Birch Creek’s 45th Season Goes Online

Egg Harbor, Wis. (May 29, 2020) – Forty-two of Birch Creek’s world-renowned faculty members will be teaching music students in Percussion & Steel Band, Symphony and Big Band Jazz this summer through the newly launched “Birch Creek Online” program.

In April, the Birch Creek Summer Residential Academy sessions and all summer concerts were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Out of this crisis has come opportunity – a virtual music and performing experience that combines the joy and intensity of the Birch Creek campus with an interactive experience of summer music instruction.

Students, who are primarily 13-19 years old, will be mentored by some of the most outstanding professional performers and educators in the music field. Depending on the session, students may participate in faculty-led group sectionals by instrument, rehearse with small ensembles, share pre-recorded excerpts or solo pieces with comments from faculty and students, take part in a small ensemble video project, practice the art of improvisation, and attend master classes.

Birch Creek’s Program Directors – Dan Moore (Percussion & Steel Band), Ricardo Castañeda (Symphony) and Jeff Campbell (Jazz I & Jazz II) – have led the way in designing online instruction that engages students and faculty. As families look for ways to provide their children with supportive learning experiences and professional musicians and educators on the Birch Creek faculty are eager to teach, Birch Creek Online presents an opportunity made for this time in Birch Creek’s 45 year history.

Four, one-week sessions are offered in Percussion & Steel Band (June 22-26), Symphony (June 29-July 3), Jazz I (July 13-17) and Jazz II (July 27-31). Jazz I and Jazz II offer the same programs and daily schedule with the only differences being the dates and faculty. Registration is now open at birchcreek.org/academy/apply-now.

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Birch Creek Music Performance Center is Door County’s Residential Summer Music Academy in Egg Harbor, WI, for advanced young musicians pursuing a career path in music. For 44 years, students in Percussion & Steel Band, Symphony, and Big Band Jazz have been taught by nationally known performers and educators during the day and performed alongside them in concerts at night. Birch Creek will return to its Academy programming in 2021.

2020 Fall Concert Series begins on September 5 through December 5.