A Week At Camp

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Swing Camp offers 5 days of music and dance classes, workshops, concerts, dances, and informal jamming. It's a busy, creative time for everyone, with much laughter and joy spread throughout the week. 

 

Instructors provide focused classes and workshops that are challenging, supportive and fun.  Campers learn in a friendly, supportive, non-competitive atmosphere. Friendships are made and solidified through the language of music and collaboration. A myriad of daily classes and workshops cover many aspects of jazz, including: 

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• Swing                                   

• Swing dance

• Modern jazz                         

• Comping and soloing

• Blues                                    

• Percussion

• Rhythm and Blues               

• Bass

• Horns/woodwinds                

• Violin 

• Piano                                   

• Ukulele 

• Singing and harmony         

• Songwriting

• Brazilian (bossa nova, samba, choro)​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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MORNINGS

Following breakfast, the day begins with the 90-minute class you will attend each day, taught by a faculty member. Classes are available for every instrument and are varied for the beginners through the advanced.

 

Mid-morning sessions include: Jazz Choir, Swing-Blues Band, Swing Dancing, and an Improvising class for horn players. Some find this a good time to jam, practice, or go for a swim in Shuswap Lake, a short walk from the Sorrento Centre.​​

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​AFTERNOONS

Following a lunch break, each afternoon offers a variety of one-hour workshops on diverse topics, delivered by faculty. The topics, chosen by instructors, change from year to year. Some workshops in recent years include:

• Daily Vocal Master Classes,

• Western Swing Orchestra 

• Harmony Singing

• Cuban Polyrhythms

• Brazilian Choros

• Improvisation (instrumental and vocal)

• How To Practice

• Duets for All Instruments

• Guitar Chord Voicings

• Fingerstyle guitar

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Band Lab

The day closes with Band Lab, one of the most popular camp events. It's a friendly, pressure-cooked event, where “instant” bands are formed. With instructor support, each band learns, arranges, and performs a song for an appreciative audience of their peers. An impromptu jazz choir closes Band Lab with a performance of one of the two tunes offered each day. Then, it's off to dinner!

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EVENINGS: Dances, Concerts, Jams

Evening activities include two dances held on Monday and Friday, where campers can play in a big band, including a full horn section, percussion, strings and the camp’s famed “wall of wood”—a dozen acoustic guitars played hard! Singers live out the dream of singing one of their favorite tunes while backed by a big band of excellent musicians and surrounded by dancers. It is a riotous good time!

 

The Tuesday evening instructor concert is reason to come to camp all on its own. It's a one of a kind opportunity to see these acclaimed professionals all in the same place at the same time. 

 

​There is a Student Concert, in which campers showcase their talents, backed up by fellow students and instructors. This concert is always eclectic and full of surprises!​​​​​​​​​​​​

 

Several evenings a week, campers can join organized jams or get together to jam informally in a friendly atmosphere that welcomes newcomers.