During the summer, OrchKids encourages students to explore areas outside of Baltimore and continue progressing musically by offering a 3-week summer program at Goucher College and sending students to prestigious music camps across the country. The OrchKids Summer Program, hosted at Goucher College, is an exciting opportunity for students across all OrchKids sites to come together and participate in ensemble sectionals and rehearsals, book club, individual practice time, small group lessons, and enrichment classes. Over the course of the program, students built friendships with their peers, prepared diligently for the summer concert, expressed their creativity, spent a thrilling afternoon at Shake & Bake Family Fun Center, and performed their favorite movie, TV show, and video game music in the concert finale. This joyous, music-filled summer camp is truly a special time for all students, staff, teachers, and volunteers.

Watch the summer concert here.

Additionally, 31 OrchKids students traveled to various music camps across the country including Interlochen Center for the Arts, Brevard Summer Institute and Festival, Camp Encore/Coda, and Litchfield Jazz Camp. The culmination of nearly a year of nominations, audition preparation, mock auditions, paperwork, and travel accommodations, students enjoy new musical opportunities beyond Baltimore. Ludy, a rising high school senior and recipient of the 2024 Marin Alsop Citizenship Award, recently completed the 6-week high school Orchestral Institute at the Brevard Summer Institute and Festival. Recalling his experience, Ludy said Brevard is “a very relaxing and fun environment to be in away from the city for once. An amazing community at Brevard as well… It was my first time playing orchestral pieces on tuba and it was fun (I’ve mostly played wind band music)!” Ludy's enthusiasm for his experience at Brevard exemplifies the profound impact these music camps have on expanding students' musical horizons and fostering a greater sense of community and growth.