03/29/12 ema

HAYS, Kan. -- String players, band students and vocalists can experience a week of quality musical performances and training in classes and workshops from professional specialists Greg Fishman, jazz saxophonist, and Allen Vizzutti, trumpet player and his wife, pianist Laura Vizzutti at the Fort Hays State University High Plains Music Camp, July 15 to July 21.

For the first time, vocalists will be able to choose, opera, music theater or diction classes as well as sing in the choir.

The 2012 camp line-up includes 16 mini courses.

Alternative Strings will explore the different styles ofstring playing. Students will learn jazz, rock, Celtic and fiddling techniques.

Conducting Fundamentals will allow students to learn the beat patterns, style, score reading and rehearsal techniques for conductors. It is a class for new drum majors or choral-instrumental student directors.

In Double Reed Making, students will learn the tricks of the trade for making oboe or bassoon reeds. Participants are asked to bring $10 to cover the expense of materials.

Drum Line Fundamentals includes a survey of rudimentary drum techniques that apply to traditional drum line preparation.

Students learn the basics in Electric Guitar Class. Campers must provide their own instruments and amps.

Flutists will be able to transform their playing with tips to create better tone, intonation, vibrato and faster fingers in Flutists Makeover, which includes an introduction to piccolo technique.

Introduction to Opera will allow students to learn about opera and operetta literature and staging through listening and viewing excerpts.

Jazz Bass Class will improve electric or upright bass skills to accommodate the many jazz idioms. Campers must provide instruments and amps.

In Jazz Improvisation, campers will experiment with "outrageousideas" and gain comfort performing on their own instruments. Sections areopen for saxophone, trumpet and trombone.

Campers will learn chord changes and voicing to play with lively jazz combos in Jazz Piano.

Musical Theatre is for campers who enjoy being part of aproduction. Class members will collaborate to produce a Broadway musical scene.

Rhythm Fundamentals will improve counting and rhythmic skills as applied to all styles of music. All first-year and sixth- and seventh-grade campers are automatically enrolled in this class.

Sight Reading allows campers to learn sight reading skills to make learning new music easier for solos and ensembles.

Theory and Ear Training helps with hearing and identifying melodies, intervals and chords and discovering how music is composed.

Theory 2 is for more advanced students who have had previous theory training and want to dive deeper into the subject.

High school vocalists who want to learn International Phonetic Alphabet fundamentals and improve English, Italian and Latin diction can enroll in Vocal Diction.

Register online at www.fhsu.edu/musiccampcamp.

The cost of the camp is $495 for the full week. To participateas a day camper and not spend the night on campus, it is $200. Noon meal cards are available for $50 for day campers.

For more information, visit www.fhsu.edu/bandcamp or email musiccamp@fhsu.edu.