ECC Music Boosters’ Little Symposium Summer Camp underway
The Elk County Catholic Music Boosters’ Little Symposium Summer Camp officially got underway on Monday morning with a handful of youngsters learning about various musical instruments from band director Simon Glatt in preparation for a concert they will be performing on Friday evening at the conclusion of the weeklong camp.
According to Glatt, this is the first year for the summer camp, which was open to youngsters from throughout the community. A total of five youngsters from third through sixth grades are participating.
“I have five different instruments that they can play for this symposium,” Glatt said. “If they haven’t played them before, I do a first lesson and they all get to play each instrument once at least. They get a little first lesson on it and introduce the instrument, and then they get to pick whatever instrument they want to based off of that first lesson.”
Each of the participants will have the option of choosing to learn to play the trombone, trumpet, flute, clarinet, or drums.
Once each participant chooses their instrument, they will spend the remainder of the week learning a few songs for Friday evening’s concert.
“It’s just going to be a really simple, nice, and easy concert,” Glatt said. “It will be very simple songs that they’ll be learning throughout the week on their instrument of choice.”
At the conclusion of Monday’s opening session of the camp, Glatt indicated that he thought it went well.
“We didn’t get through all the instruments I wanted to. We didn’t get through percussion, but we got through the other four instruments, so percussion will start tomorrow, and from there they will be able to pick what instrument they want to do,” Glatt said.
Participants will be able to take their instruments home with them each day to continue practicing what they learned during the camp.
Though only five youngsters are taking part in the inaugural Little Symposium Summer Camp, Glatt remarked that he was happy with the turnout.
“For any type of ensemble, you can make music with as many instruments as you want, really,” Glatt said. “Having five is perfectly fine with me. As long as they are getting involved in music, that’s what matters to me.”
Working with a small group also allows Glatt to give attendees more individual instruction time as they learn the instruments of their choice throughout the week. The camp is held daily from 9 a.m. to noon in the Elk County Catholic High School auditorium.
“They’re all beginners, and so having that one-on-one instruction is perfect for beginning an instrument,” Glatt said.
Friday’s concert will be held at 7 p.m. in the Elk County Catholic High School auditorium. The concert is free and open to the public.
Glatt estimated that it will likely last roughly 30 minutes.
Glatt added that he would like to continue offering the Little Symposium Summer Camp in future years as well.
“I would want to, and maybe get some more interest too,” Glatt said. “I’m okay with these five, even if we just have these five next year as well.”
Glatt also expressed the hope that the Little Symposium Summer Camp will lead to more interest from students in joining the band.
“That’s what I’m hoping for is that they’ll be excited for it and they’ll get an interest for it here and that they’ll want to do band for the coming years,” Glatt said. “We start them (in band) in the fourth grade. They’re starting (with the camp) in third grade, and they might want to do it in fourth grade and so on and so forth. That’s what I hope to do.”
More information on the Little Symposium Summer Camp can be found on the Elk County Catholic School System Facebook page.