What Students Are Saying

Shane Lamb (Hoover, AL): "A truly amazing experience." ­

Sarah Harris (Holt, MI): "The best week of my life. I definitely feel like I grew over the week ­I learned more in that one week than I do in a month in my school and the teachers were great and so easy to get along with. The atmosphere was a huge aspect. It was a learning atmosphere but it wasn't strict or overbearing. More like "we're here to learn something that we all love and that's going to be fun". And it was because there was no dragging of feet and everyone was happy to be there for this. At times I felt overwhelmed by how much I was learning and when I sat down to write I'd get all these ideas that I never would have thought of before simply because I never knew that I could do them or that it was possible. The best part, though, was meeting all the other kids who are like me and spend their free time composing and thinking about all these things. The YCP was really something that made a huge impact on me and I know that it will have a positive impact on my music. I definitely want to go back."

Patrick C. Handler (Laytonsville, MD): "My second year at the YCP proved to be even more helpful and enlightening than the first. My dedication to composition as well as the way I approach new compositions changed a lot. The program creates a priceless community of peers for us to communicate with as well as teaching us valuable lessons. Nothing I've experienced compares to the relationship between teacher and student at the YCP and I can't wait until next summer."

Josh Archibald-Seiffer (Boise, ID): "I have told everyone that I have never in my life been with such an incredible group of people. I'm sure that all composers can relate to the feeling of being a little out of the loop. At YCP, I truly found my niche and felt like I was where I belonged. I was extremely impressed with the YCP program overall. I found both the instruction I received as well as the interaction with other composers to be an enlightening experience. The YCP has offered me important things that will be a part of my composition training as a whole."

Amanda Bower (Cincinnati, OH): "You may never really know the breadth of the musical world until you get to a place like the YCP, where the levels of creative energy and possibilities are exponentially higher. It's changed my whole view of different types of music and given me a whole new respect for my fellow composers. It was probably the single most musically educational week that I've had. Amazing. I hope to come again next year."

Lisa Duke (Sudbury, MA): "I loved the YCP. I learned so much about composition and enjoyed meeting other students like me."

Peter Seibert (Morgantown, WV): "It was everything I hoped it would be, but nothing I expected. I met great people and learned how to write better music in the style that I wanted to write it in. Most composers I've met have wanted to change my style. At the YCP, they embraced my style and helped me make it better."

Morgan Jenks (Bryan, TX): "Awesome in a can. An excellent learning experience."

Greg Cox (Potomic, MD) "My two experiences with the YCP have always enlightened me as to new aspects of and ways to see music. We all got to know each other very well, and were quite comfortable together, and they were always willing discussion partners who would introduce me to new ideas and new music‹really enlightening and very liberating.. I now have new tools (melodic, orchestrational, notational, methodic, etc.) with which to compose. The people were all terrific, the faculty was open and helpful, and hearing my piece performed by a professional ensemble was quite exciting. It was really fun."

Ananya Hemvijitraphan (Lumpini, Thailand): "My friends at the YCP were really devoted composers and musicians. I admire them! The experiences they shared with me were very useful. I enjoyed exchanging opinions and having conversations with all of them. They each really had their own distinguishing style, which I could see reflected in their music. The conversations exchanging musical experiences with them could not be found elsewhere. The program is filled with music knowledge. The faculty are all really exceptional teachers. The YCP is organized for us‹people who love composing‹and the faculty made the most enormous effort for us. The program is comprised of every essential element of composing. Every day, our schedule was so intense, and was full of music in various forms. The classes and sessions are very well designed to cover all areas so that by the time we finished the program, we had experienced so many kinds of music.. Every single activity was beneficial in different ways by different means! On Saturday, I thought back and it felt unbelievable that I had taken in this much musical content. I love the YCP!"

Quotations above come from survey responses

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