8 Music Production Summer Programs for High School Students
If you are a high school student with a keen interest in music production and related fields like audio engineering, sound design, and music technology, this blog is for you. We’ve listed a range of summer programs and internships that will offer you the opportunity to explore the dynamic and varied field of music production, and everything that it entails.
Participating in a program during your summer break while in high school can give you solid insight into a field or subject that you’re interested in. It can also help you figure out whether it’s the right fit for you - in college and as a career! These summer experiences give students the chance to build knowledge and skill, learn and work with industry experts and create a strong network of professionals and peers. Not to mention, summer programs can positively impact your resume and college applications! It tells college admission officers that you’re motivated and driven, and that you’d go the extra mile to explore a subject you’re passionate about – beyond the school curriculum.
Here’s 8 of the best music production programs that you can consider as a high school student.
Location: Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA
Cost: $5,430 (Tuition) + $4,200 (Housing) + $50 (non-refundable application fee). Tuition scholarships are offered.
Application Deadline: June 1, 2024
Program Dates: July 5, 2024 - August 9, 2024
Eligibility: High school students aged 15 or above with at least six months of playing or singing experience are eligible to apply for the program.
This 5-week music performance intensive summer program offered by the Berklee College of Music is a solid opportunity if you’re a budding musician looking for ways to develop and hone your skills. This program allows you to earn college credit while you learn to work on every aspect of a musical performance, from instrumental technique, vocals, production, to stage presence, improvisation, and more. The program will include weekly private sessions with expert instructors and the chance to learn from some of the world’s top performers and educators in the music industry.
The summer program aims to provide you with a comprehensive experience at Berklee, offering a glimpse into the undergraduate life at the college. The program’s curriculum includes subjects such as musicianship, production, music business, music therapy, and more. During the program, you will collaborate and network with like-minded peers through various activities like jam sessions, rehearsals, band practice, and peer feedback sessions. The program will conclude with music concerts conducted in the final week, where you will perform in front of your classmates, instructors, family, and friends. This program is a good choice for students looking to pursue a career in music or deepen their understanding of concepts in the field.
Location: Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332
Cost: $2,300 (Tuition)
Application Deadline: Applications for 2024 are closed. Applications for 2025 will open towards the end of 2024!
Program Dates: June 16 - 28, 2024
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors are eligible to apply.
This program, hosted by Georgia Tech’s College of Design, is part of the pre-college program offered by the university. It’s a unique, prestigious opportunity that combines audio production, designing effects, machine learning, and computer science to provide a holistic understanding of music production. If you’re interested in the technical aspects of music or audio engineering, you should consider this program. It will allow you to gain hands-on experience with the tools and technology involved in digital music production and audio engineering. The program offers insight into the way this subject will be taught at an undergraduate level. The program instructors are industry professionals with backgrounds in sound design, audio software, and hardware in music creation.
The 2-week program will take place on the Georgia Tech campus, one of the country’s top universities, giving you access to sound labs and music tech gear you can experiment with. Additionally, the program emphasizes collaboration, so you will be able to experiment, compose, and modify music with your peers under the guidance of experienced musicians. As part of your capstone project for this program, you will create a sound design or music track, applying what you learnt during the workshop!
Location: Purchase College, SUNY, NY
Cost: No cost to attend. There is a $30 application fee
Application Deadline: Applications for 2024 are closed. For the 2025 cohort, applications will open in September.
Dates: Mid-July to mid-August, typically
Eligibility: Students aged 16-19, who are US citizens or green card holders, can apply.
Since 2014, Carnegie Hall has been offering apprenticeships to students in the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA) to explore key aspects of the orchestral field. These roles extend beyond instrumental positions, giving you a glimpse behind the scenes of the orchestra.
The 6-week program requires you to have an interest in orchestral music and proficient communication skills to apply as a musician, library apprentice, management apprentice, or composer. You will be mentored and trained by experienced musicians and team members within the orchestra ensemble. As a musician, you will get the opportunity to perform in musical halls not only across the country but across the world, and as an apprentice, you will get the chance to work alongside professional orchestral musicians behind the scenes and travel with the team. While there is no cost to attend, students are responsible for their own travel.
Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost: $10,866
Application deadline: March 1, 2024
Dates: June 24, 2024 – August 2, 2024
Eligibility:
Be at least 16 years old by the program start date (to participate in the full-time program options).
Be a current sophomore or junior in high school at the time of application submission (to participate in the full-time program options).
At Carnegie Mellon University's Summer Music Pre-College, students have the flexibility to choose from a wide range of courses and electives. You will participate in private studio lessons with personalized instruction which will help refine your technique and artistry. Core classes in the program include music theory, solfège (sight-singing), Dalcroze Eurhythmics, and performing ensembles. The program also includes a concert choir, a music history seminar, and convocation events that feature performances by professional groups, admissions information sessions, and Q&A opportunities with faculty and current college students. Electives are available in areas such as minor studios, music technology, jazz studies, and recording techniques.
