Kids Crescendo: Creative Music, Arts, and Movement

Age: Ages 5-8 (Session 1); Ages 6-12 (Sessions 2 and 3); CITs ages 13-15

Cost: Summer 2024 Registration Fee: $15. Summer 2024 Tuition: Session 1 - $470, Session 2 - $1,050, Session 3 - $1,150, CIT students will receive a 50% tuition discount. Limited financial aid is available - scroll down for instructions.

Kids Crescendo 2024 will run on the following dates:  Session 1: June 24-28, Session 2: July 1-12 (No July 4th), Session 3: July 15-26. 

As of January 18, Session 2 has a couple of spots left and Session 3 is now sold out! If you would like to join the waitlist for Session 3, click the Register button below.

You’re searching to find the perfect summer program for your child, the one who’s always humming “Moana” in the backseat, drumming on any nearby surface, and kicking the dinner table in rhythm. The sports, art, and theatre camps around don’t seem quite right. What kind of summer experience will allow him to express all of that musical energy?

The Kids Crescendo program has provided a unique, immersive music experience for students just like yours for 26 years. For 1 or 2 weeks, kids can understand and experience music through movement, story, and song, with activities rooted in the popular Dalcroze Eurhythmics method of learning. They listen to and participate in live music, translating their energy into percussion by stomping, clapping, and tapping. They learn basic pitch-matching and melodies, hearing and expressing the music with their voices. Then they put it all together by learning the basics of violin and keyboard.

Skills build up day by day until the final performance, where students showcase what they’ve learned in an operetta arranged by the faculty, the culmination of the goals they’ve worked towards as a group. Students play the overture themselves with percussion instruments, then sing, move, and act out the music through story (usually based on a familiar classic tale).

Students leave Kids Crescendo at the end of the session wanting to continue with piano, violin, voice, or even another instrument. It’s a fun and creative way to feel the rhythm inside of them and start them on their musical journey!

Half-day Program

The one-week half-day program provides younger students with an introduction to our very popular full-day program. Students will meet for half a day to learn piano, violin, and singing, as well as art and movement. On Friday, students will give a concert followed by a pizza lunch with their parents.

Summer 2024 Program Information:

Yas Ishibashi, Kids Crescendo Artistic Director
Linda Emmanuel

Session 1: June 24-28
Ages 5-8
Monday – Friday, 8:30 am- 1 pm
Final performance on Friday of “Cows in The Kitchen-Noisy House and the Wise Man”

Session 2: July 1-12 (no July 4th)
Ages 6-12
Monday – Friday, 8:30 am-3 pm
Final performance on Friday of “The Four Seasons” (The Ancient Greek myth of how the seasons came to be)

Session 3: July 15-26 (waitlist only)
Ages 6-12
Monday – Friday, 8:30 am-3 pm
Final performance on Friday of “The Frog Brings Rain” (Navajo story)

After-Care Option (Late Pick-up)

  • Session 1 – No after-care
  • Session 2 – 3:00 – 5:00 pm, $160 (Dates: Mon/Tues/Wed/Fri first week + Mon-Thurs second week. No July 4th)
  • Session 3 – 3:00 – 5:00 pm, $180 (Dates: Mon-Fri first week + Mon-Thurs second week)
  • Single Day drop in price: $25 (Please call to arrange this)

Session 1 Sample Schedule:

  • 8:30 – 8:45 am Morning Meeting
  • 8:50 – 9:30 am Small group Eurhythmics or Piano/Keyboard
  • 9:35 – 10:15 am Small group Eurhythmics or Piano/Keyboard
  • 10:15 – 10:30 am Snack Break
  • 10:35 – 11:15 am Singing or Acting
  • 11:15 – 11:55 am Singing or Acting
  • 11:55 – 12:15 pm Lunch
  • 12:20 – 12:50 pm Arts and Crafts
  • 12:50 – 1:00 pm Goodbye Circle

Sessions 2 & 3 Sample Schedule:

  • 8:30 – 9:15 am Eurhythmics, Violin, or Piano
  • 9:20 – 10:00 am Eurhythmics, Violin, or Piano
  • 10:00 – 10:20 am Snack break
  • 10:20 – 10:40 am Vocal warm-up and Relaxation
  • 10:40 – 11:30 Singing and Staging
  • 11:30 – 12:30 pm Lunch and Recess
  • 12:30 – 1:30 pm Drama and Improvisation
  • 1:30 – 2:30 pm Arts and Crafts
  • 2:30 – 2:45 pm Circle Games / Dance
  • 2:45 – 3:00 pm Story / Circle Time / Goodbye

Financial Aid is available for summer day programs on a limited basis. (See below for application information.)

How is this different from the youth theatre camps nearby?

Kids Crescendo encourages kids to feel and express the music that’s already inside of them. We still learn pitch matching, singing, acting, improvisation, teamwork, and confidence, but we listen to, play, and sing all of the songs and arrangements live instead of learning or practicing from pre-recorded tracks. In addition, your child receives high-quality instruction on the keyboard, violin, and a variety of percussion instruments. Our focus is on the music, first and foremost.

Do we need to buy a keyboard or violin to participate?

No. We will provide onsite instruments for these introductory classes.

Will my child get to be with his/her friends?

For the majority of the session, yes! We split into smaller groups for a short part of the day to learn keyboard and violin, but we spend most of our time together working on eurhythmics and acting exercises, singing, making set pieces and other crafts, and rehearsing for the final performance.

Summer 2024 Financial Aid

Financial aid is available for students who can document financial need. Financial aid applications will be accepted for summer day programs only until all available aid is exhausted.

All new and returning students interested in applying for financial aid for summer day programs should first register for the program using the links in the purple section below, and then fill out the Financial Aid Application Form, following the instructions at the top of the form. If we are able to award any aid, we will notify you and adjust your payment accordingly.

Please reach out to office@powersmusic.org if you have any questions about the financial aid process.

Counselors-in-Training

Once they “graduate” from the full-day program, teens ages 13-15 can return as Counselors-in-Training to assist the younger participants and experience the activities and final performances in a whole new way!

CITs assist faculty at instrumental lessons and art lessons and will perform in the final operetta. Students will help faculty and staff in rehearsals and other activities during the day.

Enrollment is limited to a maximum of two students per session.

Applicants must…

  • Be 13 years of age by September 1 of the school year following the Kids Crescendo program
  • have past experience working in a leadership role with children, in settings such as summer programs, school clubs, tutoring, babysitting, etc.
  • possess an attitude of cheerful enthusiasm, leadership, and self-motivation
  • have 3+ years of experience playing a musical instrument

How to apply:

Submit a CIT Application form online by May 1, 2024:

Submit your application now!

Once we receive and review your application, a Kids Crescendo Artistic Director or Powers staff member will contact you.

Still have questions?

Session 1

Schedule: MON - FRI, 8:30 am - 1:00 pm

Location: 160 Lexington Street (Main Building)

Instructors:

Dates: Jun 24 - Jun 28

Session 2

Schedule: MON - FRI, 8:30 am - 3:00 pm

Location: 160 Lexington Street (Main Building)

Instructors:

Dates: Jul 1 - Jul 12

Session 2 After-Care

Schedule: 3:00 - 5:00 pm (dates listed above)

Location: 160 Lexington Street (Main Building)

Session 3 (sold out! waitlist only)

Schedule: MON - FRI, 8:30 am - 3:00 pm

Location: 160 Lexington Street (Main Building)

Instructors:

Dates: Jul 15 - Jul 26

Session 3 After-Care

Schedule: 3:00 - 5:00 pm (dates listed above)

Location: 160 Lexington Street (Main Building)