Camp
Jewell was a fantastic place to be. It had many wonderful places and
activities. At the rehearsals we learned from our terrific conductors;
and the food and the cabins were nice. My favorite activity was archery
(besides eating the food). We did a sunrise hike on Sunday morning,
bright and early at 7AM and the foliage was beautiful. I made a lot of
new friends. I liked spending time with my chorus friends during this
trip. I'm really glad to be a part of YPC, and I'm looking forward to
performing with my new friends in the upcoming concert!
Sheldon, 8, Prelude
This is my 3rd YPC retreat with the Prelude Chorus. Camp
Jewel is an amazing place. Even though we only stayed for one night, we did a
lot of activities. For example, I enjoyed the pretzel making because I love to
cook. It's a great way for the choristers to get to know each other, especially
for people new to YPC. During the scavenger hunt, they put you into teams with
children from each group and you have to work together to get all the clues.
Another one of my favorite activities was the bonfire. On the way to the
bonfire, I picked up a stick and made s'mores with my friends, conductors and
my dad, who joined as a chaperone. I did not want to leave and I begged my dad
to stay. Also I was the flag bearer and I got to take the flag home to remember
this awesome weekend!!!
Zubin, 9, Prelude
When you're at Camp Jewell you love your
new friends. When everyone sang together it was really beautiful. I figured out
I was in a great choir when I got there.
Oliver, 9, Prelude
I think the best activity at Camp Jewell was the talent
show. I was cheered on by my friends, while my friends were cheered on by me.
There were all sorts of performances, piano, cello solos, guitars, magic
tricks, singing and even a skit (basically any kind of talent you could think
of.) At the end we even had a dance party!
Gary,
10, Intermezzo
I really enjoyed rehearsing, because we learned more about
rhythm, and composition. One of my favorite group activities was archery,
because although I have been on camping trips with my school, archery at Camp
Jewell was different. It was more relaxing, and nobody made fun of anyone who
missed the target, which made me feel really good about being at camp with this
group of people. It was a very supportive community, especially during the
talent show. When I played "Forget You" on the piano, the audience even
sang along. Camp Jewell was an amazing experience, where I bonded with new
people, and got to share my creative spirit. I am so glad that I am involved in
a group like YPC!
Adedayo,
10, Intermezzo
My name is Anna, I’m in Intermezzo, and
it’s my first year in YPC. On our overnight trip to Camp Jewel, we did many
activities such as pretzel making, archery, roasting s’mores, leather crafts,
climbing on the climbing wall, a sunrise hike, indoor games, a scavenger hunt,
and of course, rehearsal! Although every activity we did there was fun, my
favorite was the scavenger hunt. We would race through the camp, collecting
clues to find our way to the final destination (the busses back to the city). I
liked this activity over the others, because it was a great way to work as a
team, and make new friends and bonds at the same time. It was a great way to
finish our time there, and I look forward to going there again!
Anna, 12, Intermezzo
I
was so glad I went to the Camp Jewell retreat. There's nothing like
spending 2 days in nature to get to know new people. Being new to the YPC
family, I felt immediately welcomed by all the conductors, staff, and other
parents. And my favorite part: we parents even got to sing! The
camp itself was great, but the experience was rich, because of all the talented
people in the group. And of course this was a great way for my son (new to
YPC) to get to know his fellow choristers. I was most impressed with how
the older children and all the conductors are really incredible mentors and
role models. I had the chance to make new friends myself, and look
forward to participating in future YPC events as a part of the family. A
heart-felt thanks to the conductors and staff for making this weekend happen!
Chris, Parent
Chaperone, Prelude
It was thrilling to have an opportunity to watch Francisco's
teaching style: something wonderful was offered for any style of learner. In
one exercise, I sat with a child who told me "but... I don't write music,"
yet in this environment, when I responded with, "apparently today you
do" he simply accepted this and went on to complete a great learning
exercise. More exciting yet was the support the chorus members offer each
other - without question it's a safe space to explore artistic interests,
performance abilities and life. For a family new to YPC the camp provided
a very comfortable way for us to make a nucleus of friends in a powerfully
artistic and interesting group of people!
Ann, Parent Chaperone, Prelude
