BY
KRISTINE ESCOTO - ESCOTO@SIERRASTAR.US
SIERRA STAR FILE PHOTO
Yosemite High School will hold its third annual summer music camp
next week.
Yosemite High
School will hold the third annual summer music camp July 6 through
July 15; excluding July 9-11. Openings are still available for interested
students.
Yosemite High School Band Director Randy Hyatt and Yosemite High
School Choir Director Dr. Tony Mowrer are conducting the camp to
introduce and instruct kids interested in choir and instruments
as well as help prepare returning music students to brush up on
their musical skills. The kids will have an opportunity to meet
new friends and prepare for the fall season. The program is designed
for all levels of music comprehension.
The camp coincides with summer classes at YHS. The music camp will
begin at 7:30 a.m. and run to 12:50 p.m.
“The camp is for both singers and instrumentalists,” said Dr. Tony
Mowrer. “Randy Hyatt will be teaching the instrumental students
and I will run the choral area. We will work with the kids individually
as well complete ensemble work. There will be basic music theory
and ear training.”
Interested students don’t have to be YHS students, in fact they
don’t have to be in the same school district.
“The lines are blurred due to budget cuts,” said Dr. Mowrer. “The
district isn’t paying for the camp, students and parents will fund
the $50 fee. We will accept as many as 40 students. The target is
eighth grade and up but we would accept students a bit younger.”
Registration is accepted up to the day of the class. Walk-ins are
accepted.
“We are attempting to draw new students into the music program at
Yosemite High School and strengthen returning music students,” said
Dr. Mowrer. “All levels are welcome.”
The choral training will depend on the level of the students.
“We will train to strengthen the various developmental stages the
students are in,” said Dr. Mowrer. “We will train with classically
oriented music as well as popular music. I expect to have younger
students so we won’t be training as intensely as we plan to do in
the fall. My emphasis is to strengthen the musicianship of the students;
if that means we get a head start for fall, that’s fantastic. There
won’t be a strict curriculum. We will work on breathing techniques,
where the tones are produced, how it’s supposed to sound and the
bare fundamentals.”
This is the second year Hyatt and Dr. Mowrer have conducted the
camp together. They are working to build the music department.
“With the cut-backs in course offerings and budget constraints,
programs like this are beneficial to the students,” said Hyatt.
“It gives students important programs to jump start their music
interests. I will pour my knowledge into them to get them ready
for the fall program. It’s a fun time.”
Students that are ready for more advanced music training will find
a challenge.
“We will ask the students what their musical goals are,” said Hyatt.
“We will have the kids write down their goals and help them to obtain
them.”
Hyatt is the conductor for the Oakhurst Community Concert Band.
He will bring in several members of the band to help the kids.
Registration is available by e-mail or by calling Yosemite High
School for further information. The fee is $50.
Contact Dr. Tony Mowrer at (559) 683-4667 ext. 242 or send e-mail
to tmowrer@yosemitehsd.com
“I believe this program is only going to grow in the future,” said
Hyatt. “I hope this will garnish interest and that it will be the
beginning of a fine arts summer program at Yosemite High School.”
Previous
Sierra Star Article