Students learn the basics of music theory and instrumental technique. Students will be separated by instrument and will learn in a classroom environment. All beginnners will learn the same concepts on each of their instruments. BRMS will use simple music that is challenging but that can be learned quickly enough to put the students together by day three in order to be able to record with the other musicians on Friday.

During our Intro to Music Theory sessions, all beginner level students will learn the basics of music theory: The Staff, Clefs, Ledger Lines, Note Durations, Measures and Time Signature, Rest Durations, Dots and Ties, etc...

During our Applied Theory and Technique classes, beginner level students will learn how to apply their new knowlege of theory to their instruments. Technical concepts such as proper grip, fingering, and strumming will be taught throughout the process. As the beginners become more proficient, they are taught a simple song and are group with students on other instruments in order to begin how to play with others in a "band" environment. By Friday, the songs are recorded and a CD is given to each student as a camp momento.

For the last 30 minutes, the beginner level students meet in a general session to go over what they learned that day. This is also time for the students to express what was easy, what was difficult, and where they think they need to work in order to get better faster.

We offer our intermediate and advanced level students something quite unique. Instead of focusing solely on music theory and technique, we will use theory and technique as tools to teach what we believe many musicians do not take the necessary time to develop: communication and leadership skills. We will also use information from Sean Covey's "The 7 Habits of Highly Successful Teens" in order to teach them howto establish good habits, to explain how to live by principles that guide us to success in all areas of life. The concepts we will explore are:

During our Communication sessions, the musicians will learn the basics of communication skills such as:

During our Team Task Sessions, the musicians will split into groups and will be given various tasks such as:

During these sessions, the musicians will be encouraged to use the skills they have learned in our communication sessions. As the students go through the process, our instructors will observe and write down the key things that happen as they pertain to communication and leadership. The instructor will observe which students take leadership immediately, which students show submissive or aggressive behaviors, which students "jump into" the process after getting frustrated versus which students "check out" of the process after getting frustrated, etc...

During our Processing and Self Development Sessions, the instructors will share their observations with the musicians and the musicians will share there "positives and negatives" with the instructors. All of the teams will then meet in a general session where they will share with the entire group. The facilitator will help to point out the good and the bad and will reinforce the concepts and skills that will help each musician to be a more effective musician, communicator, and member of a team.

During the last hour and a half of the day, teams will learn two songs, one cover song and one original. Throughout the week, as songs are learned, the teams record each song in a studio environment and learn some of the basic concepts of "being a recording engineer" and "being a session musician."

TUESDAY AND THURSDAY - During the communication sessions on Tuesday and Thursday, guest professionals will come in to play for the musicians and to talk to them about the following concepts: