Junior Summer Chamber Music Academy
July 6 - July 12, 2025

Strings and Piano, Ages 10-13

Since 1987, Music at Port Milford has offered an immersive chamber music camp for dedicated music students in historic Prince Edward County, Ontario. 2025 marks the return of MPM’s one-week Junior Session! Junior session students, admitted by audition, work together over the course of one week to produce a weekend performance of chamber, orchestral and choral works. MPM’s outstanding faculty serve as both coaches and mentors.

While collaborating musically, students work cooperatively and form lifelong friendships. The summer school is located on an historic thirty-five acre farm overlooking South Bay. The students are housed in charming cabins, complete with front porches and lake views.

Chamber Music

Conductorless, small ensemble chamber music is at the heart of MPM’s program. Each student is thoughtfully assigned to a chamber group based on their experience and age. Groups receive daily coachings with MPM’s artist faculty, practice rehearsal skills by working independently, and perform in the weekend concert.

Teaching Faculty

Music at Port Milford’s teachers are hand-picked for their nurturing approach and extensive experience in both teaching and classical music performance.

Individual Lessons

Each student receives one private lesson with an assigned teacher from our faculty, focusing on their MPM orchestra and chamber music assignments. Our high student/teacher ratio optimizes opportunities for additional individual attention.

Recreation

MPM provides a unique blend of serious musical study and joyful camp activities. The counselors, who cultivate community inside and outside of the cabin, lead activities throughout the day. Prior to breakfast, counselors are available to lead group runs, polar bear swims and yoga stretches. Afternoon recreation time allows for a bit of relaxation with lake swimming (certified lifeguard on duty at all times), pick up soccer games, frisbee, chess, reading in the hammock, and chatting with friends. On non-performance nights, evenings are set aside for movies, theatre games, outdoor activities, and campfires on the shore of South Bay.

Saturday Porch Concert

The week of collaboration culminates in a Saturday afternoon performance on the camp porch, overlooking Lake Ontario. Every student is featured in a small chamber ensemble, chorus, and orchestra.

Chamber Orchestra

The chamber orchestra (all string players) rehearses each morning and performs in the weekend concert. Reading skills are emphasized. Repertoire spans from the Baroque Period to the present day.

singing

Since 1987, all MPM students have sung in the chorus. Singing, besides being great fun, is one of the best ways to learn sight-reading and pitch-discrimination. Some MPM students have never sung before, and others come with experience. Everyone finds their voice in the choir.

Typical Day

8:00 Breakfast
8:45 Chamber orchestra
10:15 Chamber coaching or individual practice
11:15 Snack break
11:30 Chamber coaching or individual practice
12:45 Lunch
1:30 Quiet time
2:15 Private Lessons and chamber rehearsals
3:30 Recreation time (Waterfront open)
5:00 Individual practice or Chamber rehearsals
5:45 Dinner
6:45 Chorus
8:00 Evening Activity

Facilities

Students are housed with their counselors in cabins and the converted 1800’s barn overlooking South Bay. All classes are held in the house and adjacent farm buildings. Our big country kitchen produces a variety of fine meals which we eat together on our wooden deck with a lovely view of the water. Click here for a walk-through video of campus.

Meals

Meals are prepared by a team of culinary professionals in our beautiful country kitchen. Each meal is eaten outside on the deck, overlooking Lake Ontario. Vegetarian options are available at every meal, and other dietary restrictions can be accommodated.

UNPLUGGED

MPM Students and artist faculty are immersed in community and music-making without distraction. Students with phones keep their devices inside the main farmhouse. After dinner, they are free to stop by the house to check in with loved ones, on their own cell phones or the camp landline. Students are encouraged to pack watches, tuners, metronomes, and alarm clocks for daily use.