The camp, which has run for 35 years, was previously hosted by Edinboro University before relocating to Allegheny College in Meadville and finally to Juniata in 2023.

Since most band camps are aimed at high school or college performers, the adult camp offers a unique opportunity for older musicians to test their skills and make friends with similarly passionate peers, according to Juniata Director of Instrumental Music Jim Latten, who helps run the camp.

“The term ‘band camp,’ usually brings up in everybodies’ mind images of high school marching band camp, but this is different, there’s no marching, no pep band, this is a concert band everybody is in,” Latten said.

According to Latten, campers representing more than 16 U.S. states came together this year for two, five-day camps, where they rehearsed a wide variety of pieces, culminating in a small ensemble recital Thursday night and a larger concert performance, which will take place this evening.

Anthony Poehailos conducts a clarinet ensemble at the Band Camp for Adult Musicians being held at Juniata College in Huntingdon. Each small ensemble works on up to 34 different pieces throughout the week, with the 8 best chosen for performance. Mirror photo by Conner Goetz

Both performances are free and open to the public, Latten said. Tonight’s concert will be at 7 p.m. in the Halbritter Center for the Performing Arts on campus.

One of the main benefits of the camp, Latten said, is the opportunity to work with highly experienced principal players, who are drawn from professional orchestras and university music departments across the country.

These principal players lead their respective sections and work with the conductor to select the music to be performed at the capstone concerts each week.

They also offer master classes on their instruments, which can help less-seasoned players brush up on their skills, Latten said.

Each small ensemble works on up to 34 different pieces throughout the course of the week, and will perform the best eight during the final performance.

Since the campers are expected to be able to sight-read sheet music, the ensembles are able to work more efficiently than camps composed of more amateur players.

“So relatively quickly, a camp like this can pull some pieces together and have them sound awesome — I don’t want to say right away — but it’s an easier lift,” Latten said.

Retired Marine Band Director Col. Michael Colburn directed the first week of camp, while Retired Army Band Director Col. Timothy Holton will conduct the second week.

Camp Director Leigh Hurtz is all too familiar with the difficulties of putting on a successful band camp every year.

“I build all these music folders … there’s about 34 pieces of music in each person’s folder, so I’m kind of like the band librarian in a way, and I work with the universities that we rent the spaces from and create a budget from what their expenses are,” Hurtz said.

After assuming the directorship of the camp in 2022, Hertz led the camp’s move to Juniata for the following year.

According to Hurtz, beyond a small adjustment to the daily camp schedule, the format and quality of program offerings has remained unchanged in the new venue.

“Some of the staff have been not quite understanding of what we’re doing, like ‘why are we rehearsing in the middle of the hallway,’ but other staff have been really great,” Hurtz said.

And since the camp takes place in the summer, when all the students are away, campers don’t have to worry about disturbing anyone with their noise levels, Hurtz said.

“There’s nobody here, we’re not bothering anybody,” she said.

Saxophone player Cheryl Chun flew in from her hometown of Aiea, Hawaii, to attend this year’s camp.

“I love band camp, I just enjoy it, it’s like my Disneyland,” Chun said. “I get to do what I really love doing.”

As a former band teacher who no longer works as a music instructor, Chun said she appreciates the opportunity to spend a week immersed in music.

“I missed having the music all year-round, so I figured I wanted to do something for myself during the summer,” Chun said.

When Chun first attended camp at Allegheny College in 2016, she didn’t know anyone else, but quickly made friends through a shared passion for music. Chun has attended every camp since, save for the two years without camp during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now, Chun said she looks forward to seeing her peers as much as learning the new material when she attends camp.

“It becomes like a class reunion, or a family reunion, a big family reunion,” Chun said.

Mirror Staff Writer Conner Goetz is at 814-946-7535.

If you go

What: Band Camp for Adult Musicians concert performance

When: 7 p.m. tonight

Where: Halbritter Center for the Performing Arts, Juniata College, Huntingdon

Cost: Free and open to the public