Camps

Our camps offer additional training, musical development, and professional growth for musicians of all ages and abilities. These programs are designed to meet your needs whether you are a professional music educator, an incoming freshman at UM, or a middle school or high school student.

Summer Music Camps

The University of Montana’s Summer Music Camp is an excellent opportunity for musical and personal growth, offering junior high and high school musicians fulfilling and exciting experiences.  We are extremely proud of our camp faculty and counselors, and they are eagerly anticipating the opportunity to work with you.  You’ll find our faculty and directors to be experts in their field as well as quality, caring individuals. Camps are available for Band, Jazz, Choir, Piano, and String students.

Conducting Workshop 

Designed to enhance conducting, rehearsing, and musicianship, the UM Conducting Workshop is a teaching workshop for instrumental conductors and music educators of all levels.  Daily activities include conducting a live ensemble of workshop participants, auditors, and members of the UM Symphonic Winds as well as discussions of aesthetic movement, score study, rehearsal techniques, and repertoire selection.

Grizzly Marching Band Camp

Members of the Grizzly Marching Band meet during the last full week before classes start to prepare for the fall season. We teach members marching fundamentals, musical technique, and learn our full pre-game show and first halftime show. New student orientation occurs during this week; however, students are still able to attend the essential orientation activities and camp rehearsals. This year the dates for the Grizzly Marching Band Camp are August 20-25, 2023. More information can be found on the Grizzly Marching Band webpage.

Festivals

The festivals offered by the University of Montana School of Music provide many learning opportunities and rewarding experiences to musicians of all ages and skill levels.  These festivals are attended by students and music professionals from throughout Montana, the Northwest region, and around the country.

Buddy DeFranco Jazz Festival

The University of Montana College of Arts and Media, in conjunction with the School of Music, is proud to host the annual UM Buddy DeFranco Jazz Festival. The emphasis of this instrumental and vocal jazz festival is on education, improvisation, and the jazz language.

Concert Band Festival 

The annual Concert Band Festival invites bands from around the region to participate in two days of performance opportunities, clinics, master classes, and concerts featuring professional musicians and educators.

All-Star Bands, All-Star Orchestra & All-Star Choir Festival

Each year, area high school students can be nominated to participate in the UM All-Star Band, Choir, or Orchestra. Nominations can be made by a student’s music director or by the students themselves. Participants in these All-Star groups will take part in three days of rehearsals, master classes, performances and a finale concert. Each year, special guest artists and conductors are invited to work with the ensembles. These ensembles are a wonderful way for students to improve their musicianship and interact with other student musicians from the Pacific Northwest.

Western Montana State Music Festival & MMEA Convention

Every other year, the UM School of Music hosts the Western Montana State Music Festival. Music students from Western Montana who have received superior ratings at their respective district festivals attend this festival to be adjudicated in solo or small group performances and receive ratings and comments from highly-qualified adjudicators.  Odd years are hosted in Missoula, and even years are hosted in Helena.

Every four years, the UM School of Music hosts the Montana Music Educators Association Convention (MMEA). This includes All-State Choir, All-State Band, and All-State Orchestra. Sessions and vendor booths are available for Montana music educators at Hellgate High School. UM will host this convention in October of 2023.