Music Camps in Chicago

Chicago's music camps reflect the city's extraordinary musical heritage—this is where the blues migrated north, where jazz found new expressions, and where classical music thrives through the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Whatever genre interests your child, you'll find programs taught by working musicians.

A Typical Day: Most music camps begin with foundational work—warm-ups, technique exercises, or ensemble tuning depending on the program. Group instruction follows, whether that's learning blues scales with Fernando Jones, working through jazz standards at Chicago Jazz Philharmonic, or rehearsing with an ensemble at Merit School of Music. Afternoons typically feature smaller group or individual practice, followed by ensemble rehearsal putting the day's learning together.

Genre Diversity: Fernando Jones' Blues Camp offers COMPLETELY FREE instruction in Chicago blues tradition with a Hall of Famer—one of the most remarkable music education opportunities anywhere. Chicago Jazz Philharmonic's unique 'Third Stream' approach combines jazz AND classical instruction. Old Town School of Folk Music, the largest non-profit community arts school in the US since 1957, covers everything from folk to electronic music. School of Rock emphasizes performance with weekly shows at Chicago venues. Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras provides classical training with alumni now in the Chicago Symphony, Berlin Philharmonic, and New York Philharmonic.

Instrument Access: Merit School of Music maintains a fleet of 1,800+ instruments available for campers who don't have their own. This removes one of the biggest barriers to music education. Several other programs can help families access instruments if cost is a concern.

Performances: Most camps culminate in recitals or performances. School of Rock camps perform at real Chicago venues every week. Blues Camp week ends with performances at Columbia College. These experiences teach stage presence, dealing with performance anxiety, and the joy of sharing music with audiences.

Chicago's Professional Connection: Instructors at Chicago music camps are working professionals—jazz musicians who gig nightly, Chicago Symphony members who teach at Merit, blues artists who tour nationally. This connection to the real music scene gives camps authenticity and relevance that purely academic programs can't match.