Crane Youth Music

Summer 2025 information: 

• Resident Camper Tuition/Room&Board - $895
• Commuter Camper Tuition: $575 (Includes daily lunch)
• Lessons (limit to 1 per camper pending faculty availability): $35

The daily schedule will include Master Classes with Crane Faculty, Ensemble Rehearsals, Elective courses and recreational time - a detailed schedule will be sent out to families closer to camp.

• One lesson is 30 minutes in duration costing the camper $35, to be paid to the CYM online registration system prior to the lesson.
• Campers will receive a voucher to present to the instructor at the time of lesson. No
  voucher = no lesson.
• Campers are responsible for scheduling their lessons with the faculty member. If a camper forgets/misses a scheduled lesson, their fee/voucher is forfeit unless the faculty member is willing to make up the lesson.
• If campers do not schedule a lesson with faculty member, no refund will be issued.
• If participants are studying one instrument during camp and want lessons on another instrument of which they also study, they may do so contingent upon faculty availability. No beginning lessons are offered.
• Participants can register for 1 lesson pending faculty availability. Any additional lessons need to be approved by the CYM Director in consultation with the faculty member schedule.
• CYM Faculty do not give beginning lessons and Crane does not provide instruments for beginning study during CYM.
• Arrange lessons with faculty member in your first master class OR find the faculty office and sign up on their board.

Summer 2025 information: Scholarship Applications will be due May 1, 2025. There are three scholarships available, including the new Julianne Kirk Doyle scholarship, which provides partial assistance specifically to a clarinet or viola participant with financial need. Scholarships are partial awards ($200-$300) and there is an application process requiring the following:

• Financial statement of need from parents – including AGI and family size is helpful
• Letter from music teacher/private teacher stating student’s achievements and abilities
• Copies of most recent NYSSMA or Solo and Ensemble scores/evaluations (DO NOT SEND ORIGINALS)
• Incomplete applications will not be considered nor will CYM notify if an application is complete/incomplete
• Scholarship notifications will be made by May 15
• All scholarship decisions are final
• A wait list will be kept and if someone declines an award, it will go to the next candidate on the list
• Campers with financial need are encouraged to reach out to local booster clubs, arts councils and church organizations for additional support

View Scholarships

Summer 2025 information:

• All students have a daily master class with an applied faculty member. These classes will focus on pedagogy, fundamentals and occasionally serve as a performance class.
• Students will have master classes with many of the Crane Faculty during CYM: (Lists below are taken from 2021 CYM faculty - we will announce 2023 faculty soon!)

Brass

• Dr. Luke Spence, trumpet
• Dr. Lauren Becker, horn
• Dr. Christopher Hernacki
• Dr. Charles Guy, tuba/euphonium

Harp

• Dr. Jessica Suchy-Pilalis

Percussion

• Kyle Peters
• Dr. Emma Gierszal

Piano

• Dr. Kathryn Sherman

Voice

• Dr. Kathleen Miller

Strings

• Dr. Liesl Doty, violin
• Dr. Shelly Tramposh, viola
• Dr. Marie-Elaine Gagnon, cello

Woodwinds

• Dr. Brian Dunbar
• Dr. Anna Hendrickson, oboe
• Dr. Julianne Kirk Doyle, clarinet
• Dr. Carol Lowe, bassoon
• Dr. Casey Grev, saxophone

• All Wind, Brass and Percussion Instrumentalists will also be part of a Like Ensemble or chamber music.
• All Wind, Brass and Percussion Instrumentalists will play in one of the bands during CYM.
• All String Instrumentalists will be in a chamber ensemble and chamber orchestra.
• Ensemble Assignments are final and not subject to appeal. The faculty who hear auditions are professionals of the highest caliber and will place campers in positions that best suit their experience.

2025 Instrumental Ensemble Conductors 

• Dr. Brian Doyle, Wind Ensemble
• Dr. Shelly Tramposh

2025 Jazz faculty

• Sam Bailey
• Robert Bickford

2025 Choral Conductor

• Dr. Meagan Dissinger
• Mr. Shawn Hebert

• During recreational time students can also use this as practice time, chamber/jazz combo rehearsal time, or lesson time with faculty.
• Recreational activities are supervised and led by counselors who are Crane students or professional educators
• Activities can include:
  • Outdoor recreation/sports
  • Trips downtown (limited to 20 participants per trip)
  • If weather is bad, movies in Crane
  • Other activities and crafts as directed by counseling staff
• The New York State Department of Health requires that we maintain strict supervision and ratios during all times participants are in our charge. We are required to maintain a 10:1 ratio with participants during a traveling activity and 25:1 ratio during a stationary activity (Classes/rehearsals).
• No participants can wander alone around campus, they must be part of a group or 2:1 with another camper/counselor.

Lodging Information for Parents

Plan ahead on lodging if you plan to stay over Friday or Saturday evening  (note all events will conclude by Saturday afternoon and campers need to check out of the dorm prior to all final concerts.). You might need to book lodging outside Potsdam or through Airbnb. Massena is 35 minutes, Malone is 40 minutes, Lake Placid and Watertown are around 90 minutes away, Syracuse is 2.5 hours, Albany and Rochester are 4 hours. We are also 90 minutes from Ottawa, ON and around 2 hours from Montreal, QC (but allow border time).

Please direct any further questions to the camp director at cym@potsdam.edu.

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