Thirty years ago when she started Band at the Beach Music Camp in her backyard, Point Loma music instructor Dell Schroeder never conceived it would still be around — or be so successful helping students hone their instrumental skills.
“I just did it, it was a fluke,” said Schroeder noting post-Prop. 13 education budget cuts slashing music and the arts was her impetus for initiating the summer camp program. “There was no idea it was going to last even one summer. But we did it again, and again, and it just kept on going.”
This year for the first time, the Band at the Beach Music Camp will take place in a new location: Point Loma Nazarene College campus overlooking the ocean.
The camp offers music students in grades 7-12 an opportunity to explore new music, learn from professional musicians, meet new friends and perform for families at the culmination of the weeklong Point Loma summer camp.
Daily activities include four hours each day of constant playing along with coaching by the experts, broken down into two hours of large group sessions and two hours of sectional (small group) sessions. Students learn proper playing techniques on their instruments: style, balance, and blending with other sections.
During the academic year, Schroeder teaches private lessons in piano, flute, clarinet, saxophone, bassoon, beginning brass, and music theory. She co-founded Peninsula Bands in Concert (a local, annual multi- school music showcase) and has been an itinerant instrumental music teacher at Barnard, Loma Portal, and Sunset View Elementary schools. She also enjoys coaching woodwinds at Correia Middle School. She continues to perform with San Diego Concert Band (principal saxophone), Hillcrest Wind Ensemble (clarinet), SD City Guard Band (clarinet), and various smaller ensembles throughout the city.
Schroeder expects her biggest class ever, 60 students, at this year’s weeklong July summer music camp. She said the tuition students pay is a good value, covering their daily lunches as well as instruction from outstanding adult coaches and musicians.
“The ratio of adult coaches to children is really good, almost three to one,” she said, adding the quality of instruction is so good that, almost by osmosis, it filters through to students. The program’s culmination is a combined free concert by attendees on the camp’s last day, July 27.
After 30 years of leading the charge in offering supplemental summertime music instruction, Schroeder wants to step away from that role after this year. She anticipates the program however will continue functioning at a high level.
“What I would like to see happen is for the San Diego Unified School District to give extra credit for attending this camp and its workshops,” she said. “That would give the kids some stimulus to keep on playing.”
Schroeder said a couple of spots are still open for various instruments in this year’s summer music program.
For more information visit bandatthebeach.org.
