Frequently asked questions

We hope the following information covers a lot of your questions. If you have more, do not hesitate to contact us camps@stables.org or on 01908 280821.

Who are Camps for?

Teenage Camps are for young people between 13 and 17 years old. Junior Camps are for 8-12 year-olds.

There is no minimum grade of entry, but a love of music and an enthusiasm for music-making is essential!

What will I be doing?

During your week at Camps, you’ll play your main instrument in all sizes of ensembles from small group sessions to full camp orchestra, as well as trying instruments and musical styles that may be new to you – anything from the steel drums to handbells and harmonica to accordians.

Expert tutorial staff will lead daily workshops across a wide range of orchestral and individual instruments (string, woodwind, brass, percussion, voice, recorders, keyboard and guitars) and in an exciting range of musical styles (classical, pop, folk, jazz, early music). Events continue into the evening with concerts, a campfire and other opportunities to socialise.

As well as trying other instruments there are plenty of opportunities to take part in formal and informal concerts and experiment and create new music.

Each camp also includes a music theatre production. You’ll take part in the performance singing, acting and dancing as part of the chorus, but there are further opportunities if you are interested to take on larger roles. These short musicals are performed as part of the end of camp show, along with purely musical performances.

Tell me more about the camping! 

You will be provided with tented accommodation on a fully-equipped campsite, occupying a tree-fringed meadow close to the main performance venue. All campers and tutorial staff eat, sleep, practice and perform on site. The nearby venue provides a fantastic base for daily rehearsals, evening performances and a final presentation for family and friends.

Who are the tutors?

The tutors are professional musicians, teachers or leaders of community music groups, who are chosen for their inspirational musical leadership and commitment to coaching young people. 

Each camp has a staff and around 36 volunteers, all with DBS clearance, who volunteer their services to the NYMC each summer. Alongside tutorial staff, there are caterers, maintenance staff and those who meet the pastoral needs of campers.

This group of exceptional people – many of whom are former campers themselves – returns year after year to form a very knowledgeable and sociable team. Their generosity helps to ensure that the opportunities available to campers in the past continue for a new generation.