Butler Community Arts School - Jazz Camp
Ages 12–18 | Vocal Jazz track for ages 14–18 or rising grades 9-12
Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM-5:00 PM
Tuition: $425 commuter (includes lunch daily); $775 residential (includes dorm stay and 3 meals per day)
Registration deadline: May 31
Need-based tuition assistance available.
This weeklong jazz camp provides the opportunity for youth to participate in a fun and intense jazz-learning experience under the direction of professional staff led by Matt Pivec, director of jazz studies at Butler University. The faculty will include local jazz professionals.
Jazz camp is open to students ages 12–18 (campers who are 18 and have not yet matriculated at a college are eligible to attend camp). No audition is required for admission to camp; all levels are welcome. A placement audition and at least one year of prior study on your instrument is required. We welcome all traditional Jazz instruments such as saxophone, trumpet, trombone, upright bass, guitar, piano, percussion, and voice (ages 15–18 or rising grades 9-12 only) as well as more non-traditional instruments such as flute, clarinet, oboe, or violin. If questions, please inquire at BCAS@butler.edu.
Campers should provide their own instrument. Guitarists should provide their own amp. **There are separate requirements specific to the Vocal Jazz Track (ages 15–18), please see details below.
Meet the Artistic Director!
As a performer of jazz and popular music, Matt Pivec has worked with Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, Dave Rivello, Bob Brookmeyer, Peter Erskine, Maria Schneider,Julia Dollison, Melvin Rhyne, the Buselli-Wallarab Jazz Orchestra, The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, the Rochester Philharmonic Pops Orchestra, and the national touring companies of Hairspray, 42nd Street, and The Producers. As a band leader and soloist, Matt has performed at jazz festivals and venues throughout the United States. He has three albums to his credit, Live at Snider Hall, Psalm Songs and the recently released Time and Direction.
Placement Audition | Sunday, July 9th TIME TBD
Students will arrive on Sunday, July 9th to complete a placement audition. Residential students will also check into the dorm. Exact schedule and music TBD.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Vocal Jazz Track:
The Vocal Jazz Track is open to ages 14–18 or rising grades 9-12 only. All levels are welcome, but we strongly recommend at least one year of prior choral experience and/or vocal lessons. No prior jazz experience required. In order to participate, registrants must provide a letter of recommendation from his/her current private vocal teacher or choral director. Enrollment is limited, please register early.
Vocal jazz, or jazz singing, is an instrumental approach to the voice, where the singer can match the instruments in their stylistic approach to the lyrices, improvised or otherwise. Students will be able to build their skills by singing in a jazz vocal ensemble, performing for each other in masterclasses, and participating in jazz theory, improvisation, and jazz history classes.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Housing is provided in Butler University’s Irvington House, which is air-conditioned. Dorm check-in is Sunday evening; check-out is after the performance on Friday. Commuter campers check into camp on Monday and attend camp from 9:00 AM–5:00 PM each day. Camper information packets containing additional scheduling information, what to bring, and where to report will be emailed to all participants approximately one to two weeks prior to camp.
Registration form, $50 non-refundable deposit, and remaining tuition are due in full by May 1. No refunds will be issued after May 1. Payments can be made online by selecting “Make a Payment” on the BCAS homepage. Late applications may be accepted on the basis of available space.
Contact BCAS@butler.edu or 317-940-5500 with any questions.