The culmination of the CMU Summer Music Pre-College is the Concert Week, a festival-style series of performances where students can showcase their talents and what they’ve learnt across various disciplines. The program offers major studio options in a wide array of instruments and disciplines, including less commonly offered areas like bagpipe, euphonium, and music technology/electronic music, alongside traditional choices such as piano, violin, voice, and composition.
Location: Interlochen Center for the Arts, Interlochen, MI
Cost: $65 application fee. $1,830 for 1 week | $4,510 for 2 weeks | $6,765 for 3 weeks | $7,775 for 4 weeks | $10,080 for 6 weeks.
Application deadline: Priority deadline is January 15, 2024, but applications are still accepted depending on availability
Dates: Multiple sessions and dates available. Take a look here!
Eligibility: Students in grades 3-12 can apply. Requires a video audition.
This program caters to students with varied interests in the arts – whether that’s in music, dance, theater, film, creative writing, visual arts, or interdisciplinary arts, Interlochen offers a curriculum designed for you. Music enthusiasts can explore various genres, performance techniques, production, and theory. interdisciplinary arts invent new ways to merge different art forms. Daily classes, enriching electives, and frequent performances will be part of your routine. Among the number of camp options offered to students interested in the field of music, some include: music production and engineering, music composition, and training for a number of instruments.
The Interlochen Arts Camp, known for its summer arts program, offers a variety of opportunities to perform, showcase your work, and receive feedback from esteemed faculty and guest artists. An additional opportunity is the Interlochen Arts Academy, recognized as the nation’s premier arts boarding high school. The Academy boasts an impressive record of producing Presidential Scholars in the Arts.
Tip: We’ve explored this program in depth here.
Location: New York University, NYC, NY
Cost: $13,920 (Includes tuition, housing, meals and other program fees) + $75 application fee
Application Deadline: Applications typically open in August and close in January.
Program Dates: July 7, 2024 - August 3, 2024
Eligibility: Open to high school sophomores and juniors. For the detailed eligibility criteria, check this page.
With this program, students get the chance to explore the world of recorded music through a structured curriculum that combines theory with practical application. This comprehensive summer program allows students to learn from and interact with industry experts, covering topics like how music is recorded, produced, and distributed by gaining insight into new industry trends, techniques, and technologies. You'll engage in activities such as field trips, group studio sessions, jam sessions, concerts, songwriting workshops, and more, which will give you practical knowledge and skills that will aid your journey in the music industry.
Students will have access to NYU’s state-of-the-art facilities. The instructors for the course will guide and mentor you throughout the program in the form of guest lectures, industry panels, and workshops. Moreover, you will have the chance to network, collaborate, and form long-lasting connections with peers and professionals.
Location: Ball State University, Muncie, IN
Cost: $1,478 (for the week-long program and leadership summit with residency)
Application Deadline: Rolling basis, according to availability
Program Dates: June 22 - 29, 2024
Eligibility: Students in grades 9 and above can apply.
The Music Production Boot Camp is a great opportunity for high school students curious about audio design, music creation, and studio production to work alongside professionals. The program has a focused and structured curriculum for both, beginners looking to explore the field for the first time and students with some experience who are looking to hone their skills. This camp can give you a headstart on your future academics and career, as you’ll learn essential skills such as in-depth use of audio software, game and 3D sound design, and shadowing professionals as they record, mix, and master a live studio session.
You get the chance to network and collaborate with peers on music production projects, live studio sessions, and more, fostering an environment that encourages creativity. This program will give you a glimpse of the possible careers in music production. The program ends with an outdoor concert where you will showcase your skills to your friends and family.
Location: Andover, MA | Burlington, NJ | Derry, NH
Cost: No cost, students will be paid $15 per hour.
Application Deadline: Applications for summer opportunities typically close in April. Fall and winter sessions are also offered.
Dates: The exact dates for summer internships may vary from location to location, but are typically held between May - August.
Eligibility: High school students aged 16 and above can apply.
The Real School of Music offers a number of paid internship opportunities for high school students. The RealJams internships are focused on Bands, Musical Theatre, or Audio Production. According to the subject you choose, you will get the opportunity to work with a Real School instructor, assist them as they work with a band or produce a musical.
During the internship, you will rehearse with other students, and help with setup and production – thus not only building a skill set in your subject of interest but also gaining insight into what music production really entails when putting together a stage performance. This internship is a good option if you’re looking to gain work experience in musical show production and instruction.
One other option - Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you would like to further enhance your applications by doing research in music, arts and related fields, you should also consider applying to the Lumiere Research Scholar Program, a selective online high school program for students founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here.
Also check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation, a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.
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