Sounds of summer filled the classrooms and performance spaces of the FSU College of Music this June and July as a record-breaking 1,714 elementary, middle, and high school students attended the FSU Summer Music Camps. Students from 13 states and 2 countries participated in 11 unique camp sessions for orchestra, band, choral, elementary music, piano, and jazz.
Summer 2026 brought several notable highlights, including continued partnerships with two international outreach programs. Three students from Mexico attended through a sponsorship arrangement with Novo Tempo School of Music & Arts in Mexico, while 15 students from the Cayman Islands participated through a sponsorship arrangement with John Gray High School and the Cayman Arts Festival. Closer to home, this summer’s enrollment also included a record number of Florida students who had received the Florida All-State distinction.
The success of the 2026 season was made possible through the dedication of more than 175 College of Music faculty, staff, graduate students, and undergraduate students. World-renowned alumni and instructors from some of the nation’s top music programs provided exceptional instruction, administration, and counselor support throughout each week-long program.
The FSU Summer Music Camps emphasizes a core mission that music education should be accessible for all students, and throughout it’s history it has relied on generous donations to help advance this mission. On June 13, a special recognition ceremony honored Karen Bradley (BME ’69) for her generous gift supporting the future of the choral music camp program through the Karen C. Bradley Endowment for Choral Music. This gift will ensure that the camps can provide outstanding choral instruction for many future generations of young musicians.
One of the country’s oldest and largest summer music camp programs, FSU Summer Music Camps are internationally recognized for excellence. The camps began in 1942 as the Florida State College for Women Band School, founded by Dean Ella Opperman. Over the years, participants have gone on to become professional performers, music educators, and lifelong music enthusiasts.
Dates for Summer 2027 camps have been announced, and registration will open January 25. For more information about FSU Summer Music Camps, visit music.fsu.edu.
