Skip to main content
Las Positas College

SUMMER JAZZ CAMP

 

Group Photo

 

MS Camp

Join us for a 4-day intensive of Improvisation, Music Theory, Rehearsals, Performance and more!

High School musicians of all abilities will get the opportunity to work with LPC Music Faculty and Alumni and present their work in a public performance on the Mertes Main Stage on June 26, at 7 p.m.

The theme for 2025 will be the music of Benny Golson.

2025 Jazz camp will run from June 23-June 26, 2025.

There are Three Steps to join Summer Camp 2025:

Step 1. Click HERE to Enroll in 2025 Jazz Camp!

Step 2. Interest Form

In order to get more information about your camper (including Tshirt Size and any food allergy) fill out this Google Form please. 
 

Step 3. Placement Video

To help us place you in the right combo, please record a video (a smart phone is fine) and upload here no later than June 2nd, 2025. After uploading your video, you must also fill out this interest form. 

Here are the requirements for placement videos: 
 
Horns (i.e. sax, trumpet, trombone, etc.): Play a major scale and a blues scale in any key. Next play the head (melody) of a tune of your choice, then improvise for at least a chorus.
 
Drums: Demonstrate 3 styles: Swing, Bossa, Funk (each style can be approx 30 seconds). Please also play with either a backing a track or a friend over a tune of your choice and trade 4s for at least one chorus.
 
Piano and Guitar: Play a major scale and a blues scale in any key. Next, choose a standard and demonstrate playing chord changes ("comping") for at least one chorus and improvise for at least chorus.
 
Bass: Play a major scale and a blues scale in any key. Next, demonstrate basslines in 3 styles: Swing, Bossa, Funk (each style can be approx 30 seconds).  Improvise for at least one chorus.
 
Vocals: Sing a tune of your choice over a backing track or with an accompanist. Scatting over the changes is ideal, but not required.
 
*If you have no experience in jazz or improvisation, play/sing the kind of music that allows you to showcase your skill set.
 
 

Summer Jazz Camp 2025 Faculty:

Dan Marschak - Piano/Composition/Theory

Cindy Browne Rosefield - Bass

Andreas Preponis - Vocals, Drums

Julie Homi - Piano/Composition/Theory

Jeff Marrs - Drums

Mario Silva - Trumpet

Mario Godoy - Saxophone/Theory

Spencer Sussman - Low Brass

Ryan Pate - Guitar

David Pulanco (LPC Alumnus) - Woodwinds, Vocals, Piano

Leah Anonuevo (LPC Alumnus) - Vocals

 

Camp Details

Below is some very important information about the camp. After reading through this carefully, please email us with any questions/comments.

What to Bring 

  • Lunch, Snacks, Water

Lunch will not be provided by LPC. We suggest you bring a bag lunch to campus. There is a cafeteria on campus, but it may or may not be open.  Also bring 1-2 snacks and a water bottle. There are water fountains and filtered water refill stations in the building.

  • Extra clothing layer

Our Main Stage remains very cool even during the summer, so while it will likely be very hot outside, inside it could get chilly.

  • 2 Pencils with good erasers
  • Your instrument and a case.
  • Your sheet music/theory packet (which will be distributed on Monday morning. Please bring it with you for each day of camp)

We don’t have dedicated instrument storage, so when not in use, instruments should be put back in their cases and put off to the side in either 4130 or 4138.

Pianists: we have nice pianos and keyboards, so no need to bring anything.

Drummers: please bring your own sticks and brushes. If you prefer your own cymbals, please bring them. We have plenty of music stands for everyone.

Dropoff and Pickup

Campers should be dropped off no later than 9:50am and picked up no later than 10 minutes after camp is scheduled to end. Your camper must sign in and out each day.

Camp activities will take place in building 4000 (Mertes Center for the Performing Arts) on the Las Positas College campus, and each morning we will meet in room 4130. The double doors into building 4000 can be accessed from Lot A. For those older students who may be driving themselves, please park in Lot A and note that there is a $3/day fee. Campus map and more info about parking can be found here: https://laspositascollege.edu/parking/

Photo/Video Release

We plan to take a pictures/video of the camp for promotional purposes. There is a form that will be filled out through Community Education. If you do not give consent to use your image, please let community education know.

T-Shirt

You will be given a camp T-shirt that was made specifically for this year’s camp. If you did not reply to our email about this and tell us a size ahead of time, we cannot guarantee a T-shirt size of choice.  There will be an opportunity to tie dye the T-shirt. We request that all campers wear their T-shirts during the final concert.

Past camp themes included Women in Jazz in 2024 and Wayne Shorter in 2023.

Photos from 2024 Jazz Camp