Playing in a band is an integral part of the middle school and high school experience for many Beaverton students. As part of BEF’s support for Arts & Music, we provide financial support to the Middle School Summer Band Camp. With our investment of $15,000, 240 students got an amazing musical experience this summer, with a portion of the funds went to providing financial aid to make camp accessible for everyone.
Band camp ran for two weeks in July, hosted at Sunset High School. Each day, students received one hour of small group instruction from a professional on their instrument followed by two hours of rehearsal playing in ensembles geared to their playing levels. The camp culminated with a performance on the last day for families and friends in the auditorium.
Students made significant growth as musicians in just two weeks as they had great instruction and were challenged to play difficult pieces at a high level of proficiency. Another goal of the camp is to help middle school players prepare to continue their musical education in high school; retention numbers are much higher among students who attended camp compared to students who did not. Teachers also share that students become more confident players and many go on to play in honors bands or serve as section leaders at their schools. Plus, they get to have a lot of fun with music!
