Musicopia Partners With Penn Band Camp

This week, thirteen students who have benefitted from Musicopia programming are participating-on full scholarship-in The Penn Band Camp, culminating in a concert this Saturday, July 14th, at the Iron Gate Theater on the Penn Campus at 1:30PM.

Musicopia is a nonprofit music education organization that, since 1974, has been a leader in music education across the Philadelphia region, helping more than 300,000 children experience the benefits of first-hand exposure to the arts. Focusing on under-served students and schools, Musicopia's primary mission is to bring music to those places where there is none and support existing in-school and after-school programs so they can develop, grow and expand. Nearly 100 professional ensembles and solo teaching artists of the highest caliber make up Musicopia's roster representing musical traditions from around the globe. In the 17-18 academic year, these teaching artists taught over 3,100 programs to more than 18,700 students.

Through its high-quality programs, Musicopia aims to give all children, regardless of circumstances, the opportunity to be educated and inspired and to have their lives be transformed by music. Musicopia also collects and repairs gently-used band and orchestral instruments through its Gift of Music instrument donation program. Musicopia places those instruments in schools with students who are eager to play but cannot afford to rent or buy an instrument. Over the past ten years, Musicopia has repaired and placed more than 3,000 instruments to those students who need them the most.

The Penn Band camp, an annual, week-long program for high school students, is celebrating its 15th anniversary this summer, and for the past 5 years, the camp has made itself available to under-served students in Philadelphia through a partnership with Musicopia. The Musicopia students come from programs that Musicopia runs and supports, and are recommended by Musicopia teaching artists and coaches. Funding for the Musicopia students to attend has come from Penn Band Alumni as well as Musicopia donors, who raised $7,000 this year in support of the scholarships. This year's Musicopia students play instruments including the clarinet, trumpet, percussion, marimba, baritone, and alto saxophone, and come from schools including Pantoja, Bartram High School, Philadelphia Performing Arts String Theory Charter School, and Kensington Creative and Performing Arts High School (KCAPA). The camp as a whole this summer is hosting 56 participants from around the country, including 8 different states and 16 students from the City of Philadelphia.

The Penn Band Camp campers experience their music during the camp week in a learning environment focused on the enjoyment of music, are introduced to college life, and are able to build connections and friendships. Campers also have the opportunity this week to perform with visiting guest artist James Applegate, an alum of Penn's Band Camp and honor band programs. James Applegate is a seasoned session musician from Dunellen, New Jersey. He began playing the drums at nine years old and quickly learned various styles of music. After years of session work in multiple styles such as Pop, Rock, and Swing music, he enrolled at the prestigious Berklee College of Music. At Berklee, he discovered a passion for teaching that was only rivaled by his passion for performing. In addition to the culminating concert on July 14, the students also have the opportunity throughout the week for two additional public performances at the Franklin Institute and the Penn Museum.

You can learn more about the camp and its partnership with Musicopia here: http://www.dolphin.upenn.edu/pennband/outreach/summerband.html.

To learn more about Musicopia, visit www.musicopia.net