Camp Festival Amadeus to Host Free Public Concerts in July
To cap off a week-long music education camp, North Valley Music School will host free, public concerts in Whitefish to showcase the talents of campers and their instructors
By Cathy Li
The North Valley Music School will celebrate the conclusion of Camp Festival Amadeus (CFA), a week-long chamber orchestra music camp for intermediate and advanced string students ranging from seventh to 12th grades, with free public concerts on July 10 and July 11.
Located in Whitefish, the North Valley Music School is Montana’s only nonprofit music school. This year, the music school saw a record number of students from across the nation, increasing from 34 attendees in 2023 to 46 in 2024.
Established in 2008, the program matches experienced musical instructors with violin, viola, cello, and bass youth musicians across the state and the country. Historically, the camp has been held simultaneously with the Glacier Symphony’s Festival Amadeus, but this year, the program is held during Symphony Night at Rebecca Farm.
This year’s impressive faculty includes Summer Boggess, Griffin Browne, Michael Certalic, Laura Dalbey, Ryan Davis, and Ali and Sara Schultz-Levesque. Jenanne Solberg is the camp’s artistic director and Deidre Corso is the camp director.
Students, as well as camp faculty, will perform their polished pieces developed during the stint of the program.
“It is so important to inspire young musicians,” said Jessica Shaw, North Valley Music School’s director of opportunity. “CFA was created to build the orchestra for the future. The earlier talents are developed, the greater the opportunity for success, enjoyment, and friendships and mentorships that will last a lifetime. The community should be proud of these dedicated young musicians who are spending their summers learning classical music. It’s incredible.”
Camp Festival Amadeus Free Concerts will take place at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center:
- Wednesday, July 10 at 7 p.m.: Faculty Concert
- Thursday, July 11 at 12 p.m.: Student Concert
The community music school is dedicated to enriching communities through music education and performance beyond Camp Festival Amadeus. North Valley Music School annually serves around 400 students of all ages with their programming.
To learn more about The North Valley Music School and their work, visit www.northvalleymusicschool.org.