2024 was a busy summer at CMS with our exciting lineup of summer music camps and workshops in musical theater, piano, violin, ukulele, percussion, & music production.  Check out the highlights below:

2024 Summer Camp Highlights

Music & Film Camp Collage

On Friday, August 2, we wrapped up our 2024 summer camp season with lively performances by both our Intro to Piano and Mallet Mania campers. 

The Intro to Piano campers, led by teacher Kelly Hooper, played two pieces as a group on keyboards.  Then each camper had the opportunity to individually demonstrate their new skills on the Steinway concert grand piano in the recital hall.  Congratulations to all our new pianists!

Our Mallet Mania campers played several songs with their teacher Marissa Amphay.  They also created musical sound effects for a fun story that Marissa read aloud.  It was a hit!

Check out clips for their performances here:

Intro to Piano Camp Finale Performance Reel

Mallet Mania Camp Finale Performance on Facebook

Music & Film Camp Collage

The first week of our new Mallet Mania summer camp kicked off on Monday, July 22, and it is a hit!   CMS teacher Marissa Amphay is leading the group in two weeks of rhythmic fun and percussive play using xylophones, drums, singing, and movement. What a fun group!

Music & Film Camp Collage

During the first week of camp, June 17-28, Music & Film Lab students, under the direction of teacher Joe Wagner and guest lecturer Matt Spade, braved the heat in West Park as they wrote and shot scenes for their short film.  The film is titled “Delivery” and follows the distracted adventures of the main character as he attempts to deliver an important package.  During the second week of camp, the students are in the CMS recording studio, editing the footage and composing a soundtrack for the film.  It will debut on Friday, June 28, the final day of the two-week Music and Film Lab.

On Friday, June 28, our Music & Film Lab students presented a private screening of their short film “Delivery” in the CMS recording studio.  The film follows the distracted adventures of the main character as he attempts to deliver an important package.  During the two-week camp, the students collaborated with CMS teacher Joe Wagner and guest lecturers Matthew Spade and Marie-Sophie Armstrong to write, cast, film, edit, and compose a soundtrack for the film.  The film will have its debut at the Allentown Film Festival in April 2025.  

During the week of June 24-28, our Build-Your-Own Ukulele Camp students were hard at work building their instruments for Friday’s performance.

Build-Your-Own Ukulele Camp 2024 group photo

On Friday, June 28, Our Build-Your-Own Ukulele Camp students wrapped up a fun week designing and playing their own ukuleles with a lively finale performance for their families.  We send special thanks to CMS teacher Abigail Zuckert (front right), and volunteer class assistant Adrienne Kipp (front left) for making it a fun and educational week for these students!

Watch the BYO Uke Camp Short

Watch the BYO Uke Camp Finale Performance

City Arts Camp 2024

On Friday, June 21, we wrapped up a busy week of art, music, dance, and theater with the City Arts Camp showcase performance at Miller Symphony Hall.  This year’s theme was “Colors of the World”.  We send a special thank you to CMS teachers Chris Klump, who taught ukulele, and Elaine Martin, who taught Flutophone.  City Arts Camp is a 25+ year collaboration of the Allentown Art Museum, Allentown Symphony Association, Baum School of Art, Civic Theatre, Community Music School, and Repertory Dance Theatre. We thank the Harry C. Trexler Trust for underwriting the entire cost of City Arts Camp, a free program for children who reside in the Allentown School District.

View more photos of the camp by The Morning Call here.

Watch a clip of the City Arts finale performance from Friday, June 21, as campers perform the traditional Mexican folk song, “De Colores.”