Curated List of Training Programs

There’s lots of options for awesome training programs in the performing arts. They come in lots of forms (camps, classes, intensives) and for all ages (kids, teens, and adults). I’ve listed some of the best ones based on both reputation and on the experiences my students have had at them.

FOR ADULTS:

*West Coast Songwriters Annual Conference: An organization that connects and helps train songwriters all year also offers an annual conference in late September with industry professionals and collaboration opportunities. https://westcoastsongwriters.org/conference/

*A.C.T. American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco offers tons of adult training opportunities, including a 6-week Summer Training Congress, the “San Francisco Semester” (a full fall semester of all acting training). And, there are always lots of individual classes offered in the Studio ACT Programs: https://www.act-sf.org/training/general-information/

Interlochen: College of Creative Arts for 18+ only. So many offerings! Acoustic guitar retreat, Adult Choir Camp, Chamber Music Camp, Songwriting Retreat, Ukelele Workshops, and more all on site. Lots of online options, too. https://www.interlochen.org/college-creative-arts/programs

Berklee College of Music Online Courses: You can take TONS of 12-week online music courses through the extraordinary Berklee College of Music in Boston. Ear Training for Audio Mixers, AI for Songwriters, Vocal Production Techniques, Vocal Styles Professional Certificate, Pop/Rock Vocals, Improv techniques, Harmony, and more: https://online.berklee.edu

FOR YOUTH:

*A.C.T. Young Conservatory in San Francisco: “The YC teaches more than just acting. By training at the YC, students gain the creative and communication skills to succeed in just about anything.” ACT is nationally recognized as a leader in training and offers individual classes, a summer musical theatre institute for high schoolers, a camp for middle schoolers, and training during the year. https://www.act-sf.org/training/young-conservatory/

*SUTE (Summer University Theatre Experience) is a must for high school students who are planning to audition for university theatre and musical theatre programs. They bring in professors from top theatre schools so that you get insider info on what they are looking for in the collegiate audition. summeruniversitytheatreexperience.com

*Young Actors Theatre Camp: Developed by a team of amazing instructors, this multi-award winning program focus on discovering and developing each individual student’s talents in ALL the areas of the performing arts — acting, singing, dance, and film. 7, 10, and 21 day camps available. Great for ages 8-18. Campyatc.com

Open Jar Institute (New York, NY): Each summer, Open Jar offers 2 week long sessions for high school students. In these sessions, students work under Broadway professionals, learning the fundamentals of acting, singing, dance, and auditions.www.openjarinstitute.com

*ArtsBridge Summer Musical Theater covers the full range of talents needed for high school students to enter a college theater program. Located in the center of Ohio, they also offer gap-year programs. https://artsbridge.com

*Boston University Summer Program: https://www.bu.edu/cfa/busti. Warm, welcoming training program that, once completed, helps students to “hone their technique, depth of intellectual and artistic questioning, playfulness in collaboration, and ability to tell a dynamic story.”

Boston Conservatory at Berklee (Boston, MA): Berklee has a reputation for excellence that extends to every aspect of the institution. Summer programs in Acting, Classical Music, Music Education, Vocal Pedagogy, Voice/Opera, Musical Theatre, and Contemporary Theatre. https://bostonconservatory.berklee.edu

*Berklee Contemporary Music Programs: Berklee is the go-to place for contemporary music. Summer programs include Music Production; ASPIRE Vocal Performance Intensive, Electronic Music Production, Film Scoring, Gospel Performace, Music Business, and more. https://summer.berklee.edu/programs/all-programs

*Stagedoor Manor (Loch Sheldrake, NY): One of the most influential acting training programs in the world, Stagedoor Manor has been the starting point for thousands of young actors. Past attendees include noted film and stage actors such as Natalie Portman, Robert Downey Jr., and Michael Ian Black. https://stagedoormanor.com

*Interlochen Center for the Arts: Both with summer camps and an arts boarding high school. Summer programs in clude Music camps for classical voice, jazz, music composition, music engineering, contemporary/pop music, singer-songwriters, voice, and more. https://www.interlochen.org/music/camp-programs#programs. Also tons of theatre and musical theatre camp options: https://www.interlochen.org/theatre/camp-programs

*Chapman University in LA: “Our College of Performing Arts offers week-long, overnight summer camp options for those entering grades 9-12. You'll get to build new skills and learn what it's like to be a musician in college and professional settings.” Vocal camp great for choir kids. www.chapman.edu/admission/undergraduate/visit/summer-camps.aspx

MPulse Musical Theatre Workshop at the University of Michigan brings students to the school’s campus for a three-week intensive program. As part of one of the country’s best musical theatre schools, MPulse gives students training by esteemed faculty. . https://smtd.umich.edu/engagement-outreach/youth-programs/mpulse/

A star (*) means I’ve had students particiapte in the program and like it!