Popular Music Performance Summer Program for High School Students


Why Take Popular Music Performance

Get immersed in the energetic and exciting world of popular music styles. During your time at Interlochen, you will be placed into small collaborative groups learning how to rehearse, create chord charts, find the right key for your voice, and utilize various methods of arranging. You'll then play that music during a live concert in front of your fellow peers.

What You'll Learn

You will spend your days working and performing together in various groups. In addition to participating in daily jam sessions, you will learn about:

  • Ear-training
  • Style identification and history
  • Form
  • Songwriting with your group
  • Practice efficiency
  • Communicating musical ideas
  • Music business

Audition Requirements

Apply

 

Program Snapshot
Program Length
3 weeks
Program Dates
  • June 22, 2025 to July 12, 2025
Tuition
$6,985
Age Range
High School (Grades 9-12)
Deadline
  • January 15, 2025

Meet the Faculty

Our faculty includes professional musicians, songwriters, and teachers. Under their guidance, students will grow both their musicianship and confidence as performers. 

Please note the gallery may showcase previous instructors.

All Faculty

Joshua Davis

Joshua Davis

Director of Popular Music; Instructor of Singer-Songwriting

Courtney Kaiser-Sandler

Courtney Kaiser-Sandler

Associate Director of Contemporary Music and Collaborative Projects; Instructor of Singer-Songwriter

Hannah Abrahim

Hannah Abrahim

Instructor of Popular Music

Program Highlights

Performance Opportunities

During the program, you will write and develop original work alongside alongside your bandmates. At the end of the session, faculty will choose one of your original songs to perform at the popular end-of-session concert. 

The Music Center

Our state-of-the-art 60,000 square-foot music facility has two 3,500 square-foot rehearsal halls, two recording studios which allow for rehearsal and performance recordings in multiple venues on campus with multiple ensemble and practice rooms, and individual faculty teaching studios. Learn more about The Music Center.

Additional Opportunities

Interlochen is also home to the Arts Academy boarding high school, which offers Singer-Songwriter and Popular Performance programs for grades 9-12, as well as a post-graduate year.

A boy sings into a microphone

Interlochen was one of the best times of my life. In addition to presenting fun and exhilarating performances, you get to make friends with people who share your love for music. The teachers have a ton of knowledge in not just their instrument, but also the music industry in general. Some of my favorite moments were the songwriting competition, the finale pieces (which were some of the most challenging pieces in the rock canon), the lessons, and just rehearsing and hanging out with the rest of the students.

Eddie, Music

Dive deeper into Interlochen Arts Camp with a free digital viewbook

Camp 2025 Viewbook Graphic

In our free informational booklet, you'll learn more about: 

  • Each of our seven arts areas 
  • Various programs 
  • Renowned faculty 
  • A day in the life of a student 
  • How to apply and financial aid information 
  • And more