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Extracurriculars for a Career in Musician / Composer

18 high school activities and programs that build real experience toward a career in musician / composer.

National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America
Carnegie Hall Weill Music Institute · New York, NY · In-Person

Direct training in advanced music performance and collaboration within a professional-level symphony orchestra.

YoungArts
National YoungArts Foundation · Miami, FL · In-Person

Students compete in music disciplines and receive mentorship from internationally recognized artists to refine their craft.

New Jersey Symphony Youth Orchestra
New Jersey Symphony · New Jersey · In-Person

Core activity involves intensive orchestral performance training under professional musicians in sequential ensemble levels.

Tri-M Music Honor Society
National Association for Music Education (NAfME) · Multiple · In-Person

Direct alignment; members perform and compose music as core honor society activities.

Summer at Columbia
Columbia College Chicago · Chicago, IL · In-Person

Audio and music courses are part of the program's creative disciplines available to high school students.

Idyllwild Arts Summer Teen Programs
Idyllwild Arts · Idyllwild, CA · In-Person

Programs teach songwriting, jazz performance, and musical theater skills with mentorship from world-renowned faculty.

Interlochen Summer Arts Camp
Interlochen · Interlochen, Michigan · In-Person

Students receive world-class instruction in music performance and composition across multiple disciplines.

National High School Game Academy
Carnegie Mellon University · Pittsburgh, PA · In-Person

Music composition and sound design are taught as specialized tracks within the game development curriculum.

TCU Band Camp
Texas Christian University · Fort Worth, Texas · In-Person

Direct focus on ensemble rehearsals, master classes, sectionals, and performance technique across multiple instruments.

Sphinx Performance Academy
The Sphinx Organization · Multiple · In-Person

Direct intensive training in chamber music and solo performance on string instruments with faculty mentorship.

CSU Dance Lab: Summer Intensive
Colorado State University · Fort Collins, CO · In-Person

Students study multiple dance styles, choreography, and music theory while developing performance and artistic expression skills.

University of Alabama K-12 Summer Programs
University of Alabama · Tuscaloosa, AL · In-Person

Campus Orchestra, High School Honor Band, and Choral Camp develop musical performance and composition skills.

California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA)
State of California · Pomona, CA · In-Person

Music is a primary field of study with performance and composition instruction available.

Governor's School for the Arts
Governor's School for the Arts · Norfolk, VA · In-Person

GSA offers conservatory-style music training across instrumental, vocal, and musical theatre departments with professional performance experiences.

The Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge for High School Students
National Alliance for Musical Theatre · Multiple · Hybrid

Students write original musical theater songs and receive feedback from professional composers and industry experts.

The National High School Musical Theatre "Jimmy" Awards
The Broadway League Foundation · Multiple · In-Person

Celebrates vocal performance excellence as a core component of musical theatre competition.

NAU Curry Summer Music Camp
Northern Arizona University · Flagstaff, AZ · In-Person

Core activity; students perform in ensembles, compose, and receive mentoring from internationally recognized performers and composers.

Theatre & Dance Summer STARS Camps
University of New Hampshire · Durham, NH · In-Person

Music & Drama and Dance camps teach musical theatre, performance, and various music-related disciplines.