Testimonials
My daughter has attended Hayward La Honda music camp for the past four years. She is a serious musician and this is one of the high points of her year. She literally keeps a count down calendar on her desk to keep track of how many days until next year's camp. The camp is well supervised and the kids are grouped by age (junior and senior campers). The days are filled with music and social activities. The staff does an amazing job of providing scholarships to kids that can't afford the tuition. At the end of the week, parents drive up to La Honda for pick-up and there is a great outdoor concert. We are always amazed at the talent of the camper/musicians!
I attended this camp when I was young, and my son has been attending for 4 years! He enjoys playing music with young people who are like him. He says he's made so many friends, and each year marks the calendar for the next as soon as camp dates are announced. The level of instruction and organization of the music leaders is outstanding. The outdoor and social activities, my son says, are also fun. We are from the local area, so he enjoys making others more comfortable in the woods as well. He especially loves the horses, swimming and archery. I had the same experience as my son, and our family can, without hesitancy recommend this fabulous camp. It is not expensive and is a personally rewarding experience for young people, whether beginners or advanced in their music level. Also, all of the campers seem to bond so easily, so new campers really feel welcome.
My son attended a music camp there a couple years ago and had a great experience. It was his first camp trip and he enjoyed it tremendously. He also gained a lot of confidence and made great friendships. As a parent I loved seeing how the high school kids tried to make him comfortable the first day. They had been coming for many years and i heard they kept checking on him during his stay. The staff was very knowledgeable and the activities were fun and the performance was first rate
Hayward La Honda Music Camp changed my life! I began going two years after I had started playing oboe, and it was the first actual chance I had gotten one on one oboe lessons.. from an actual oboist! I learned to make reeds at this camp, and these opportunities helped me get into college as a music major. This camp offers many different opportunities for the young musician. La Honda was the first opportunity I ever had to sing in a choir, take a jazz improv class, and play in an orchestra! Every ambition I had was encouraged. Being in an atmosphere where I was surrounded by people with like interests and passions hands down, made my youth more worth living.
My daughter has attended the camp for several years. She looks forward to it all year. she has made some terrific friends from all over the Bay Area. The camp experience, the music, the concerts, the learning and the beautiful location make it a truly special place.
Last year my son attended La Honda Music Camp for the first time. This was literally a life-changing experience for him. While he has been studying music for a while, it was that experience of making and enjoying music with his peers that really inspired him. Now he is in the 6th grade and is currently playing in 3 orchestras (string orchestra and 7th grade band at school plus Berkeley Youth Orchestra). He converted his room into a music production studio, equipped with a computer and two synthesizers, learned musical score typesetting and is counting days remaining before the 2 camp. Even more important than music itself, was (in my opinion) how many friends he made in the camp. It was absolutely amazing seeking kids of different ages and backgrounds, some much older than my son being so friendly and nice with him and really enjoying his company, especially since he was considered almost an outcast in his school. I think it boosted his self-esteem enormously and helped him a lot in his transition to the middle school. I could only envy him, because I did not have such an experience when I was a kid myself.
Hayward La Honda Music Camp is a special music camp. Not only is the quality of instruction among the top in the state (national award winning classical and jazz instructors), but the staff is very personable. And, it doesn't hurt that the cost of the camp is is fairly modest in comparison with other camps. One thing that makes the camp very special is the generational element that is present. A number of the campers, after graduating from high school, are interested in becoming counselors for the program; and in turn, the counselors often want to eventually become instructors. This is evident in my situation, as I was once a camper in the 70's, an instructor from 1986-1999, and am now a parent of two high school campers. Even though there are other, more "prestigious" camps to attend, I choose to send my kids (and students) to this one - it is "the" one!
