Vanguard University

VU Summer Music Camp is open to all those who will be in 9th - 12th grades as of Fall 2024. Please contact us if you have any questions about your camper's age or ability to participate.

Included in the cost of camp is lunch and dinner for the first three days of camp, a VU Summer Music Camp t-shirt, all instruction and materials, and any fun events. Please note, students must provide their own breakfast each day and all meals on the final performance day of camp.

We never want the cost of Summer Music Camp to prohibit a student from attending. Please contact us here to inquire about scholarships or sponsorships to attend.

While we do not require auditions, we do require each camper to submit a placement video! These placement videos help us place each student in the correct ensemble and position as well as help design our workshops and courses in order to better cater to our campers. For these videos, each student must record themself and include the following elements:

1. Play through one song of their choice that adequately reflects their current skill level

2. Play through two major scales of their choice (one octave required - two or three recommended for more advanced students)

PLEASE NOTE: placement videos do not need to be professional quality--they can be recorded from a phone.  However, students must be in full view throughout the duration of the video and there should be no editing or cutting between the start and finish. The video should be recorded in real time as a real audition would be. Please email us with any questions.

The deadline to submit your placement video is April 15th.

No, VU Summer Music Camp is a day camp that runs from 9am - 9pm each day. Each student is responsible for their own overnight accommodations and arranging transportation to/from camp each day.

For those coming from outside of the Orange County area, we recommend a few nearby hotels including the Ayres Hotel Costa Mesa and the Crowne Plaza Hotel Costa Mesa. Both hotels are within a 10-minute drive of the Vanguard University campus. Each student is responsible for contacting their respective hotel to book their own accommodations and arranging transportation to/from camp each day.

Lunch and dinner will be provided on campus at Vanguard University by our on campus catering company, Bon Appétit. Campers will be asked to list all dietary restrictions and food allergies on their registration form so our kitchen staff can be prepared with alternative meals for them.

Due to scheduling, you will be asked to choose one primary instrument and ensemble for VU Summer Music Camp. If you are interested in participating in a smaller honors chamber ensemble on a second instrument, please notate that on your registration form.

VU Summer Music Camp check-in will take place outside of the Seymour Sanctuary on the Vanguard University campus. When you arrive, park in the parking lot on the corner of Fair Dr. and Newport Blvd. across from the Orange County Fairgrounds. You can find the Seymour Sanctuary as building number 20 on the VU Campus Map.

VU Summer Music Camp will take place in various buildings on the Vanguard University campus in Costa Mesa, California including the Seymour Sanctuary, Needham Chapel, Heath Building, Layne Building, Music Studios, and the Waugh Student Center. For more information and directions, please refer to the VU Campus Map.

VU Summer Music Camp faculty instructors, comprised of accomplished and renowned musicians, provide expert guidance and personalized instruction to aspiring musicians. Their mentorship not only enhances technical skills but also inspires creativity, fostering a supportive learning environment where students build lasting connections with musical role models.

VU Summer Music Camp 2025 instructors include Vanguard Music faculty and adjunct faculty:

Dr. Kenneth Foerch, Dr. Jae Hyeok Jang, Dr. Susanne Reid, Dr. Robert Reno, and more. Find our more information about our faculty and instructors here.

Music for ensembles will be sent out in early May once we have received all placement videos and our directors have made their decisions. You will receive digital copies of your music via email. If you prefer physical copies then you are welcome (and encouraged!) to print the music out.

Yes! In early May, we will be sending out an email with detailed descriptions of our afternoon workshops and a link to select which ones you want to take. Please submit your choices by May 15th. If you need to edit your choices, please email us.