benefits of a LMC-quality musical experience. Second, our High School Music Camp has transitioned this year to be an à la carte offering of musical topics so that students can decide how much time they want to participate each day.
We’ve reduced our normal tuition for most programs by over 50% (with Early Bird discount), and we’re focused on delivering a concentrated version of the two biggest reasons why students come back to camp every summer: 1) learning from some of the very best music teachers in Texas (not to mention our world-class Butler School of Music faculty), and 2) making the camp experience informative, FUN, and enjoyable for all!
What if the schedule of the camp doesn’t work for our family, or what if we’re going on vacation and will miss a day?
Not a problem! All of our instructional camp sessions this summer will be recorded, and will be available for students to log in and view after-the-fact for one month following the conclusion of the camp. Though interaction with our instructors won’t be possible as it will be during live sessions, recorded sessions allows for flexibility in your summer schedule while still getting first-rate instruction, and enables you to experience camp on your own schedule if you’d like!
High School Music Camp looks very different this summer. How will this work?
We’ll miss having our normal High School Band and Jazz Combo camps, and look forward to having them back again next summer. But since we’re not able to make music together in person this summer, we are to taking advantage of the incredible Butler School of Music faculty to provide an à la carte offering of unique musical workshops and seminars that give musicians a different type of experience. Whether it’s daily masterclasses with one of our world-class instrumental applied faculty, an hour on exploring unique topics of music theory, or a seminar on a how to become a composer… our faculty are the greatest resource we have as a school, and this unique format allows us to make them available to camp students like never before.
Students who are musicians of ANY kind are invited to join us for these unique sessions! They are designed for students who are entering grade 9 through freshman year in college, but advanced middle school students may register as well.
Who are the faculty for this summer’s programs?
Like most years, our camp faculty are a mix of experts depending on the particular program. All programs are either taught by or structured and guided by UT faculty, and for some camps, we additionally hire UT graduate students and Texas public school teachers that are considered among the very best and most experienced in their subject area.
What are the technical requirements for being able to participate in camp?
Students will need a laptop or tablet with a camera and a microphone. Camps will run on a web-based learning platform called Canvas, and will utilize Zoom for our interactive sessions. Some camps will utilize additional web-based software, but no other special hardware or pre-installed programs will be required.
How do I log in and access the camp programs?
Students will be issued a UT Electronic ID (UT EID), which is a username and password that gives them access to all of the programs they will need for this summer’s camp. The camp office will facilitate creating your EID, and will send you instructions on how to log in once it’s time for camp. (Side note: this UT EID will be yours for life, so if you ever come back to attend another UT program or apply to be a student at UT, you will use this same EID!)
I have additional questions… who should I contact?
You are welcome to contact the camp office at LMC@austin.utexas.edu. Please bear in mind that we are all working remotely right now, and are only able to respond to voicemails left on our office phone periodically. We will respond to your emails as soon as we are able.