As a musician, there are countless opportunities for summer camps to keep you practicing throughout the summer months. Many of these festivals are designed to produce one or more concerts as an orchestra or as chamber groups, with each student receiving private instruction from a faculty member once or twice throughout the span of the camp. While there is nothing wrong with this formula, there is something special about attending a world-renowned camp that is highly personalized to your instrument, skill level, and goals. That is where Kendall Betts Horn Camp (KBHC) stood out for me.
Growing up in the cornfields of eastern Michigan, I had no knowledge of the music camps that were available to me, an aspiring horn player. But after attending college for a year, I knew I had to get active during the summer. With guidance from my professor, I discovered Kendall Betts Horn Camp, a summer institution based in Lyman, New Hampshire designed exclusively for horn players of all sizes and abilities. With a bit of luck, I was awarded a scholarship to attend the camp for a week, which kickstarted me down a path I will never forget.
The camp was spearheaded by it’s founder: Kendall Betts. Kendall was one of the great orchestral horn players of the 20th century, known most for playing principal in the Minnesota Orchestra for a number of years. Kendall designed the camp as three back-to-back weeklong sessions that focused on the many aspects of playing the horn. At the beginning of the week, the students were divided into groups depending on age and playing ability. As these smaller groups, the students would travel across the gorgeous grounds of Camp Ogontz where the various faculty held their individual classes. These classes included everything from basics, solo coachings and orchestral excerpts, to more obscure topics including classical improvisation and yoga. Every topic revolved around the horn. To be completely immersed in an environment that so intensely scrutinizes what it means to be a horn player is a life-changing experience. Not to mention the all-star staff and faculty that Kendall brought together, combining some of the best performers and collegiate faculty in the world to breathe individuality into each day.
Camp Ogontz – Lyman, New Hampshire
I attended KBHC for three summers, and I can confidently say that the experiences I enjoyed there had some of the biggest impacts on my personal and professional life. Living in a paradise tucked away in the White Mountains, playing for hours every day and being surrounded by students and staff that all shared the same passions was a surreal experience. I owe a great deal of who I am today as a hornist to KBHC, and the incredible people who made it possible. If you are an aspiring high school horn player, a college student or even an adult looking for some extra knowledge, I highly recommend KBHC. The experience will change your life.
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