Talented young musicians Juanita Duarte, Olivia Flood, August Nelson, and Danica Fe Rebudaio, from Sun Prairie spent the past two weeks in Door County, Wisconsin studying at Birch Creek Music Performance Center.
These students were among 38 other musicians from throughout the country to attend the Jazz I session at this prestigious academy whose unique mission is to provide intensive, performance-based instruction to promising young musicians by immersing them in a professional, mentoring environment.
Birch Creek celebrates its 47th concert season in 2022 and continues to support a student-to-faculty ratio of approximately 2:1. This provides students with an abundance of personal attention from their faculty mentors, who represent top music educators and performers from around the country.
Students are given the opportunity to hone their technical skills and learn firsthand all the aspects of life as a professional musician. During their two-week residency this summer, students attending the Jazz I session performed eight concerts alongside their teachers in front of paying concertgoers.
Jeff Campbell is the Program Director of the Jazz I & II programs. Campbell is Professor and Chair of Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media at the Eastman School of Music. As a jazz bassist, he has performed with Marian McPartland, Gene Bertonchini, Rich Perry, Trio East, Harold Jones, the Eastman Jazz Quartet featuring Harold Danko, and has appeared on McPartland’s Piano Jazz program on National Public Radio. Campbell is a member of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra bass section, and has numerous CDs to his credit. 2022 marks Campbell’s 34th year at Birch Creek and his 26th as the Jazz Program Director.
Birch Creek Music Performance Center in Egg Harbor, WI, is a residential summer music academy for advanced young musicians. With a performance emphasis, students are taught by nationally known performers and educators during the day, and perform alongside them in concerts at night. Four sessions focus on Percussion & Steel Band, Symphony, and Big Band Jazz. 2022 concert and session dates are posted at BirchCreek.org/Tickets.
